Allocates over NOK 25 million to clean up and stop plastic litter

- We received 241 applications totaling 248 million NOK. We see great interest and many good ideas to solve the environmental problems of plastics. It is evident that the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund, being a new environmental fund, is coming at an important time, says Rasmus Hansson, CEO of the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund.

- More knowledge, better technology, and new ways of doing things are an absolute prerequisite for ensuring that plastic is not an environmental problem in the future. Now we are initiating many new contributions to that, says Hansson.

Driving force for cleanup and prevention of plastic pollution

The Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund has decided to allocate over 25 million NOK to initiatives aimed at reducing plastic litter and increasing plastic recycling. The projects receiving funds span the entire country, from Finnmark in the north to Agder in the south, and cover everything from cleanup, research, awareness work, business development, to school and education.

Most funds are granted for the cleanup of plastic litter, followed by awareness work and business development that aim to reduce plastic consumption and stop plastic littering in nature. Examples of projects now receiving support include:

• Hold Norge Rent which organizes professional cleanup in vulnerable nesting areas before the birds migrate home.
• Kambo Marina AS which will clean old plastic boats throughout the Inner Oslofjord.
• Woodrock Group AS which will produce a prototype for container flooring made from recycled plastic from the aquaculture industry.
• Nordic Screens AS which will build a video universe about plastics, the environment, and sustainability targeted at the 15-25 age group.

- We have a huge task ahead of us to solve the environmental problems related to plastics, says Hansson.

- We must clean up all the plastic waste that is already out in nature. We must stop all new plastic pollution. We must halt the leakage of microplastics, and above all, the plastic we use must become recyclable and be recycled. All this is entirely possible, but as with all environmental work: We must want it, and the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund does, says Hansson.

Alongside this allocation, the Norwegian Retailers' Environment Fund will soon allocate funds to technology and innovation projects, as well as international projects. The Environment Fund will continue to develop more strategic projects moving forward that are important for work on plastics and the environment.