Avfall Sverige

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.

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

Headquarters

HQ city

Malmö

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Report Sales: Reports and publications sold to non-members. Example: Reports priced at 300 SEK each.
3. 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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ISWA (International Solid Waste Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Avfall 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)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025MWE 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProgram coordinated by Avfall Sverige to support Ukrainian municipalities with waste management equipment including garbage trucks, bins, and loaders donated from Swedish municipalities.
• UN/UNDPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvfall 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)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean organization for waste-to-energy plants. Avfall Sverige participates in CEWEP activities.
• ECN (European Compost Network)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean network for composting and anaerobic digestion. Avfall Sverige participates through membership.
• Sopor.numinorGTM or Marketing PartnerPublic information website about waste management for Swedish citizens. Operated as a joint information initiative.
• AI SwedenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSweden's national center for artificial intelligence. Avfall Sverige joined to support digitalization and AI development in waste management.
• BioDriv ÖstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative organization for biofuel development. Joint report on energy transition scenarios with RISE research institute.
• Svenska Institutet (Swedish Institute)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment agency promoting Sweden internationally. Jointly launched materials showcasing Sweden's work on waste prevention and circularity.
• EUpictominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNordic 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 SwedenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerSwedish research institute. Commissioned by BioDriv Öst and Avfall Sverige to produce scenario analysis for future energy use and transition.
• Svenska Vatten, Energiföretagen Sverige, Energigas SverigeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint program declaration within the Circular Economy Delegation to create non-toxic and circular cycles.
• FastighetsägarnaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSwedish property owners' organization. Joint advocacy on EU plastic fees.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional 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

• Xx.com/avfallsverige
• Facebookfacebook.com/sveriges.storsta.miljororelse

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Avfall Sverige