Waste sorting

Sorting guide

Benefits for you and the municipality

When you sort your waste, the amount of residual waste in your bin decreases. This can allow you to choose a smaller bin or less frequent collection, lowering your costs. The better households sort, the more cost-efficient the municipal waste system becomes, which also affects the waste fee.

Reuse and reusables

Always start by considering if what you plan to throw away could be reused. Items in good condition can be left at the reuse section at the recycling center or at secondhand shops. Clothes, textiles, electronics, and furniture can be reused or donated. Broken bottles can be left for glass recycling. Waste is what is left when imagination runs out.

Tips to reduce waste

• Only buy what you truly need.
• Waste less food and use leftovers.
• Use fabric bags or reuse plastic bags.
• Choose refill products when possible.
• Give experiences instead of things.
• Buy durable products that can be repaired.
• Repair items instead of throwing them away.
• Say no to junk mail.
• Borrow or rent items you rarely need.

Textile collection

From 1 January 2025, it is mandatory across the EU to sort textile waste separately, but there are some exceptions. This applies to both households and businesses.

What counts as textile waste?

Almost anything that is woven, knitted, or felted from textile materials should be sorted:

• Clothing: sweaters, shirts, trousers, underwear, socks
• Home textiles: bed linen, towels, tablecloths, curtains, blankets, rugs
• Textile bags: handbags, fabric totes, make-up bags
• Accessories: ties, handkerchiefs, hats, caps

Exceptions - New sorting rules from 1 October 2025

The sharp increase in collected textiles since the requirement took effect has been difficult for municipalities and second-hand organisations to handle. Therefore, new sorting rules apply.

You may dispose of the following directly in residual household waste:

• socks and underwear
• textiles that are heavily soiled, mouldy, or infested by pests
• textiles that are very torn or damaged

Note! Everything that is reasonably intact and clean should still be taken for reuse or recycling.

The EU’s requirement for separate collection of textile waste is fundamentally positive, but those responsible for collection, sorting, and recycling have not yet built sufficient capacity for the volumes submitted.

Where should textiles be taken?

• Reuse: take intact and clean textiles to the reuse area at the recycling centre, a second-hand shop, or a charity.
• Recycling: take damaged or soiled textiles (that are not on the list above for residual waste) to the dedicated textile container at the recycling centre or ÅterbruksBoden.
• Hazardous waste: textiles contaminated with hazardous substances must be delivered as hazardous waste.

Note! Textile waste must not be left at packaging recycling stations (ÅVS).

Businesses (companies and organisations)

• Businesses must also sort textile waste separately. If the waste is similar to household waste, it may be classified as municipal waste.
• Businesses may apply for an exemption to manage their textile waste themselves if they can demonstrate a better solution than the municipality.
• Textiles from industrial production or healthcare are not considered municipal waste and must be taken to an authorised treatment facility.

Recycling and source separation

Three out of four packaging items in Sweden are recycled. Sorting saves huge amounts of resources. Packaging made of glass, metal, plastic, paper, and newspapers should be left at recycling stations. They should be empty, clean, and if possible flattened.

Electrical and electronic waste (e-waste) must be left at the recycling center.

Packaging or product?

Everything that has enclosed or protected a product is considered packaging. An empty ice cream container is still packaging even if you reuse it as a lunch box. A lunch box bought empty in the store is considered a product. The difference is based on producer responsibility.

Producer responsibility

Producers pay for the collection and recycling of packaging. You pay the recycling fee when you buy the product. If you throw the packaging into residual waste, you pay again through the municipal waste fee.

Residual waste

Residual waste is what remains after you have sorted out everything recyclable. Examples include diapers, envelopes, small toys without electronics, cat litter, cigarette butts, sanitary products, and cotton swabs. Residual waste is incinerated at Boden Energy’s plant and turned into district heating and electricity.

Hazardous waste

Hazardous waste can harm people and the environment. It must never end up in household waste or be poured into drains. Always take hazardous waste to a hazardous waste collection point or the recycling center.

Examples include batteries, chemicals, oily rags, solvents, and flammable waste. Incorrect handling can cause fires and accidents.

New rules for packaging collection

Since January 2024, municipalities are responsible for collecting household packaging. Producer organizations are still responsible for the actual recycling process.

Why did the rules change?

The aim is to make it easier for households to recycle. Too many packaging items previously ended up in residual waste. When you sort correctly, you avoid paying twice and producers take their share of responsibility.

When will the system be in place?

By January 2027, the system must be fully implemented across Sweden. All households, including apartments, detached houses, holiday homes, and special housing, must have packaging collection. Businesses that share bins with households can also apply for collection through the municipality.

Solutions in Boden Municipality

• Apartment buildings use an authorization system where property owners contact approved contractors directly.
• For detached houses, the municipality is analyzing the best collection method, with decisions expected in 2025.
• Newspapers and paper already have separate collection.