Organic waste & packaging

Organic waste

Participating restaurants in the Leifur Arnar project commit to sorting organic waste and directing it to the appropriate channels. This commitment is consistent with the new waste management legislation that will go into effect on January 1, 2023, making it illegal in Iceland to landfill organic and biodegradable waste.

Therefore, it is imperative that restaurants address these issues as soon as possible and reduce their food waste.

Organic waste generated in Akureyri goes to the composting plant Molta ehf. See more about the process of organic waste on the website of Molta.

Packaging

Restaurants also commit to using compostable packaging for takeout orders and leftovers. These packagings are already provided by the vast majority of restaurants, which is excellent. However, it must be evident and visible how the packing should be recycled.

Recycling of packaging from paper:

The best way is to clean the packaging and recycle as paper. 

If it is not considered possible to clean the packaging, it can be recycled with organic waste.

There has been a lot of packaging made of bioplastics (plastic classes labelled: PLA, PHA, PHB, PHBV, PCL, PBS and PBAT), but these packages must not go into the compost. This is worth pointing out, as these kinds of packaging are often marketed as ideal for composting. Decomposition of this packaging will only occur under certain conditions that do not exist in the Moltu ehf composting facility.