ReSource, Denmark's first large-scale plastic sorting facility, and IVAR IKS waste management and recycling facility in Forus, Norway, have signed a cooperation agreement that aims to strengthen both upstream and downstream activities between the companies.
This involves working towards a common goal in the future that allows ReSource to receive plastics from IVAR, and for IVAR to receive pre-sorted plastics for washing and mechanical recycling.
The primary goal for both parties is to increase the recycling of household plastics and ensure transparency and traceability of recyclable plastic waste resources. ReSource, which is currently under construction and will be ready by the end of this year, will be the most modern sorting facility in the Nordics with a capacity to process 160,000 tons of plastic waste. It will feature a state-of-the-art high-tech sorting system that separates the plastic waste into mono-fractions suitable for all types of recycling facilities, including mechanical and chemical recycling. It will also use the latest technology to track the origin and use of plastic waste by tapping into the vast amounts of data generated in the sorting and recycling processes.
ReSource and IVAR will start their collaboration with information sharing to optimize production output and commercial value.
Thomas Steenbuch Tharaldsen, board member at ReSource, says:
"We are excited to join IVAR and its highly competent team on a journey towards a clear and common goal of recycling as much plastic waste as possible. This collaboration signals to the plastic waste sector that sorting and recycling facilities should work together across nations and ownership. A strong and cooperative waste sector is the only way we will be able to reach the ambitious EU targets for plastic recycling."
Ingrid Nordbø, CEO of IVAR, says:
"IVAR's plant for washing and mechanical recycling of plastics is under construction and we will benefit greatly from sorted plastic deliveries from ReSource for further processing in our plant. We believe the collaboration will be mutually beneficial to our respective professional communities in sorting and plastics recycling."
Thomas Steenbuch Tharaldsen continues:
"When IVAR's sorting plant was damaged by a fire last year*, it created a gap in the Nordic market for plastic waste, both on a process and competence level. We hope that ReSource can help fill this gap at the process level by using Norwegian mixed household plastics. We are also grateful for the state-of-the-art competence IVAR's team can bring to the table, and we look forward to collaborating and contributing to IVAR's reopening."
* IVAR's sorting plant in Forus was damaged by a fire on July 22, 2022, and is temporarily out of operation.