Västmanland County does not meet the national target of reducing residual and food waste by 25 percent, according to official sources. The proportion of food waste in residual waste has increased from 25 percent to 28 percent, while residual waste now consists of 24 percent plastic and paper, compared to 34 percent a year ago. Progress is being made in plastic and paper sorting, with some areas in Västerås having had new bins for plastic and paper packaging for over a year.
The new bins for plastic and paper packaging are being rolled out gradually, and all bins in Västerås will be completed by autumn 2025. In spring, bins will start rolling out in Arboga, Hallstahammar, Kungsör, Köping, and Surahammar, involving about 20,000 bins. In autumn, plastic and paper bins will be introduced in Fagersta, Norberg, Skinnskatteberg, and Sala, and in Vafab Miljö's two municipalities in Uppsala County (Enköping and Heby), involving about 27,000 bins, with a total of about 65,000 bins to be deployed.
Analysis of sorting effectiveness shows that in the new system, plastic and paper should be sorted out so that household waste only contains residual waste like diapers, snus pouches, and vacuum cleaner bags. A sorting analysis by Vafab shows that the proportion of plastic and paper in residual waste has decreased, but there is room for improvement. Total residual waste decreased by 8 percent between 2025 and 2026.