Endurnýjan

My Icelandic readers can correct me, but I am pretty sure the Icelandic term for recycling is endurnýjan. I like this, because it means literally, make new again. 

I currently have three bags of cardboard containers of various sorts -- milk cartons, juice boxes, egg holders -- all waiting to get recycled. One bag is in my car, one bag is under my sink, another bag is in my laundry room. Last time I went to the only recycling container for cardboard I know about in town (right in front of Kronan, was Samkaup), it was absolutely stuffed full. 

So it seems there are a lot of people like me in Iceland, full of good intentions about recycling, but the government is not quite doing its part to provide basic infrastructure. 

Comments

Anonymous said…
pretty close, endurnýting it is. Endurnýjun isn't really recycling at all, rather to renew something.

But yes, basically the same here, all cardboard and paper (actually Sorpa lets you mix that all, except for corrugated paper), then we have glass plastic and metal boxes too. We could get rid of one of the trash cans for the house, we throw so little away. Still lacking a container for food rests and such, though.

I'm pretty sure the emptying out of containers is privatized in Reykjanesbær, but the town should make sure they do their work, though.
July 10, 2009 at 3:14 PM
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