Detoxification - a cornerstone of the circular transition

In a sustainable society, substances that threaten our health, harm the environment, and prevent the recycling of valuable raw materials must be taken out of circulation. This is why detoxification is at the heart of Ragn-Sells’ operations.

14 Sep 2026

– Substances that can harm people and the environment are introduced to the world every day. If we want a toxic-free environment, we must limit the input of these substances while taking care of those already in circulation, says Jonas Wibom, Head of Business Development.

A truly circular society makes use of existing materials rather than constantly extracting new ones from the Earth. This requires that the reused material is free from harmful substances. Therefore, waste detoxification is fundamental to a circular society and a central business.

– We are constantly developing new and improved methods to handle hazardous waste. However, there are still contaminants that we are not yet able to remove. To prevent these substances from spreading into society, such waste must be disposed of in secure landfills, says Jonas.

There is a widespread belief that landfills today are the same as rubbish dumps of the past. However, modern landfills are the best available way to safely handle contaminated waste. Still, many countries are trying to discourage landfill by making it expensive and complicated.

– That is completely misguided. Making it harder to operate modern landfills does not decrease the amount of waste produced, it merely re-directs more of the waste to substandard sites, says Jonas.

"Society must do a better job of making polluters pay. Today, the clean-up bill too often ends up with taxpayers, rather than with the companies that profit from putting harmful substances on the market."

Jonas Wibom, Head of Business Development, Ragn-Sells

As harmful substances continue to accumulate in society, more waste will need to be landfilled, not less. This is particularly critical for materials contaminated with highly persistent toxins, such as PFAS, for which large-scale, effective detoxification solutions are not yet available.

Detoxification is becoming an increasingly important part of Ragn-Sells’ operations also in Norway and Estonia. In Norway, Ragn-Sells has established a soil washing plant where large amounts of contaminated soil are cleaned and prepared for reuse.

In Estonia, Ragn-Sells acquired the Väätsa landfill in 2024 with the goal of developing it into a modern treatment and detoxification centre. The acquisition enables us to expand our detoxification business in Estonia and reinforce our commitment to creating a toxic-free, circular society.

– Even if the inflow of harmful substances stopped tomorrow, it would take decades to eliminate toxins from society. Ragn-Sells is committed to doing our part, but the waste industry cannot tackle this challenge alone. That is why we push for a large-scale clean-up project to jointly address society’s historical environmental debt, says Jonas.

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