For several years, Oceanize has collected plastic along almost the entire coast. Now 30 tonnes of recycled plastic has been turned into raw material in a brand new breeding shed. – This is the world’s first breeding pen based 100 percent on recycled plastic. It was recently launched in Mo i Rana, and is the result of a collaboration between us and the companies AKVA group, Nova Sea and Plasto, says Tom Richard Hamland in Oceanize. Tom Richard Hamland and Sunniva Nicolaisen hope more industries see the benefit in buying products from recycled plastic. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news Collected plastic for several years The founder in Nærøysund has collected plastic and other waste around Norway for several years. – One of the most important tasks we do is to collect disused breeding cages. It is an extensive process to cut up and grind up a plant. The waste is transported here to Ottersøya, where we make granules that are used for many different new plastic products, says managing director, Sunniva Nicolaisen. The company has long worked closely with local farming companies in Trøndelag. Now the business is expanding, and they have grown from 20 to 60 employees within a few years. All these blows must be ground up and turned into new plastic products. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news – Doing a fantastic job Seafood companies in Norway praise the work they do to take care of the environment. – We think Oceanize is doing fantastic work. This is circular economy and sustainability at its best. We at Sjømatbedriftene warmly support such projects, and follow them with great interest, says managing director, Robert Eriksson, to news. He also sees that several industries and companies are thinking along the same lines. – There is already a lot of exciting work going on from various actors in this area. During the Seafood Days in January this year, new solutions were presented for pallets on which fish are transported, which are also made from plastic in the sea. So this is another good example that shows innovation in the area, and that promotes new and sustainable solutions, says Eriksson. Kjersti Bjørnstad is state secretary in the Ministry of Climate and Environment, and is happy about the work Oceanize does. Photo: Anders Bakkerud Larsen / news – A good example The Ministry of Climate and Environment also supports the work Oceanize does. – This seems like a good example of the conversion to a circular value chain for plastics that the world needs. The Nordic Council of Ministers has just published a report which shows that we can reduce plastic pollution by 90 per cent by 2040 if we increase plastic recycling. Then solutions for the collection and recycling of plastic waste from the farming industry are an important contribution, says State Secretary Kjersti Bjørnstad from the Center Party to news. She thinks it’s great that Norwegian businesses are forward-looking. and sees the opportunities inherent in new business models. – At the same time, it is also important that the recycling process does not create new sources of plastic pollution, but ensures good routines to prevent the loss of plastic granules to the environment. It is also important that any harmful chemicals in plastic are not carried over when the plastic is recycled, says the State Secretary in the Ministry of Climate and Environment. The new breeding pen, made of recycled plastic, is located outside Mo i Rana in Nordland. Photo: AKVA Group – Have to think again Tom Richard Hamland in Oceanize says it has been a long process to get the business world on board with the venture. – In Norway, we are used to using new plastic, not recycled products. But we have to rethink and make better use of our resources. The plastic can be reused several times. Now breeders have to demand such products, and then the producers have to deliver, he says to news. He believes they are in the process of building up great expertise in the reuse of plastic waste. – We see that things are going in the right direction, and more people are asking for recycled products. But we have to work even more on it. At the same time, research and development is required, so that recycled plastic is as good as new plastic, says director of Oceanize, Sunniva Nicolaisen. Enormous quantities of rope from the aquaculture industry are ready for recycling at Oceanize on Ottersøya. Photo: Espen Sandmo / news Now Oceanize hopes that other industries will also become better at buying products made from recycled plastic. – We believe there is a large market waiting for us. Now we have started in the farming industry, but this takes time. It may take five or six years to develop new products, so patience is required, says Tom Richard Hamland. – The industry must take responsibility The Nature Conservation Association believes it is important to reuse plastic. Especially in closed circuits where a bottle turns into a bottle, or a cage into a cage, like what Oceanize is doing. – It is important that the industry takes responsibility, but it should also just be missing because most of the plastic waste lying along the coast from central Norway and upwards originates from the industry. Then it is right and reasonable that business players take responsibility, and then the authorities should become stricter and set requirements for clean-up and good systems for re-use, says expert adviser at the Nature Conservation Association, Joakim Gulliksen. Joakim Gulliksen from the Nature Conservancy supports the work Oceanize is doing. Photo: Naturvernforbundet The environmental organization Greenpeace is also happy that the plastic from breeding cages can be recycled. – We are of course in favor of removing plastic from the sea, and finding new uses for it. At the same time, we must remember that a recycled farming litter is only a tiny mouse step in the right direction for an industry with enormous environmental challenges, says Frode Pleym, head of Greenpeace. – An environmental disaster – We believe the farming industry is an environmental disaster, which threatens wild salmon, spreads diseases and pollutes our fjords. At the same time, we see that Oceanize is doing an excellent job in its field. We completely agree that all industries must become better at demanding recycled products, says Pleym. But he emphasizes that recycled cages must not become a resting pillow. – Recycled packaging is of little help if the content is as problematic as before, says the head of Greenpeace to news.
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Made the world’s first breeding cage from old plastic – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
