Earlier this autumn, it became known that Jordan had dumped several thousand toothbrushes and other plastic waste in Åsnes-Finnskog. It happened while toothbrushes were being produced at Flisa. Jordan had an agreement with the landowner to be able to use the forest to dispose of faulty goods in the 1970s and 1980s. The dispute is who will clean up now that Orkla has taken over Jordan, and there is a new landowner who has taken over the forest areas. While it’s being investigated, Jordan is encouraging people to turn in their used toothbrushes to test whether they can be turned into new toothbrushes. – They would have got hold of 100 kilos of toothbrushes in five minutes if they had gone to the forest in Åsnes, says Robert Tollefsen in Plastpiratene. But it is not that simple. Considering using toothbrushes in the forest To find out if the plastic from old toothbrushes can be used for new ones, Jordan has started collecting toothbrushes in Norway and Portugal. They encourage fundraising at schools and work. COLLECTING: On Jordan’s website, there is a call for used toothbrushes to be tested for recycling. Communications manager at Orkla Anne Gjemdal says they have not summarized how many toothbrushes they have received, but says it is well on its way. Why don’t you just pick up the ones in the forest in Åsnes? – It may well happen that the toothbrushes, or some of the toothbrushes, from the landfill will go into this project. It is certainly interesting and something we are already considering, she says. But she points out that there are three parties involved in the clean-up in Åsnes. Landowner, the municipality and Orkla. A LOT OF PLASTIC: There are both old toothbrushes and other plastics that are dumped in the forest in Åsnes. Photo: Frode Meskau / news – We must find peace together to find the best solution overall, preferably together with a third party that has expertise in handling landfills, says Gjemdal. She says Orkla will contribute to a good solution, but that it is complicated. Good initiative for the environment Robert Tollefsen in Plastpiratene, who reacted strongly to the dumping of toothbrushes, thinks the collection of used toothbrushes is a very good initiative. – Thumbs up for that. It is good that they think of good solutions, he says. EASY TO PICK: Robert Tollefsen in Plastpiratene thinks it’s good that Jordan is considering reusing toothbrushes. He says it will take five minutes to collect 100 kilos in the forest in Åsnes. Photo: Frode Meskau / news But the collection does not come as a consequence of the toothbrushes that have been dumped in the forest in Åsnes. Therefore, he believes they could have picked up some of them to find out if they can be used. Anne Gjemdal cannot answer whether it is possible. Because they haven’t fetched any toothbrushes from the forest yet. But they have started testing toothbrushes that they have obtained in other ways. – We are underway and preparing to implement the pilot, i.e. producing toothbrushes from recycled toothbrushes. The final date has not yet been set, says Anne Gjemdal.
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Jordan dumped used toothbrushes in the forest, now calls for used ones – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
