Why press cans at all?
Save space with a twist
If your dog likes to eat wet food, you know how quickly the garbage can fills up with empty cans. Larger dogs with high food requirements in particular create a lot of "tin". This saves space in the bin and is more practical, especially when you're out and about or don't want to keep running to the garbage can.
Environmentally friendly or a no-go?
What is often seen as a practical contribution to reducing waste here in Germany is not welcomed everywhere. This is because compacting cans can cause problems with recycling - depending on the system. And this is where things get interesting in Denmark.
Waste separation and recycling in Denmark - a brief overview
Denmark is one of the European countries with a very well-organized waste management system. Waste separation is a top priority there - and violations can result in severe penalties.
How it works in Denmark
Waste separation in Denmark is regulated by local authorities, but there are uniform principles:
- Metal packaging, which includes dog food cans, is collected separately.
- Many municipalities use color-coded garbage cans or container stations.
- Cans must be clean, empty and not severely deformed - and this is precisely the problem with small-scale compaction.
What does "not heavily deformed" mean?
The recycling companies' point of view
In Denmark, many recycling centers rely on automatic sorting systems. These recognize and sort materials using sensors, magnets and scanners. Heavily deformed or flattened cans are sometimes not correctly recognized as metal, especially if they have lost their typical shape.
This can lead to
- Cans ending up in residual waste or the wrong recycling stream,
- recycling is made more difficult or prevented,
- additional costs are incurredfor the local authority,
- or the entire container being rejected as incorrectly sorted waste.
What is allowed - and what is not?
Official recommendations from Danish municipalities
Most Danish municipalities explicitly advise against deforming metal packaging such as dog food cans too much. On many municipal websites, you can read notices such as:
"Please do not press cans flat as this will interfere with the automatic sorting system."
What you should actually do:
- Empty cans completely (rinse with a little water if necessary)
- Labels can remain on - they are removed during processing
- Do not crush or squeeze cans if possible
- Remove the lid, but place it in the can (due to sharp edges)
- Place in the metal container or appropriate waste garbage can
Fines for incorrect disposal
Even if you mean well, crushing cans in Denmark can be regarded as littering. The penalties vary from municipality to municipality, but in the worst case you could be fined:
- Warnings
- Fines of up to DKK 1,000 (approx. €130-140)
- Notices in the tenancy agreement (for vacation homes)
- In the event of repeated misconduct: Restrictions on the use of public waste disposal stations
Vacations with a dog in Denmark - you should pay attention to this
If you are on vacation in Denmark with your dog, remember:
- Find out about the local waste rules from the vacation home agency or campsite.
- There are often instructions or notices on how to separate waste correctly.
- Some vacation homes have several garbage cans - read carefully which one is for metal!
- To be on the safe side, pack a few garbage bags and possibly a small can knife in case you want to remove the lids.
- If you buy dog food in Germany, it's better to take smaller individual portions with you - this saves hassle when disposing of it.
Alternative packaging - is it possible without a can?
If you want to avoid handling cans, you can switch to other types of packaging:
- Sausage-shaped rolls of wet food (often made of plastic or aluminum composite)
- Tetra-Pak-like cartons (usually easy to recycle)
- Wet food in trays (made of aluminum or plastic, to be disposed of differently depending on the region)
- Or even: Barfen on vacation - if cooling facilities are available
However, always check whether the packaging is recyclable and how it should be disposed of locally. Here, too, there are differences from municipality to municipality.
It's better to leave small presses - for the sake of the environment and the system
In Denmark, you should not compact empty dog food cans, even if it seems logical. The recycling plants there need packaging that is as undamaged as possible in order to work efficiently and correctly. If you crush cans, you not only run the risk of fines, but also of valuable metal not being recycled.
Even if waste separation can sometimes seem complicated, a little preparation will help you to act in an environmentally conscious and compliant manner when on vacation with your dog.
What do you think?
Have you had any experience of disposing of dog food cans in Denmark? Do you usually squeeze the cans - or do you prefer to leave them as they are? Let us know your opinion in the comments!