Chapter 7. Packaging and Packaging Waste

This is an unofficial translation of the Norwegian regulation.

The Waste Regulations Chapter 7. Packaging and Packaging Waste governs the producer responsibility for packaging. The main objectives of the regulation includes reducing the environmental impact caused by packaging when used, reducing the amount of packaging, optimizing packaging, and ensuring that used packaging is collected and recycled.

Table of contents

I. Preliminary Provisions

II. Duties of the Producer

III. Duties of the Producer Responsibility Organisation

IV. Duties of Other Actors

V. Final Provisions

Annex II. Requirements for Calculating the Amount of Recycled Packaging Waste

I. Preliminary Provisions

§ 7-1. Purpose

The purpose of this chapter is to reduce the environmental problems caused by packaging when used, increase reuse and recycling, and reduce environmental problems from packaging waste. This will be achieved by reducing the amount of packaging, optimizing packaging, and ensuring that used packaging and packaging waste are collected, reused, and recycled.

§ 7-2. Scope

The provisions of this chapter regulate unused packaging placed on the market in Norway, as well as the separate collection, reuse, recycling, and other treatment of used packaging and packaging waste.

The provisions of this chapter do not apply to Svalbard and Jan Mayen.

§ 7-3. Definitions

In this chapter, the following terms mean:

a. Packaging: Any product consisting of materials of any kind used for containment, protection, handling, delivery from producer to user, and presentation of goods, including raw materials and finished products. When assessing whether something is packaging, the following should be considered:

  1. Products that are an integral part of a product and necessary to enclose, support, or preserve the product throughout its life are not packaging if all parts are intended to be used or consumed together.
  2. Products designed and intended to be filled, or sold filled, are considered packaging to the extent they fulfill a packaging function.
  3.  Packaging components and auxiliary elements integrated into the packaging are considered part of the packaging they are integrated into. Auxiliary elements directly attached to or affixed to the product and fulfilling a packaging function are considered packaging unless they are an integral part of the product and all parts are intended to be consumed or disposed of together.

b. Reusable packaging: Packaging designed and placed on the market with the intention of being used multiple times for its original purpose. 

c. Sales packaging: Packaging designed in such a way that it constitutes a sales unit for the final user at the point of sale. 

d. Plastic carrier bags: Carrier bags made of plastic thinner than 50 micrometers, with or without handles, provided to consumers at the point of sale for goods and products. 

e. Packaging waste: Any packaging covered by the definition of waste in the Norwegian Pollution Control Act § 27. Reusable packaging is considered packaging waste when it is no longer intended to be used multiple times for its original purpose and is discarded. 

f. Producer responsibility organisation: A company that undertakes to fulfill obligations under this chapter for one or more producers and is approved in accordance with § 7-13. 

g. Producer: Anyone who commercially imports or produces packaging or packaged products for the Norwegian market. 

h. Treatment: Activities carried out for the recovery or final disposal of waste, including preparation for recovery or final disposal and storage pending recovery or final disposal.

i. Recycling: Any form of recovery where waste materials are used to produce substances or movable objects that are not waste. Recycling includes biological treatment of organic waste. The use of waste to produce energy or materials to be used as fuel or filling materials is not considered recycling. 

j. Waste prevention: Measures taken before packaging becomes waste that reduce the amount of waste, the harmful effects of waste on the environment and human health, or the content of harmful substances in the packaging. 

k. Separate collection: Collection of waste where a waste stream is kept separate by type and nature to facilitate specific treatment.

§ 7-4. Basic requirements for the composition of packaging, etc.

Packaging can only be placed on the Norwegian market if it meets the basic requirements in Annex I to this chapter.

The basic requirements under the first paragraph are considered to be met if the packaging complies with:

  1. Harmonized standards published in the Official Journal of the European Union, or 
  2. National standards submitted to the EU Commission, provided there are no harmonized standards according to letter a.

II. Duties of the Producer

§ 7-5. Obligation to Join a Producer Responsibility Organisation

The producer shall fulfill their obligations under §§ 7-7 to 7-11 by establishing or joining an approved producer responsibility organisation, cf. § 7-13. For primary packaging for beverages, the producer can fulfill their obligations by establishing or joining an approved take-back system, cf. the Waste Regulations § 6-4.

If the producer responsibility organisation or take-back system does not fulfill the obligations mentioned in the first paragraph, the producer shall ensure that the obligations are fulfilled. The producer shall also ensure that the reporting obligations in § 7-16 are fulfilled if these are not taken care of by the producer responsibility organisation or take-back system.

