Norway has taken a proactive step toward circular EPS management by initiating two major pilot projects—one to collect, sort, and compress EPS into industrial-use streams, and another to deploy municipal recycling machines. Together, these pilots lay the groundwork for a robust, scalable EPS value-chain in Norway.
Two Pilots, Complementary Objectives
Led by Miljøstiftelsen ZERO and supported by industry partners Vartdal Plastindustri and EPS-foreningen, the first pilot establishes a collection-to-compression pipeline spanning western to central Norway. Participating entities include Volda & Ørsta Reinhaldsverk IKS, Retura SS, and municipal waste facilities from Sogn to Namdalen. The goal: develop a closed value-chain where EPS packaging is captured, sorted, compressed, and channelled into industrial reuse through strategic backhaul systems using available transport capacity (Naturpress). The initiative, funded by Avfallsforsk and Handelens Miljøfond, is designed to maximize material recovery, cut emissions, and stimulate local circular-economy innovation.
Running in parallel, Norsirk has partnered with Danish firm EPS Recycle to supply patented shredders to Norwegian municipalities and stakeholders. These machines enable clean EPS to be ground into GPPS granulate with yields up to 90%, assuming input is uncontaminated (Naturpress). Norsirk’s CEO, Stig Ervik, emphasized that EPS should be treated as valuable circular resource—not incinerated as is still common practice in many municipalities.
System Explanation
- Collection: Households, businesses, and municipal sites in the Vestland–Trøndelag corridor collect clean EPS packaging.
- Sorting: Dedicated stations separate EPS from other waste.
- Compression: On-site densifiers reduce EPS volume, streamlining logistics for return transport.
- Shredding option: EPS Recycle monomaterial shredders at municipal sites process foam into GPPS granulate.
- Reuse: Recovered material is either directed to industrial end-users or integrated back into next-generation EPS products.
EPS is a widely used material in Norway—approximately 70,000 tonnes annually: 35,000 t as fish boxes and 30,000 t for insulation and road construction (Naturpress). These pilots aim to close the loop and position EPS as a recovered resource rather than waste.
Strategic Relevance
The dual pilots represent a strategic approach to establishing scalable EPS circular systems in Norway. The compression and value-chain pilot builds logistical capacity by consolidating volumes and steering material to reuse markets. The machine-deployment pilot addresses infrastructural gaps by providing municipalities with proven technical solutions. These combined efforts effectively reduce incineration, enable municipal EPR collaboration, and reinforce the case for producer responsibility to drive widespread EPS recovery.
Both pilots are designed around regional collaboration and local empowerment—testing practices that, once validated, can be scaled nationally. By focusing on material purity, compression, and efficient transport, the projects set clear operational benchmarks. The inclusion of municipal and private-sector partners ensures practice is grounded in real-world waste systems, not isolated trials.
Conclusion
Norway’s EPS pilot initiatives mark a turning point in the country’s path toward circular packaging. By pairing collection and compression with strategic machine deployment, these coordinated pilots create a strong foundation for scalable EPS recovery—even across dispersed regions. Their success would reduce emissions, enhance material efficiency, and reposition EPS as a valuable circular input in Norwegian industry.
Source: Kjetil F. Aasmundsson, “Problembarnet isopor følges opp i to gjenvinningsinitiativer,” Naturpress, 22 March 2020
