Tomra and Plastretur are set to transform Norway’s recycling capabilities with the opening of their new national facility, named Omra, which aims to process approximately 80 per cent of the country’s plastic packaging waste by 2030.
The facility has the capacity to process 90,000 tonnes of plastic per year – including plastics previously only incinerated – transforming plastic packaging waste into uniform polymer fractions ready for recycling.
The new plant, located at Holtskogen, just outside Oslo, is said to be one of the most advanced for plastic sorting in the world and uses automated mixed waste sorting (MWS), to increase recycling rates without depending on household separation.
Advanced sensor-based technology is used to sort mixed plastic waste into 10 separate monofractions – including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), and others – enabling improved recovery and increased recycling rates.
The advanced recycling facility aims to close the loop for plastics in the country, and to serve as an example of a scalable route for how countries can process their own waste without incineration.
“Områ is more than a facility, it’s a missing link in Europe’s circular economy,” said Tove Andersen, president and CEO of Tomra.
“This facility has the capacity to receive and transform all of Norway’s household plastic packaging waste into recyclable fractions, essentially closing the loop for plastics.
“It is a cornerstone piece of infrastructure providing reliable offtake for mixed waste sorting facilities, and can help recover more resources from source separated material.”
The new facility will serve as a reliable offtake solution for municipalities and waste management companies considering the introduction of automated MWS technology.
By 2030, the EU requires minimum 55 per cent of plastic packaging waste to be collected and recycled at scale under the forthcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).
Currently, approximately one-third of Norway’s plastic packaging waste is recycled, while the rest is mostly incinerated.
“Omra 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.”
The opening ceremony brought together over 300 guests – including municipal representatives, recyclers, brand owners, NGOs, and policy experts – to mark the inauguration of what aims to be a cornerstone of Norway’s and Europe’s resource infrastructure.
