Avfall Sverige
Avfall Sverige is the Swedish national industry association for municipal waste management, serving all 213 Swedish municipal members and 151 private-sector associate members with benchmarking tools, e-learning, training, advocacy, and policy representation since 1947.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1947
- HeadquartersMalmö, Sweden
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Avfall Sverige does
Avfall Sverige is the national industry association for municipal waste management in Sweden, founded in 1947 and headquartered in Malmö with a representative office in Stockholm. It operates as a Swedish economic association (ekonomisk förening) with 213 municipal members covering all of Sweden's municipalities and 151 associate members comprising private-sector suppliers, consultants, and contractors active in the waste sector. The organization is owned and controlled by its members through an annual meeting and an elected board of 18 directors, with a service company subsidiary (Avfall Sverige AB) handling the operational services, structured as a 10/90 split between the non-profit association and the service company for tax efficiency.
The association's core offerings include Avfall Web, a web-based benchmarking and statistics system that enables municipalities to track and compare waste management performance; Avfall Sverige Play, an e-learning and recorded training platform; the magazine Avfall och Miljö, Sweden's only dedicated waste management publication; a portfolio of e-learning courses (e.g., Certified Waste Collector, ÅVC License); extensive reports, guides, handbooks, and procurement templates; and a joint Nordic-Baltic waste sorting labeling system launched in 2020. Revenue is generated through annual membership fees (split between the association and the service company), training and conference fees, and report sales to non-members.
Avfall Sverige's strategic positioning rests on near-universal municipal representation in Sweden, EU and global policy influence (CEO Tony Clark serves as Vice-chair of ISWA's Global Campaign Advisory Committee and was elected Chairman of Municipal Waste Europe in 2025), and recognized international leadership (2025 ISWA Beacon Leadership Award). The organization launched the 30/30-målet initiative in 2025 targeting a 30% reduction in residual waste by 2030, joined AI Sweden to advance digitalization, and runs the WM4U international cooperation program supporting Ukrainian municipalities. The service company subsidiary is ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 certified.
Avfall Sverige firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Avfall Sverige
- Legal name
- Avfall Sverige
- Website
- https://avfallsverige.se
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1947
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Avfall Sverige is the Swedish national industry association for municipal waste management, serving all 213 Swedish municipal members and 151 private-sector associate members with benchmarking tools, e-learning, training, advocacy, and policy representation since 1947.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Avfall Sverige is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Malmö
- HQ country
- Sweden
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Avfall Sverige business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Membership Fees: Annual membership fees from 213 municipal members and 151 associate members (private companies). Fee structure includes 10% to the non-profit association and 90% to the service company Avfall Sverige AB.
- Report Sales: Reports and publications sold to non-members. Example: Reports priced at 300 SEK each.
- Training and Education: Courses, conferences, and e-learning programs for members and non-members. Training events held 30 times with 2,489 participants in 2024.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time/ perpetual license | Reports sold at fixed price |
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | Training and conference attendance |
| Subscription | Annual | Membership categories |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels6 records
Avfall Sverige product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Avfall Sverige is a Swedish industry/membership association representing all of Sweden's municipalities in waste management and recycling. The organization delivers member advisory services, training and e-learning, benchmarking through the Avfall Web platform, development project funding, advocacy at national and EU level, and knowledge dissemination via its magazine, reports, and guides. Revenue comes primarily from municipal membership fees (with a 10/90 split between the non-profit association and the service company Avfall Sverige AB), supplemented by paid training, conferences, and unit-priced report sales to non-members.
Product overview
Avfall Sverige is a membership organization for Swedish municipalities in waste management, not a traditional product company. The organization provides services to its members through several interconnected offerings: the magazine Avfall och Miljö serves as the primary knowledge dissemination channel; Avfall Sverige Play provides e-learning and recorded training; Avfall Web offers benchmarking and statistics tools; e-learning courses cover specific competencies; the Verktygslådan provides practical tools and publications; and the Gemensamt skyltsystem offers a standardized labeling system. The 30/30-målet initiative drives collective waste reduction goals, while international projects like WM4U extend their reach. The organization also provides extensive reports, guides, and handbooks as knowledge products, along with conferences and training calendars for member engagement.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Sverigesorterar.se: A national sorting guide website for waste and recycling, part of a shared Nordic-Baltic labeling system.
