Nordic Waste

Nordic Waste A/S was a Danish environmental technology company located by Alling Å, just southwest of the village of Ølst and about 8 km south of central Randers. Founded in 2018, it specialised in cleaning contaminated soil, slag, sediment and similar materials, turning them into sand and gravel for uses such as concrete production. The company grew from 3 employees in 2018 to 40 in 2023 and claimed to operate washing facilities capable of treating 300,000 tonnes of contaminated soil per year, with plans to expand capacity to 1 million tonnes annually. Ownership was tied to the United Shipping & Trading Company (USTC) group, owned by Torben Østergaard-Nielsen and his two daughters. In 2021, then-director and co-founder David York and SDK Freja, a USTC company, bought out two former partners, giving York 51% and SDK Freja 49%. On 1 October 2022, SDK Freja took a 70% majority, David York stepped down as director to become board chairman, and former chair Lene Lange became director. From December 2023, Nordic Waste faced intense media scrutiny over a large landslide on its site that had begun in spring 2021. On 19 January 2024, after the Danish Environmental Protection Agency announced it would order the company to provide a DKK 205 million guarantee for cleanup and remediation, Nordic Waste filed for bankruptcy. The case became a notable environmental and political controversy in Denmark.

Nordic Waste A/S was founded in 2018 as a Danish environmental technology company based near Ølst, south of Randers. It focused on cleaning contaminated soil, slag, sediment and similar materials, converting them into sand and gravel for applications such as concrete production. The company grew rapidly from 3 employees in 2018 to 40 in 2023. In 2021, then-director and co-founder David York, together with SDK Freja, a company in the USTC group, acquired the shares of two former partners. This made York the majority shareholder with 51%, while SDK Freja held 49%. On 1 October 2022, SDK Freja took over the majority with 70% of the shares. At the same time, David York stepped down as director and became board chairman, while former chairman Lene Lange became the new director. By 2023, Nordic Waste stated it had washing facilities capable of cleaning 300,000 tonnes of contaminated soil per year, and announced plans to invest a "two-digit million amount" annually to expand capacity to 1 million tonnes per year. However, a large landslide on the company's site, which had begun in spring 2021, escalated into a major crisis. From December 2023, the company faced a media storm. On 19 January 2024, after the Danish Environmental Protection Agency announced it would issue an order requiring the company to provide a DKK 205 million guarantee for cleanup and remediation of the landslide, Nordic Waste filed for bankruptcy. The case became a significant environmental and political controversy in Denmark.

• 2024

  On 19 January, company files for bankruptcy after DKK 205 million guarantee demand.

• 2023

  Company reports 40 employees and 300,000 tonnes annual soil treatment capacity; plans expansion to 1 million tonnes.

• 2023

  From December, media storm over landslide on company site.

• 2022

  On 1 October, SDK Freja takes 70% majority; David York becomes board chairman, Lene Lange becomes director.

• 2021

  David York and SDK Freja acquire shares of two former partners; York becomes 51% shareholder, SDK Freja 49%.

• 2018

  Nordic Waste founded.

Environmental technology provider focused on remediation and recycling of contaminated materials.

• Contaminated soil treatment

  Cleaning of contaminated soil to produce sand and gravel.

• Slag and sediment cleaning

  Treatment of slag, sediment and similar materials.

• Recycled sand and gravel

  Output used for concrete production and other applications.

1. 1Nordic Wasteda.wikipedia.org
2. 2Wikidata Q124314690wikidata.org