The Nordic’s largest plastic sorting facility officially started operations on May 29. Located in the seaport city of Esbjerg, Resource Denmark has a capacity to process 160,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, significantly boosting Denmark’s recycling capacity.
When announced in 2022, the construction project was heralded as a game-changer. In Denmark, some 85% of plastic waste is either incinerated or exported. Meanwhile, the Danish government announced its ambition to recycle 55% of plastic by 2030.
German manufacturer Eggersmann supplied the equipment used to sort the plastic at ReSource Denmark. The process involves removing impurities and sorting lightweight packaging waste from Denmark and other parts of Scandinavia into different types that meet the requirements for both chemical and mechanical recycling. Food and beverage cartons and metals are also sorted out and sent for recycling.
At the sorting plant, the input material is separated into eleven different fractions, including LDP, HDPE, PP- and PE-films, composite materials and both magnetic and non-magnetic metals, achieving purity levels of between 90% and 94%, depending on the fraction.
Resource Denmark was commissioned in April after installation began in May 2023. Within six months, Eggersmann installed around 140 tonnes of steel and approximately 1.6 km of conveyor belts. In addition to Eggersmann Anlagenbau as the general contractor, Brt Hartner was also involved in the project as the expert for stationary recycling machines within the Eggersmann Group.
"With today’s opening, ReSource Denmark is set to become a cornerstone in Denmark’s environmental strategy,” said plant director Lars Hedegaard Kristensen during the ceremony. “Our facility leverages cutting-edge technology to help transform plastic waste into valuable new raw materials, thereby fostering a circular economy. This is a proud moment for all of us and a significant milestone in our commitment to sustainability."
ReSource Denmark is a 50/50 joint venture between the Norwegian chemical recycler Quantafuel – now owned by UK-based Viridor - and the financial investor Eurazeo.