§ 7-6. Obligation for Waste Prevention

The producer shall work towards waste prevention. The Norwegian Environment Agency may establish further guidelines for the work on waste prevention.

§ 7-7. Obligation to Report on Waste Prevention and Production Requirements

The producer shall, alone or in cooperation with other producers, prepare an annual report on the producers' efforts and results in waste prevention. The report shall also account for the extent to which the basic requirements for the production and composition of packaging according to Annex I no. 1 to this chapter are met. The report shall provide an overview of measures, competence, and information, the development in the amount of packaging arising in tons and percentage change from the previous year, as well as further plans for waste prevention. The Norwegian Environment Agency may establish further requirements for reporting.

§ 7-8. Obligation to Cover Costs for Separate Collection and Handling of Packaging Waste

The producer shall cover the necessary costs for the separate collection and subsequent transport and treatment of waste from the packaging they place on the Norwegian market. Where source sorting and separate collection are replaced with other sorting and collection, cf. the Waste Regulations §§ 10a-4 second paragraph, 10a-5 first paragraph, 10a-8 third paragraph, and 10a-9, the producer shall cover the necessary costs for collection, subsequent transport, sorting, and treatment of waste from the packaging they place on the Norwegian market.

Revenues from the sale of packaging waste, recycled raw materials, or other income from the waste shall be taken into account when calculating the costs according to the first paragraph.

§ 7-9. Obligation for Separate Collection, Reception, and Treatment of Packaging Waste

The producer shall ensure:

  1. Separate collection of packaging waste from businesses and municipalities. A sufficient amount shall be collected and received to fulfill the obligations for recycling in § 7-10 of the type of packaging the producer has placed on the Norwegian market when it ends up as household and business waste. The collection shall take place continuously and throughout the country. The collection obligation applies to the types of packaging the producer places on the Norwegian market, regardless of the quality of the waste. Customs authorities' import and export figures and data from the producer on the producers' domestic production shall be the basis for calculating the amount of packaging placed on the Norwegian market. The Norwegian Environment Agency may issue further rules on the calculation basis. 
  2. To receive packaging waste from collectors provided that the packaging waste is sorted, stored, and forwarded in a proper manner so that it is suitable for further handling. 
  3. That packaging waste sorted for recycling is not used for energy recovery or landfilled, unless this is justified based on an assessment of environmental considerations, resource considerations, and the best available techniques. 
  4. That packaging for hazardous waste is collected and recovered with high security to ensure that hazardous waste does not end up in the wrong place or cause harm to people, animals, or the environment, and that measures are taken to prevent hazardous waste from being collected together with packaging waste. It shall also be ensured that hazardous waste that is incorrectly collected is treated properly. 

The Norwegian Environment Agency may impose collection or coordination of collection on producer responsibility organisation if necessary to ensure continuous and nationwide collection.

§ 7-10. Obligation for Recycling of Packaging Waste

The producer shall ensure recycling of packaging waste. The proportion of packaging waste that is recycled shall correspond to at least the following proportion of the weight of packaging that the producer has placed on the Norwegian market per year:

  1. Up to and including 2024; 30 percent plastic packaging except expanded polystyrene, 50 percent expanded polystyrene, 60 percent packaging cardboard, 65 percent packaging of brown paper, 60 percent metal packaging, 60 percent glass packaging, and 15 percent wood packaging. 
  2. From 2025; 47 percent plastic packaging, 60 percent packaging cardboard, 80 percent packaging of brown paper, 70 percent ferrous metal packaging, 50 percent aluminium packaging, 70 percent glass packaging, and 25 percent wood packaging. 
  3. From 2030; 52 percent plastic packaging, 60 percent packaging cardboard, 90 percent packaging of brown paper, 80 percent ferrous metal packaging, 60 percent aluminium packaging, 75 percent glass packaging, and 30 percent wood packaging. 

For packaging units composed of more than one material, the recycling requirements in the first paragraph apply to each material type in the packaging that constitutes 5 percent or more of the total mass of the packaging.

The recycling requirements for wood packaging in the first paragraph can be met by repairing such packaging for reuse.

Recycling rates shall be calculated according to the requirements and methods specified in § 7-11.

§ 7-11. Requirements for Calculating the Recycling Rate

The recycling rate is calculated as the ratio between the weight of recycled packaging waste and the weight of packaging placed on the market during a calendar year. The recycling rate shall be calculated for each packaging material as per § 7-10. For packaging units composed of more than one material, each material type in the packaging that constitutes 5 percent or more of the total mass of the packaging shall be included in the calculation of the recycling rate for that type of packaging material.

