Tomra, a leading provider of sensor-based sorting solutions, is investing in a new venture to build a profitable business adjacent to the core divisions focused on plastics recycling. The initiative aims to play a key role in transitioning Norway’s plastic packaging into a circular economy, and close the gap in plastics recycling, where there is a strong and growing demand from recyclers for high-quality plastic fractions.
“I am thrilled to be working on this initiative,” said Joachim N. Amland, Senior Vice President of Tomra’s Feedstock division. “We are recovering material that would have been lost to incineration, and using our existing Tomra technology, providing it to the market at very high quality, which has been missing until now.”
This new venture will be Norway’s first dedicated plastic packaging sorting plant, accepting municipal-sourced separated and mechanically recovered mixed plastic waste. The plant will sort the plastics into seven types of plastic, which will then be processed into high-quality fractions that are ready to be used to produce new packaging and other high-quality products. Plastretur, a leading provider of plastic recovery and recycling services, will continue to take responsibility for sourcing plastic packaging waste from Norwegian municipalities, trade, and industry, and deliver it to the plant as input.
The initiative marks a significant milestone in Norway’s efforts to create a circular economy for plastic packaging waste. By investing in this venture, Tomra is not only contributing to a more sustainable future but also creating new business opportunities.
Tomra will be responsible for grading the fractions based on type and selling the plastic output. This will ensure that the output is of high quality and meets market demand. The investment in this initiative is part of Tomra’s broader strategy to create profitable businesses adjacent to its core divisions, thereby expanding the range of solutions it offers to its customers.
In conclusion, this investment by Tomra is a welcome development, which will help to bridge the gap in plastic recycling and transition plastic packaging in Norway into a circular economy. With this venture, Tomra is demonstrating its commitment to sustainability, innovation, and creating new business opportunities.
