In 2009, a composting plant was built in Akureyri making the goal of a total ban for putting organic waste in to landfill realistic. To ensure the result, every household gets a green basket for organic waste, free of charge. With the composting process, biodegradable waste from households and industries in the area is converted into high-nutrient soil for use as fertiliser. The composting plant is operated by a Public/Private company called Molta. The process consists of 6 large drums where the waste is digested for 9-12 days in a continuous aerobic process. Once ready, the compost is moved outside the building and collected there. Nameplate production capacity of the plant is 12.000 tons of compost annually, but the plant only reaches its max capacity during the sheep slaughtering season in autumn.
Molta’s revenue derives mainly from reception fees as they distribute its compost for free. Due to its nutritional value the compost is then used on meadows and gardens. The overall impact is more than one kilogram of CO2 less emission for each kilogram of organic waste that is put through the composting process instead of landfill. Molta is therefore one of the largest contributors to the reduction of carbon emission from the area, reducing the mission for about 10.000 tons per year.
The Green basket is a big part of Akureyri’s scheme to reduce both food waste and carbon footprint. Another part of our scheme to reduce food waste is that restaurants in the area offer doggie bags for leftovers.