- Biogodsel.se
- Miljönär.se
Products and services
- Avfall Web Web-based benchmarking and statistics platform that allows Swedish municipalities to track, compare, and analyze waste management performance metrics. Available to member municipalities through authenticated access.
- Avfall Sverige Play Online video and e-learning platform offering members access to recorded training sessions and member advisory content from Avfall Sverige's broadcast programming.
- E-learning Courses Suite of self-paced online courses including Svensk avfallshantering (Swedish Waste Management), Avfallskunskap för politiker (Waste Knowledge for Politicians), Certifierad sophämtare (Certified Waste Collector), ÅVC-körkortet (Recycling Centre License), Plockanalys (Waste Composition Analysis), and Din roll i källsorteringen (Your Role in Source Sorting). Targeted at municipal staff, politicians, and contractors.
- Avfall och Miljö (Magazine) Sweden's only dedicated waste management magazine, published five times per year with a circulation of approximately 2,200 copies. Contains in-depth articles, practical examples, and analyses written by industry experts for municipal members and waste sector professionals.
- Reports, Guides, and Handbooks Extensive library of reports, guides, handbooks, and PM documents covering all aspects of waste management. Available for free download by members; non-members can purchase individual reports at fixed unit prices (e.g., 300 SEK).
- Verktygslådan (Toolbox for Prevention and Reuse) Curated collection of practical tools, publications, and communication materials developed by Avfall Sverige and members to support municipalities and other actors in waste prevention and reuse initiatives.
- Gemensamt skyltsystem (Common Nordic-Baltic Labeling System) Joint Nordic-Baltic standardized labeling system for waste sorting, launched July 1, 2020 in cooperation with sister organizations across Nordic and Baltic countries. Designed to make source sorting intuitive for citizens and increase recycling rates.
- Waste Management for Ukraine (WM4U) International cooperation programme coordinated by Avfall Sverige that supports Ukrainian municipalities with waste management through donations of garbage trucks, bins, and loaders from Swedish municipalities, alongside project cooperation on waste management system development.
- Conferences, Annual Meetings and Training Events In-person training events, annual meetings, regional meetings, and conferences for members and the wider waste management sector. Includes an annual Karlstad meeting (600+ participants, 45 exhibitors), autumn meeting in Linköping (500+ participants, 33 exhibitors), and member days across six Swedish locations. In 2024, 30 training events were held with 2,489 participants.
Quantifiable outcome
- 500+ development projects financed since 1998
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Avfall Sverige
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Avfall Sverige technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Avfall Sverige partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ISWA (International Solid Waste Association)coreAvfall Sverige is a member of ISWA, the global waste management association. CEO Tony Clark serves as vice-chair of ISWA's Global Campaign Advisory Committee.
- Municipal Waste Europe (MWE)coreMWE brings together European municipal waste organizations. Avfall Sverige was instrumental in founding MWE in 2008. CEO Tony Clark elected as new chairman in 2025.
- Waste Management for Ukraine (WM4U)coreProgram coordinated by Avfall Sverige to support Ukrainian municipalities with waste management equipment including garbage trucks, bins, and loaders donated from Swedish municipalities.
- UN/UNDPcoreAvfall Sverige collaborates with the United Nations and UNDP on international waste management development projects and e-learning materials.
- CEWEP (Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants)minorEuropean organization for waste-to-energy plants. Avfall Sverige participates in CEWEP activities.
- ECN (European Compost Network)minorEuropean network for composting and anaerobic digestion. Avfall Sverige participates through membership.
- Sopor.numinorPublic information website about waste management for Swedish citizens. Operated as a joint information initiative.
- AI SwedenminorSweden's national center for artificial intelligence. Avfall Sverige joined to support digitalization and AI development in waste management.
- BioDriv ÖstminorCollaborative organization for biofuel development. Joint report on energy transition scenarios with RISE research institute.
- Svenska Institutet (Swedish Institute)minorGovernment agency promoting Sweden internationally. Jointly launched materials showcasing Sweden's work on waste prevention and circularity.
- EUpictominorNordic association established in 2021 to develop the common Nordic-Baltic labeling system for waste sorting, launched by Avfall Sverige in 2020.
- RISE Research Institutes of SwedenminorSwedish research institute. Commissioned by BioDriv Öst and Avfall Sverige to produce scenario analysis for future energy use and transition.
