Bergen, Norway, is home to one of the world’s largest underground waste management systems. Beneath the narrow, cobbled streets of this 955-year-old city lies a network of 7.5 kilometers (about 4.7 miles) of pipes that use pneumatic technology to transport garbage to a central waste management facility.
This pneumatic waste collection system uses air pressure equivalent to that of half a million household vacuum cleaners to efficiently “suck” waste away from city bins.
According to The Washington Post, Bergen’s integration of this advanced waste technology has significantly reduced garbage truck traffic in the city’s narrow streets. This improvement has led to lower greenhouse gas emissions, cleaner air, less street disruption, and noticeably fewer rats, benefits that residents have quickly appreciated.
While other cities such as Stockholm, Seoul, Singapore, Dubai, and Doha have implemented similar systems, Bergen stands out as one of the few places to successfully retrofit an automated, city-wide waste collection system into a medieval city center.
Investing in sustainable urban infrastructure
Bergen began installing the pneumatic system in 2007 and has since invested around $100 million in its development. However, the project is still ongoing, with an additional $30 million needed to extend the system to all neighborhoods.
Officials are strategically aligning the installation of new waste pipes with other infrastructure projects, such as tram line extensions and the maintenance of electric, sewer, and water systems, some of which date back to the 19th century.
Because digging up city streets is both expensive and disruptive, coordinating these works ensures efficiency and minimizes inconvenience to residents.
Experts note that while retrofitting old cities with modern waste technology is possible, it can be costly and logistically complex. For new developments, integrating pneumatic systems during the initial construction phase is far more cost-effective.
How the pneumatic waste collection system works
Envac, the Swedish company that invented the Automatic Waste Collection System (AWCS), first introduced it in 1961. The technology has since evolved to handle up to 300 kilograms (660 pounds) of waste per hour per inlet.
Each inlet, located outside homes or in public areas, typically accepts three types of waste: general, recyclable, and organic. Once garbage is dropped in, it is vacuum-sucked through underground pipes at speeds of up to 70 kilometers per hour (43 mph) to collection centers located up to two kilometers (1.2 miles) away.
By eliminating the need for garbage trucks to navigate narrow city streets, the system improves urban hygiene, reduces fuel consumption, lowers labor costs, and cuts greenhouse gas emissions.
At the collection stations, recyclables are separated and sent to recycling facilities, while residual waste is incinerated to produce biofuel or energy.
The future of urban waste management
Envac’s pneumatic waste collection system is now used in cities worldwide—from Stockholm to Singapore—offering measurable benefits in carbon reduction, traffic congestion, and sanitation.
Bergen’s success demonstrates that even the world’s oldest cities can adopt modern, sustainable waste management solutions that make urban life cleaner, quieter, and more efficient.
Sources:
Trash sucks: A Norwegian city uses vacuum tubes to whisk waste away. (2025, November 11). Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-solutions/2025/06/11/bergen-norway-pneumatic-waste-collection/
Step-by-step guide to Pneumatic Waste Collection System. (2024, November). Envac. Retrieved from https://www.envacgroup.com/insights/step-by-step-guide-to-pneumatic-waste-collection-system/
Envac’s automated waste collection in Bergen featured by the World Economic Forum. (2025, July 30). Envac. Retrieved from https://www.envacgroup.com/dk/news/envacs-automated-waste-collection-in-bergen-featured-by-the-world-economic-forum/
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