Plastics recycling: Norway best in Europe

According to PlasticsEuropes (APME, www.apme.org) statistics for 2002 (newest statistics available), Norway was on the top of the list regarding mechanical recycling of plastics. Recycling in Norway reached 18.7 % while the average for Western Europe was 13.6%

This statistics cover all collectable plastics waste, not only packaging. The results in this survey therefore differ from the statistics of different material companies in Europe. Such statistics is often related to the scope of the specific material company and the recycling numbers are often related to the volume it is paid licence fee for. Therefore we regard the PlasticsEurope statistics as a fair “comparison”, says Peter Sundt, Managing Director, Plastretur AS.

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The best countries in 2002:
1. Norway 18.7%
2. Austria 17.0%
3. Italy 15.3%
4. Germany 15.0%
5. Spain 14.6%

The other Nordic countries were further down on the list: Finland, 9.7%, Denmark 7.8% and Sweden 6.3%

The recycling numbers for Germany does not include feedstock recycling. In Germany this kind of recycling reached 12.1 % and is therefore quite an important way of recovering German plastics. In other countries feedstock recycling in 2002 played a minor role.

The destination sectors for the recycled plastics in Europe were as follows:
40% Distribution and packaging products, e.g. film, bags and pallets
30% Building sector products, e.g. pipes
20% Household products, e.g. padding (fibres) and furniture
10% Other products, e.g. car parts, traffic signs, bottles

Plastics consumption increased by 1.9% in 2002, while mechanical recycling increased by 11.3%. Per capita consumption of virgin plastics in Western Europe rose to 98.1kg in 2002. - Plastics seem to be both the material and the waste of the future, Peter Sundt concludes.

Plastretur AS, is responsible for developing and organizing recovery and recycling of plastic packaging in Norway. The recovery schemes are financed through a licence fee paid by all companies that use plastic packaging.

For further information, please visit www.plastretur.no, or contact:
Peter Sundt, Managing Director, Plastretur AS, tel +47 93 05 24 92, e-mail peter.sundt@plastretur.no

Plastretur AS, Oslo, Norway

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