- Svenska Vatten, Energiföretagen Sverige, Energigas SverigeminorJoint program declaration within the Circular Economy Delegation to create non-toxic and circular cycles.
- FastighetsägarnaminorSwedish property owners' organization. Joint advocacy on EU plastic fees.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Avfall Sverige competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- BDE (Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungswirtschaft): German national trade association for the waste management and recycling industry. The most structurally comparable peer: a national member-funded trade body representing municipal and private sector waste operators in Germany, organized similarly with publications, working groups, and policy advocacy.
Others
- Svenskt Näringsliv: Swedish Confederation of Enterprise, the main national business federation. Thematically related as a Swedish industry-association counterpart but far broader in scope (all industries) and operates an advocacy model similar to Avfall Sverige's.
- Sysav: One of Sweden's largest municipal waste management utilities and a key working-group leader in Avfall Sverige's biological recycling group. Adjacent ecosystem participant: a paying member and operational counterpart rather than a peer organization.
- Renova: Swedish municipal waste and recycling utility serving the Gothenburg region and a leading member in Avfall Sverige's energy recovery working group. Adjacent ecosystem participant: member and operational counterpart rather than a peer organization.
- SKR (Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner): Swedish national association for all municipalities and regions. Adjacent — both organizations represent Swedish municipalities and operate in the public-sector advisory space, but SKR is broader (all municipal services, not just waste) and is a potential counterparty or even overlap partner.
Broad incumbents
- ISWA (International Solid Waste Association): Global umbrella association for the waste management industry with members across 100+ countries. Directly comparable as a peer industry-body, but operates at a global rather than national scope and serves a broader set of stakeholders beyond municipalities.
Direct peers
- Municipal Waste Europe (MWE): European association of municipal waste organizations co-founded by Avfall Sverige in 2008. Direct peer representing the same municipal-constituency model across Europe; CEO Tony Clark was elected its chairman in 2025, evidencing deep operational overlap.
- ECN (European Compost Network): European network for composting and anaerobic digestion, in which Avfall Sverige participates. Direct peer in the broader municipal waste-treatment advocacy space, with a narrower focus on biological recycling.
- CEWEP (Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants): European trade body representing waste-to-energy operators, in which Avfall Sverige is a participating member. Direct peer in the waste-management advocacy space, though narrower in focus on energy recovery specifically.
Emerging players
- Håll Sverige Rent (Keep Sweden Clean Foundation): Swedish non-profit focused on litter prevention and circular behavior among citizens. Comparable in operating context (Sweden, public-facing communications, behavior-change campaigns) but narrower in scope and less commercially structured than Avfall Sverige.
Market position
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Avfall Sverige social profiles
Digital presenceAvfall Sverige compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Avfall Sverige financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Avfall Sverige leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Avfall Sverige subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Avfall Sverige funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Avfall Sverige M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Avfall Sverige
What does Avfall Sverige do?
Avfall Sverige is a Swedish industry/membership association representing all of Sweden's municipalities in waste management and recycling. The organization delivers member advisory services, training and e-learning, benchmarking through the Avfall Web platform, development project funding, advocacy at national and EU level, and knowledge dissemination via its magazine, reports, and guides. Revenue comes primarily from municipal membership fees (with a 10/90 split between the non-profit association and the service company Avfall Sverige AB), supplemented by paid training, conferences, and unit-priced report sales to non-members.
Is Avfall Sverige a public or private company?
Avfall Sverige is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Avfall Sverige founded?
Avfall Sverige was founded in 1947. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Avfall Sverige based?
Avfall Sverige is headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, in the Europe region.
How does Avfall Sverige make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership Fees are the primary driver. The others are report Sales and training and Education.
Who are Avfall Sverige's main competitors?
BDE (Bundesverband der Deutschen Entsorgungswirtschaft) is listed as a regional player. Others are Svenskt Näringsliv, Sysav, Renova and SKR (Sveriges Kommuner och Regioner). ISWA (International Solid Waste Association) is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Municipal Waste Europe (MWE), ECN (European Compost Network) and CEWEP (Confederation of European Waste-to-Energy Plants). Håll Sverige Rent (Keep Sweden Clean Foundation) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Avfall Sverige have an API?
No public API is recorded for Avfall Sverige.