The waste management company ZAAO Ltd. has become the first company in Latvia and the Baltic region to be represented in the waste sorting standardisation system EU Picto – an organisation lobbying for the introduction of a unified Nordic waste sorting pictogram system to be implemented throughout the European Union. The standardised labelling system, already in use in Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Sweden, simplifies waste sorting and helps reducing landfill waste.
Waste management communication varies across countries and even municipalities. This inconsistency leads to public confusion, and waste-ting inefficient. Denmark has developed a unified labelling system, gradually adopted by other Nordic countries, as a solution to this challenge. A standardised system serves as an educational tool and is crucial for turning waste into resource. While Nordic pictograms have already proven their effectiveness, there has been no standardised system in Latvia.
When asked about the waste labelling standardisation process in the Nordic countries, Niels Toftegaard, Head of Communications at EU Picto, explained that Denmark has been a front-runner using specific pictograms across waste processing centres and in public spaces and businesses since 2017. Some manufacturers and supermarket chains have gone a step further by printing the pictograms directly on packaging, thus making sorting even more convenient.
In Sweden, the system was adopted in 2020 and was widely praised for its simplicity and flexible implementation process. Today, the same pictograms are used across all Swedish municipalities and in over 600 companies, including major Swedish companies such as IKEA and Tetra Pak. At the EU level, discussions are ongoing regarding the introduction of a unified waste sorting system, although it remains unclear whether the Nordic pictograms will be chosen. Anna-Carin Gripwall, representative from the EU Joint Research Centre (JRC), confirmed that while most EU member states support the Nordic system, the primary debate revolves around colours and terminology.
In Latvia, this issue falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Climate and Energy, which acknowledges that having a unified waste management pictogram system would significantly improve waste sorting. Rudīte Vesere, Deputy State Secretary for Environmental Policy at the Ministry of Climate and Energy, has stated the following:
"We have been working with the Nordic Council of Ministers' Office in Latvia since the very beginning of the pictogram project in the Baltic States. Currently, discussions are ongoing on regulations for the use of pictograms on waste containers and explanations for citizens. Latvia is the first of the Baltic States implementing the Nordic pictogram system.”
Role of ZAAO Ltd. in advancing regional standardisation
Participation by ZAAO Ltd. in the EU Picto initiative has accelerated discussions on implementing a unified waste labelling system on the regional level. Ingrīda Gubernatorova, Head of Corporate Governance and Audit at ZAAO Ltd., explained the reasoning behind this decision:
“Latvia needs a standardised waste bin labelling system since the diversity of waste management systems confuses citizens. If we want waste sorting to be simple and accessible for general public, a unified labelling system is an absolute necessity.
By mid-next year, the European Commission plans to introduce harmonised waste bin labelling regulations, setting mandatory standards for all EU Member States, including Latvia. This gives Latvia a unique advantage – while other countries must adapt their existing systems, Latvia has the opportunity to develop a brand-new system that is fully aligned with EU guidelines from the very beginning.”
Benefits of waste sorting pictogram standardisation
Standardising waste sorting pictograms benefits both the general public, by making waste separation more intuitive, and manufacturers, by simplifying packaging information with a unified labelling system. With support from the Nordic Council of Ministers’ Office in Latvia and its partners, the website www.piktogrammam.lv was created and is actively maintained. It contains guidelines and recommendations for using pictograms, and 32 pictograms available for downloading free of charge.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Publication: Common Waste Sorting Symbols in Nordic Countries
ZAAO Ltd. is a public-private capital company owned by 11 municipalities, providing waste management services, including waste collection, sorting, transportation, processing and environmentally friendly disposal. The company also engages in public awareness and education initiatives.