When fulfilling the requirements for recycling of wood packaging by repair for reuse as per § 7-10 third paragraph, the entire packaging unit that is repaired and reused shall be included in the calculation of the weight of packaging placed on the market and the weight of recycled packaging waste.

Reusable packaging, except wood packaging, is considered placed on the Norwegian market the same year the packaging is first made available on the market together with the product it is intended to contain, protect, handle, or present.

The weight of recycled packaging waste shall be measured when the packaging waste, after undergoing necessary control, sorting, and initial operations, is fed into a recycling process where the packaging waste is actually processed into new material. Alternatively, the weight of recycled packaging waste can be measured when it leaves the sorting process, provided that the packaging waste is later recycled, and all losses occurring before the recycling process are deducted.

For packaging waste materials and recycling processes specified in Annex II letter A, the measurement points specified in the annex shall be used for calculating the weight of recycled waste.

The weight of recycled metal packaging after sorting from bottom ash in incineration plants shall be calculated using the method specified in Annex II letter B.

If the moisture content of the packaging waste deviates from the moisture content of the corresponding packaging placed on the market, the amount of packaging at the measurement point for the weight of recycled packaging waste shall be adjusted to reflect the natural moisture content of the packaging waste, which corresponds to the moisture content of the corresponding packaging placed on the market.

The weight of recycled packaging waste shall not include materials other than packaging materials collected together with the packaging waste.

If packaging waste materials are fed into a recycling process where the waste is both recycled and used for the production of energy or materials to be used as fuel or filling materials, the weight of recycled packaging waste shall be calculated using a mass balance system.

III. Duties of the Producer Responsibility Organisation

§ 7-12. Obligation to Fulfill Members' Obligations

The producer responsibility organisation shall fulfill the obligations of its members as mentioned in § 7-5.

§ 7-13. Requirements for Approval and Registration

The producer responsibility organisation must be approved by the Norwegian Environment Agency.

To be approved, the producer responsibility organisation must demonstrate to the Norwegian Environment Agency that it will establish a producer responsibility organisation capable of meeting the requirements in §§ 7-7 to 7-11, cf. 7-12, 7-14, 7-15, 7-16, 7-17, and 7-19 of this chapter.

The Norwegian Environment Agency may withdraw the approval of a producer responsibility organisation if it does not comply with § 7-9 letter a, cf. § 7-12, or has repeated or extensive violations of other requirements under this chapter. Upon withdrawal of approval, the producer responsibility organisation must handle already received packaging waste in accordance with the requirements of this chapter.

The producer responsibility organisation must document compliance with the obligations in §§ 7-9 first paragraph and § 7-10, cf. §§ 7-12, at least twice within each calendar year, with at least five months intervals or as agreed with the Norwegian Environment Agency, for the first two years after approval is granted.

The producer responsibility organisation must be registered as a separate entity in accordance with the Act of 3 June 1994 no. 15 on the Register of Business Enterprises. The producer responsibility organisation and the take-back system under the Waste Regulations chapter 6 may be registered as the same entity.

§ 7-14. Non-profit

The producer responsibility organisation shall be non-profit. No surplus or dividends shall be paid to the owners of the producer responsibility organisation.

§ 7-15. Obligation to Treat Members Equally

Anyone required to join a producer responsibility organisation under § 7-5 shall have the right to participate in the producer responsibility organisation.

§ 7-16. Obligation to Report and Document

The producer responsibility organisation shall annually, before April 1st, report to the Norwegian Environment Agency. For each type of packaging specified in § 7-10 first paragraph, the report shall include information on:

  1. The total weight of packaging placed on the Norwegian market by its members, the distribution between household and business waste, and the proportion of sales packaging. 
  2. The total weight of reusable packaging and reusable sales packaging placed on the Norwegian market by its members, and the number of cycles for such packaging per year. 
  3. The weight of packaging waste collected and received, cf. § 7-9, the distribution between household and business waste, and the area in the country where the waste is collected. 
  4. Recycling rates. 
  5. The weight of packaging waste that has been recycled, cf. § 7-10, respectively in Norway, other EU/EEA countries, and outside the EU/EEA area. 
  6. The weight of packaging waste that the producer responsibility organisation has ensured has been used for energy recovery or treated in other ways.

    The report shall also include:
  7. The weight of wood packaging repaired for reuse.
  8. The weight of recycled metal packaging sorted from bottom ash in incineration plants.
  9. For producer responsibility companies for plastic packaging; the number of plastic carrier bags, divided by thickness over and under 15 micrometers, placed on the Norwegian market by its members.
  10. The proportion of recycled plastic in single-use plastic beverage bottles for their members, cf. the Product Regulations § 2b-7.

