Norway launches Områ facility to boost plastic recycling, emissions cuts

NORWAY – Norway has taken a significant step toward enhancing its circular economy with the opening of the Områ plastic sorting facility near Oslo. 

This advanced hub, operated by sorting technology firm Tomra in partnership with Plastretur, a non-profit focused on nationwide plastic packaging collection and recovery, targets mixed household waste to extract valuable materials that might otherwise end up in incineration.

The facility processes incoming waste streams to separate plastics into ten distinct monofractions, meeting the high purity standards demanded by recyclers and raw material buyers.

It handles a broad range of plastic types, transforming what would be discarded material into feedstock for new products. 

According to Tomra, this setup forms a core element of the country’s expanded infrastructure for plastic handling.

Tove Andersen, CEO of Tomra, described the plant’s role in a statement: “The Områ facility serves as a key driver for Norway to manage its plastic waste domestically.” 

She noted that it would encourage broader investments in the recycling sector across the nation.

A recent analysis by consultancy Mepex, centered on Oslo’s waste operations, examined four approaches to plastic management.

This involved the existing waste-to-energy incineration without enhancements; incineration paired with carbon capture and storage; mixed waste sorting alone; and an integrated model combining sorting, incineration, and carbon capture. 

The study, titled “Plastics in Mixed Household Waste: Potential Reduction of Carbon Emissions through Material Recycling and Incineration with CCS,” determined that the full integration yields the most substantial environmental gains and the lowest overall expenses.

In Oslo, which represents 12% of Norway’s population, the mixed sorting method could produce around 7,000 tons of recycled plastic annually, equivalent to 10 kg per resident, from residual waste. 

This marks a marked increase over the current source separation program, which recovers about 2.6 kg per person. 

Such gains would directly support national recycling mandates and EU directives.

The report also quantified emissions impacts, showing that pairing sorting with carbon capture achieves an extra 11,800 tons of CO2 savings each year beyond capture technology used solo.

Moreover, this combined strategy halves the cost per ton of CO2 mitigated compared to capture alone, making it economically viable.

Andersen emphasized the need for multifaceted solutions, stating that “Norway must integrate sorting and carbon capture to advance its green goals.” 

She highlighted these as established technologies that enable compliance with both EU recycling targets and local sorting rules while contributing to climate objectives.

Carbon capture and storage involves trapping CO2 emissions from processes like incineration and sequestering them underground for long-term containment, a method recognized by the UN’s International Maritime Organization as vital for curbing global temperature rises.

With operations now underway, Områ positions Norway to scale up plastic recovery rates and deepen its commitment to low-carbon waste systems, setting a model for efficient resource loops in urban settings.

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