Skive cemetery turns green waste into compost to cut costs and boost sustainability

Skive Cemetery in Denmark has reduced waste disposal costs and improved sustainability by composting green waste, including wilted bouquets and plant clippings, DR reports.

Since 2021, the cemetery has shifted from sending organic waste to incineration—costing up to 60,000 kroner (€8,000) annually—to on-site composting, now spending around 35,000 kroner (€4,700) on shredding instead. The change has also eliminated the need to purchase additional topsoil for flower beds and graves.

Gardener Dina Offersen explained that clippings from autumn heather are now left to decompose naturally, while wilted flowers—often bound with nylon or wire—require manual separation before composting. “The plants benefit from it,” she said, noting the time-consuming process of removing metal or plastic from bouquets.

Rikke Engmark, cemetery assistant, acknowledged logistical challenges, including space constraints for composting, but stressed ongoing efforts to expand green initiatives. “We can’t just lean back now that composting works—we need to keep improving,” she said.

The trend extends beyond Skive. Jesper Rønn Kristiansen, head of the Folk Church’s Green Transition secretariat, noted that many Danish cemeteries now compost green waste to reuse it on-site, mimicking natural decomposition. With over 80% of burials now involving cremation, he highlighted untapped potential in repurposing unused grave plots for biodiversity projects.

“Cemeteries are spread across the country,” Kristiansen said. “If we create wild corners on church land, we can make a real difference—even if we can’t solve the biodiversity crisis alone.”

Tags: sustainability, denmark, waste management