How TOMRA is Closing Norway’s Loop on Plastic Recycling

Currently, only about one-third of Norway’s plastic packaging waste is recycled, with most of the remainder incinerated. 

The European Union mandates a minimum 55% recycling rate for plastic packaging by 2030 under the forthcoming PPWR regulation. 

In Norway, the country’s pioneering national sorting facility for plastic packaging waste, Områ, aims to support Norway in histting that mandate. Located at Holtskogen near Oslo, Områ is a joint venture between TOMRA (65%) and Plastretur (35%) with a capacity to process 90,000 tonnes of plastic annually.

The state-of-the-art plant transforms mixed household plastic packaging waste into uniform polymer fractions, essential for high-quality recycling and circularity.​

Områ provides a scalable, high-quality sorting infrastructure that enables municipalities and waste management companies to meet these targets. 

About Områ

Named from the Norwegian word conveying “to think about” and “to take care of,” Områ reflects a thoughtful commitment to resource stewardship. 

Established as Norway’s first national fine-sorting plant for plastic packaging waste, it leverages TOMRA’s world-leading sorting technology. 

The facility is designed to process all types of household plastic packaging waste throughout Norway, functioning as a cornerstone infrastructure that supports an automated mixed waste sorting (MWS) approach, which enables municipalities to improve recycling rates without relying solely on household source separation.​

“Områ gives municipalities and the entire value chain a clear signal: there is now a scalable, high-quality route for plastic packaging,” said Karl Johan Ingvaldsen, CEO of Plastretur. 

“It provides the infrastructure needed to meet EU recycling targets and supports our shared ambition to build a truly circular plastics economy.”

With more than 300 stakeholders, including municipalities, recyclers, brand owners, NGOs and policymakers celebrating its inauguration, Områ could be an important step in Europe’s circular economy journey.​

How technology is powering plastic recycling

The technological heart of Områ lies in TOMRA's advanced sensor-based sorting systems.

This technology uses cutting-edge AI and sensor capabilities to sort mixed plastic waste into up to ten distinct polymer types – including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS) – with high precision and purity. 

This enables the production of high-value recycled plastic feedstocks suitable for both mechanical and chemical recycling processes. 

The integration of a modular digital management platform allows real-time monitoring of throughput, energy use, and equipment performance, enhancing operational efficiency.

TOMRA’s innovation, like GAINnext, also enables sorting of food-grade plastics at purity levels exceeding 95%, critical for sustainable packaging applications and regulatory compliance.​​

The role of TOMRA and Plastretur

TOMRA, founded in 1972, leads the recycling technology revolution worldwide with more than 5,000 employees and operations in over 100 countries.

Specialising in sensor-based sorting systems, TOMRA’s technology optimises resource recovery and minimises waste, playing a critical role in enabling circularity in plastics, metals and other resources. 

Plastretur, part of Green Dot Norway, serves as the producer responsibility organisation (PRO) for plastic packaging, ensuring compliance with recycling obligations and fostering innovation in Norway’s circular plastics economy. 

The partnership underpins Områ, combining technological expertise and organisational responsibility to build Norway’s national plastic recycling infrastructure.​

“Områ represents a defining moment for how we handle plastic waste in Norway and serves as a scalable blueprint for countries across Europe,” says Tove Anderson, CEO and President of TOMRA.

“For the first time, we have the infrastructure to sort nearly all household plastic packaging and give it a new life. This is what circularity looks like in practice: technology, industry and policy working together to turn waste into value. 

“Our hope is that Områ becomes a model for how nations can build a truly closed loop for plastics, one that keeps resources in play and decarbonisation at the forefront.”