Innovative Collaboration on Waste Management in the Arctic

Companies involved in waste management in the Arctic have always had to deal with harsh weather, long distances, and small markets. The green shift is forcing increased collaboration on innovative solutions for sustainable waste management, including incineration, reuse, recycling, and energy use. The industry is therefore looking for solutions to scale up to reach a critical mass in waste management that can be profitable.

Through the projects WANO (Waste Management in the High North) and ReCoWaMa (Research Collaboration between Industry and Research Environments in Waste Management), researchers have studied existing waste management systems. Together with industry partners, they have discussed what is needed to achieve profitable and sustainable cross-border cooperation.

– The WANO and ReCoWaMa projects have established a well-functioning dialogue and relationship between NORCE, northern Norwegian waste management companies, and stakeholders regionally, nationally, and internationally. It has been gratifying to see that the findings from knowledge-based research on waste management at NORCE, as well as the networking work in the WANO and ReCoWaMa projects, have been well received in Northern Norway, explains project manager Jukka Tapani Teräs at NORCE.

Towards a More Circular Future

In October 2023, the cluster “Avfallsklynge Nord” was officially established as a public-to-public collaboration for the waste industry in Northern Norway. From Svalbard in the north to the Helgeland coast in the south, the cluster will soon cover 15 companies, over 60 municipalities, 200,000 subscribers, and 450,000 inhabitants. There has also been an active and fruitful collaboration between the cluster and the WANO and RECOWAMA projects, ranging from information exchange to partner searches and joint events.

The purpose of the cluster is to be an extension of the owner companies and a driving force for the transition to a circular society in Northern Norway. The cluster will facilitate cooperation to achieve economies of scale and critical mass, as well as meet external regulatory requirements together. Cluster leader Stian Larsen describes the initiative as important for the development of the recycling industry and the transition to a circular economy in the north:

– The cluster is a strategic and important move for the industry, as several smart minds think better together than individually. Although unknown to many, the recycling industry is constantly evolving, characterized by innovation and a great willingness to change to create a circular future. Regional cooperation is a catalyst for this development and is essential for success. Regional cooperation bears fruit, just look at Rå Biopark, which is now establishing a large facility for converting organic waste into biogas.

Circular Economy and Industrial Symbiosis

The goal for the waste industry is a higher degree of circular economy, where waste from one actor is used as a resource for another. This concept, also known as industrial symbiosis, is already underway in several Nordic countries. Examples from Sweden show how cooperation between different actors can lead to economic and environmental benefits. For example, in Norrköping, a bio-refinery, a heat and power plant, a biogas plant, farmers, and other industries collaborate to create economic and environmental benefits. Another example is from Habo, where two farms use a biogas plant to produce electricity and heat from manure and organic waste. But good work is also being done in the north. Tromsø-based Remiks, which actively participates in both research projects, WANO and ReCoWaMa, has been a driving force for innovation in the industry:

– Remiks has taken the step from being a waste actor to becoming a raw material supplier with a continuous focus on optimal utilization of the raw materials we collect. Our mission is to save valuable natural resources for future generations. We look forward to new applications of industrial symbiosis, also in Northern Norway, says Øivind Østbø, development manager at Remiks.

Competence Environments in Collaboration with the Industry

The preliminary findings in the WANO and ReCoWaMa projects show that there is great potential and willingness for increased cooperation and innovation in waste management in the Arctic, both internally in Northern Norway and with partners in our neighboring countries. With further knowledge sharing and the establishment of new partnerships across borders to meet the unique challenges in the region, resources can be better utilized, and transport distances reduced:

– Project activities on innovation and cooperation started by WANO and ReCoWaMa should be continued in the future to bring research and industry together further, concludes project manager Jukka Tapani Teräs at NORCE.