Six leaders in Nordic Waste case face lawsuit for 450 million kroner

Six board members of companies involved in the Nordic Waste case are now facing a lawsuit demanding approximately 450 million Danish kroner in damages following a 2023 landslide.

The bankruptcy estates of Nordic Waste and DSH Recycling have filed the suit against the six individuals, as announced by the Ministry of Environment. "The lawsuit aims to ensure a dignified conclusion to the Nordic Waste case," stated Minister of Environment Maria Reumert Gjerding. "It is my firm belief that the polluter must pay the bill for the significant damage caused by the landslide."

The landslide at Nordic Waste accelerated in December 2023 when millions of cubic meters of soil shifted, burying parts of the nearby Gammel Århusvej. Nordic Waste abandoned the site, leaving Randers Municipality to manage the situation and prevent pollution of local waterways like Alling Å.

The claim covers expenses incurred by creditors in the bankruptcy estates after the landslide began. Creditors include the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and Randers Municipality, which had supervisory responsibility for a period. In April 2024, the Attorney General's office determined that a sister company of DSH Recycling shared responsibility for the landslide. DSH Recycling was declared bankrupt on November 19, 2024.

The government is backing the bankruptcy estates' assessment that the six board members are responsible for the landslide and has decided to provide financial security for the legal costs, a prerequisite for initiating the lawsuit.