The producer responsibility organisation shall ensure that the information mentioned in the first paragraph is accurate and reliable and shall quality-assure the information before it is reported. The information shall be documented in writing and made available to the supervisory authorities upon inspection or request.

For members placing less than 10 tons of packaging on the Norwegian market per year, the producer responsibility organisation may use simplified reporting with an estimate of the amount placed on the market. The estimate shall be based on the reported amount placed on the market by members placing similar products, packaging types, and materials on the market. It is assumed that all members are treated equally.

Reporting under this provision shall be done on forms specified by the Norwegian Environment Agency.

The Norwegian Environment Agency may change the reporting obligations for individual producer responsibility companies.

The producer responsibility organisation shall have knowledge of and documentation on how the obligation to cover costs in § 7-8, cf. § 7-12, is fulfilled.

Every two years, the producer responsibility organisation shall ensure that a neutral third party verifies that the reported recycling rates under the first paragraph letter d are calculated in accordance with the requirements in § 7-11. The verification shall be documented.

Documentation mentioned in the sixth and seventh paragraphs shall be kept for at least 5 years and be available for inspection or upon request from the supervisory authorities.

§ 7-17. Obligation to Have Financial Reserves

The producer responsibility organisation shall at all times have financial reserves for a minimum of six months of operation, ensuring that the organisation can fulfill the obligations in this chapter for its members.

§ 7-18. Obligation to Cover the Norwegian Environment Agency's Costs for Data Systems

Approved producer responsibility companies shall cover the Norwegian Environment Agency's costs for the development and operation of data systems related to producer responsibility, which are necessary to ensure compliance with the requirements set out in this chapter.

The Norwegian Environment Agency determines the fee amount in individual decisions. The fee shall be the same for all approved producer responsibility companies under this chapter.

When special reasons exist, the Norwegian Environment Agency may reduce or waive the fee under this provision.

§ 7-19. Obligation to Inform

The producer responsibility organisation shall ensure that consumers and business operators receive information about the handling of packaging waste. For each type of packaging the producer responsibility organisation is approved for, at least one information campaign shall be conducted each year. Producer responsibility companies may collaborate to fulfill this requirement.

§ 7-20. Obligation to make Information publicly available

The producer responsibility organisation shall ensure that the following information is publicly available:

  1. The organisation's owners, 
  2. The producers who are members, 
  3. The fees paid by members to the producer responsibility organisation, stated in NOK per sold product or per ton of products placed on the market, and 
  4. The achievement of the recycling requirements under § 7-10 for their members.

§ 7-21. Order for Collection or Coordination

The Norwegian Environment Agency may order the producer responsibility organisation to collect or coordinate collection if necessary to ensure continuous and nationwide collection.

IV. Duties of Other Actors

§ 7-22. Obligation to Report Collection Outside Approved Producer Responsibility Organisation

Collectors of packaging waste for recycling shall annually report the amount of packaging waste, divided by the packaging types specified in § 7-10, which collectively exceeds 1,500 kg and is not collected as part of an agreement with an approved producer responsibility organisation. The reporting shall be made to an approved producer responsibility organisation or the Norwegian Environment Agency.

The first paragraph does not apply to beverage packaging collected through an approved take-back system for primary packaging for beverages, cf. the Waste Regulations § 6-4.

V. Final Provisions

§ 7-23. Supervision

The Norwegian Environment Agency supervises compliance with the provisions of this chapter and decisions made pursuant to the provisions of this chapter.

§ 7-24. Fee for Approval Work

The producer responsibility organisation shall pay a fee to the state treasury for the Norwegian Environment Agency's processing in connection with approval or amendment of approval.

The fee shall be paid according to the following rates:

Rate

Amount (NOK)

1

192,800

2

144,600

3

96,400

4

48,200

5

24,100

The fees shall not collectively exceed the Norwegian Environment Agency's costs for processing. The Norwegian Environment Agency decides which fee rate applies in each case. The expected resource consumption related to the processing shall be the basis for determining the fee rate.

When special reasons exist, the Norwegian Environment Agency may reduce or waive the fee under this provision.

The Norwegian Environment Agency may annually adjust the fee rates in accordance with changes in the consumer price index calculated for the period 1 October to 30 September. The adjusted rate shall be rounded to the nearest 100 NOK. The changes take effect on the following 1 January.

