It’s no secret that Norwegians want to protect their natural wonders from garbage. While recycling is commonplace for Norwegians, other countries are looking to Norway as the recycling expert.
The U.K. is looking into starting a recycling program based on Norway’s, after stats came out showing that Norway has the world’s most effective bottle recycling program. Through this program, 97 percent of all plastic bottles are recycled. Less than 1 percent of the bottles are ending up in Norway’s environment.
In this bottle recycling program, Norwegians pay an extra charge on recyclable bottles when they purchase an item, about $0.12-0.30 depending on the size of the bottle. That fee is returned to the purchaser once the bottle is emptied and brought to a machine.
Recycling isn’t the only way Norway is trying to keep their country clean; the country also advocates for the use of compostable materials. For example, for the last two years running, the Edible City Party, a large food festival in Norway, has used beer glasses made of bio-plastics. These glasses are made of compostable materials such as sugar cane, vegetable oil and cornstarch. These compostable cups have become increasingly popular in Norway and are now also being used at other festivals.
But what about the trash that’s already in nature? Oslo recently called upon the help of underwater drones to locate garbage in the fjords to assist with cleanup efforts. Once the garbage is located, divers can go into the water to retrieve it.
From beer glasses made from compost, to running an effective bottle return program, it’s easy to see why other countries would look to Norway when it comes to recycling. Learn how to have a sustainable vacation in Norway here.