Last year 28.300 tons of Norwegian plastic packaging were collected and recycled, compared to 24.400 tons for 2003. This means an increase of more than 15 per cent. The plastic packaging is collected from households, trade and industry, agriculture and fish farming. Collection of beverage packaging is not a part of Plastretur’s responsibility.

The development is very positive. Especially as companies within trade and industry have discovered that recycling is an efficient and sound economic way to handle packaging waste. But first of all is this a question of using resources in a reasonable way, says Peter Sundt, Managing Director, Plastretur. Sundt adds: - For each ton of plastic that is recycled, we do save to tons of oil or gas, and at the same time we reduce CO₂-emissions by one ton. This means that recycling of Norwegian plastic packaging contributed to reduce CO₂-emissions with more 28.000 tons last year!

The result for 2004 means that 24 per cent of plastic packaging was recycled. In Norway the target is 30% recycling within 2008. Plastretur is confident that the goal will be reached before the end of 2008. In addition to the amount that was recycled, 57 per cent of the plastic packaging was energy recovered. All in all 81 per cent of the total amount of plastic packaging in Norway was recovered in 2004.