In the old mining area at Dannemora mines, the company Österby recycling has been approved by Östhammar municipality to sort waste since the beginning of the summer. But when the municipality made an inspection in early August, they saw garbage that drifted away and the sorting was substandard. 

- On the one hand, it was messy and certain safety measures were lacking, such as absorbents. Then the sorting itself seemed to be deficient and what was to be sorted did not look sorted, says Martin Palmqvist, environmental inspector at Östhammar municipality.

Residents in the immediate area see risks

SVT Nyheter Uppsala has spoken to several of those who live in the area who are upset about waste management. Nobody wants to put up with names, but one of them says like this:

- There are risks that the plastic rubbish will fly around the environment. There is a risk that it will dust on those who live nearby. And above all, there are risks that the rubbish will eventually be leached out by rain and run down into the water system and travel further via the river system to Lake Dannemora and then to Fyrisån.

In a response following an injunction from the municipality, the company replies, among other things, that they will set up nets or the like so that the rubbish does not go around.

But the municipality thinks that there are some question marks left and they have a continued dialogue with the company.

- Yes, we're watching it. There are some issues that we think we need to clarify, says Johan Nilsson, environmental manager of Östhammar municipality.

Had a hard time seeing who the owner is

The papers submitted to the municipality in the case include both the name of a man in his 80s and another man. When SVT Uppsala calls the man in his 80s, he says that the problems should be fixed and refers on to the other man, but with him we get no answer.

The municipality has reported to the police aggravation of environmental control because they had difficulty seeing who is the business owner in Österby recycling. The case is now being investigated by a prosecutor at the National Unit for Environmental and Work Environment Objectives. 

- We have, of course, wondered how, on such loose bolines, a company could be approved to run this business when you do not even know what it is, says a resident in the immediate area.

See pictures from the waste management at Dannemora mines in the clip: