WASTE PLASTICS RECYCLING A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDE

BY AND FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

ANNEX 4
Plastretur
Norway offers a number of interesting examples of producer responsibility schemes which work to
recover and recycle waste plastics.
Plastretur AS is a private non-profit company established in 1995, with shareholders comprising:
plastic producers
retail trade
users of plastic packaging
Plastretur is developing, organising and executing plastic packaging recovery schemes, both from
private households, agriculture, fish farming and trade and industries.
In the case of agricultural films, farmers can deliver the waste materials free of charge. Plastretur
pays collectors 175/t for all films delivered by collection agents to recyclers. Silage film is mainly
recycled (into carrier bags) in Norway, while mulching films and the large polypropylene bags are
exported.

Option

Table 40: Plastretur targets - 2008

Per cent

recycling

30

energy recovery

50

total

80

Targets include agriculture film. EPS not included

EPS targets: Recycling 50 per cent, energy recovery 10 per cent
Packaging from hazardous waste not included

Figure 11: Waste plastics recovery in Norway (1996 2002)

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WASTE PLASTICS RECYCLING A GOOD PRACTICES GUIDE

BY AND FOR LOCAL & REGIONAL AUTHORITIES

Independent operators : Mostly recycling of reused packaging

EPS-recycling 2002 : 1,400 tons (29 per cent,vs target 50 per cent )

Characteristics of Plastretur
Signed contracts: 162 out of 430 municipalities
Population served: 2.0 million people out of 4.5 million (44 per cent)
Collection carried out by: Municipalities (or collectors on behalf of municipalities)
Collection cost paid by: Plastretur/Municipalities
Average collection contribution (including baling) by Plastretur: 135/t
Transport carried out by: Independent contractors; organized by sorters
Transport cost paid by: Plastretur
Door-to-door collection share:50 per cent (of collected material) (mostly single stream)
Drop-off system share: 50 per cent (plastics only)
Household sorting centres: Four
Household sorting carried out by: Public owned sorting facilities
Sorted materials: Film, Rigid plastics, Energy
T&I collection and sorting carried out by 115 Private and Municipal Enterprises with agreements
with Plastretur
Sorted materials: Film, Rigid plastics, PP-bags, EPS, Energy
Covenant with official Norwegian environment policy
Reports to Norwegian Pollution Control Authority
Responsible for developing, organizing and executing plastic packaging recovery schemes,
both from private households, agriculture, fish farming and trade and industries
Plastretur AS functions as a catalyst towards all parties of the recovery chain, but does
not physically handle the plastic packaging in any way
Follows up and ensures the quality of plastic between the sorting centres and the recyclers,
including the training of sorting staff
Promotes plastic packaging recycling through information and communication tools for
trade and industries, agriculture, municipalities and fish farming industry
Works with the packaging industry towards solutions likely to facilitate recycling

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