By 2030, Norway's New Sorting Facilities Will Process About 80% Of The Country's Plastic Packaging Waste

Norway's new national plastic packaging waste sorting facility, Områ, officially opened today. The facility is jointly owned by TOMRA and Plastretur, with ambitious goals—expected to process about 80% of Norway's packaging waste by 2030.

Områ has adopted advanced sensor-based technology that can accurately sort mixed plastic waste into ten separate fractions, including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), and polystyrene (PS). This precise sorting significantly improves the recycling rate. The facility has a strong processing capacity, capable of handling 90,000 tons of plastic annually, converting plastic packaging waste into uniform polymer fractions ready for recycling, including plastics that previously could only be incinerated. Currently, about one-third of Norway's plastic packaging waste is recycled, while most of the rest is still incinerated. The emergence of Områ is expected to change this situation.

Located in Holtskogen on the outskirts of Oslo, Områ is not only a processing facility but will also provide off-take solutions for municipalities and waste management companies considering the introduction of automated mixed waste sorting (MWS). This helps regions aiming to enhance recycling rates improve plastic recycling levels without solely relying on household source separation.

In Belgium, the plastic recycling facility of Morssinkhof - Rymoplast Group and Fost Plus located in Lommel has also received significant attention. The facility aims to convert 80% of the daily waste from Belgian households into high-quality recycled materials for packaging applications.

The factory is expected to process various types of waste collected from 4 million households in Belgium through the national PMD (Plastic, Metal, and Drink Cartons) system, such as milk bottles, butter tubs, shampoo containers, and other everyday waste. Through advanced technology and processes, these seemingly ordinary daily wastes will be transformed into valuable resources, reapplying them in the packaging field to achieve resource recycling.

Additionally, Pellenc ST revealed that its optical sorting technology is playing a significant role in a new PET beverage container sorting plant in Skulve, Norway. The plant was created in collaboration with Infinitum and Nordic Recycling Systems.

This factory processes more than 14,000 tons of PET bottles and beverage cans annually and is equipped with a patented robotic bag-opening system and a self-learning camera system. These advanced technological devices ensure sorting efficiency and accuracy, further enhancing the recycling quality and efficiency of PET beverage containers.

The recent advancements in plastic recycling in Norway and Belgium have not only made positive contributions to environmental protection and resource recycling in both countries but also provided valuable experiences and models for the global plastic recycling industry. With the gradual operation and improvement of these facilities, it is believed that the plastic recycling industry will usher in a brighter development prospect.