The Norwegian Environment Agency may adjust the fee rates if the costs related to the Norwegian Environment Agency's processing under this provision change.

§ 7-24a. Annual Fee for Producer Responsibility Organisation

Approved producer responsibility companies shall pay an annual fee to the state treasury for the Norwegian Environment Agency's work with annual reporting.

The annual fee is 19,300 NOK per approved producer responsibility organisation.

Billing of the annual fee is done in arrears. For producer responsibility organisations that have been approved for part of the year, the annual fee is adjusted accordingly.

When special reasons exist, the Norwegian Environment Agency may reduce or waive the fee under this provision.

The Norwegian Environment Agency may annually adjust the fee rate in accordance with changes in the consumer price index calculated for the period 1 October to 30 September. The adjusted rate shall be rounded to the nearest 100 NOK. The changes take effect on the following 1 January.

The Norwegian Environment Agency may adjust the fee rate if the costs related to the Norwegian Environment Agency's control measures under this provision change.

§ 7-25. Violation Fee

The Norwegian Environment Agency may impose a violation fee on the responsible party for violations of § 7-5 first paragraph. The provisions in the Waste Regulations chapter 18B apply to the imposition of a violation fee.

Annex I. Basic Requirements for the Composition and Reusability and Recyclability of Packaging

1. Requirements for the Manufacture and Composition of Packaging

  • The volume and weight of packaging shall be limited to the minimum necessary to ensure the required level of safety, hygiene, and acceptability for the packaged product and for the consumer.
  • Packaging shall be designed, manufactured, and marketed in such a way that it can be reused or recovered, including recycling, and that its environmental impact is minimized when packaging waste or residues from the management of packaging waste are disposed of.
  • The content of hazardous substances and materials in the packaging material and its components, and other dangerous substances present in emissions, ash, or leachate during incineration or landfill of packaging and residues from the management of packaging waste, shall be minimized.


2. Requirements for the Reuse of Packaging

The following requirements shall be met simultaneously:

  • The physical properties and characteristics of the packaging shall ensure that it can be reused multiple times under normal foreseeable conditions of use.
  • Used packaging shall be capable of being treated in accordance with the requirements for workers' health and safety.
  • Packaging shall meet the requirements for recyclable packaging when it is no longer reused and becomes waste.

3. Requirements for the Recovery of Packaging

a. Recovery by Recycling

  • Packaging shall be manufactured in such a way that a certain percentage by weight of the materials used can be recycled for the production of marketable products in accordance with applicable community standards. The percentage may vary depending on the type of packaging material.

b. Energy Recovery

  • Packaging waste that is incinerated with energy recovery shall have a minimum lower calorific value to ensure optimal energy recovery.

c. Recovery by Composting

  • Packaging waste treated for composting shall be sufficiently biodegradable so as not to hinder separate collection or the composting process.

d. Biodegradable Packaging

  • Biodegradable packaging waste shall be capable of decomposing physically, chemically, thermally, or biologically so that most of the compost ultimately decomposes into carbon dioxide, biomass, and water. Oxo-degradable plastic packaging shall not be considered biodegradable packaging.


Annex II. Requirements for Calculating the Amount of Recycled Packaging Waste

A. Measurement Points Applicable to Certain Packaging Waste Materials

Packaging Material

Measurement/Calculation Point

Glass

Sorted glass that undergoes no further processing before being fed into a glass furnace or used for the production of filtration media, abrasives, glass fiber insulation, and building materials.

Metals

Sorted metal that undergoes no further processing before being fed into a smelting furnace or blast furnace.

Paper/Cardboard

Sorted paper that undergoes no further processing before being fed into a pulping process.

Plastics

Plastics, sorted by polymer, that undergo no further processing before entering pelletizing, extrusion, or molding operations. Plastic flakes that undergo no further processing before being used in an end product.

Wood

Sorted wood that undergoes no further processing before being used for the production of chipboard or other products. Sorted wood that enters a composting operation.

Textiles

Sorted textiles that undergo no further processing before being used for the production of textile fibers, rags, or granulates.

Composite Packaging and Packaging Consisting of Multiple Materials

Plastics, glass, metals, wood, paper, and cardboard, as well as other materials resulting from the treatment of composite packaging or packaging consisting of multiple materials, that undergo no further processing before reaching the calculation point specified for the specific material.

B. Method for Calculating the Amount of Recycled Metal Packaging After Sorting from Bottom Ash in Incineration Plants

As described in Annex III of the implementing decision 2019/665, Implementing decision - 2019/665 - EN - EUR-Lex

Last updated 14.07.2025