Norway’s plastic use amounted to at least 785,000 tonnes in 2024, according to a new national assessment published on 25 October 2026. The figure covers plastic placed on the market in products and packaging, equivalent to about 141 kilograms per resident.
The findings released by the Norwegian Environment Agency (Miljødirektoratet) are based on a survey prepared by consultancy Mepex. The agency says the estimate is probably conservative, partly because plastic is often contained in products made from several different materials and is difficult to measure precisely.
The total should not be confused with the amount of plastic thrown away during the year. It measures plastic entering the Norwegian market, including material in products that may remain in use for many years.
Climate and Environment Minister Sigrun Aasland said the findings would help guide measures to reduce consumption.
We use and throw away far too much plastic in Norway. Plastic pollution is serious for both the environment and our health.
Plastic packaging is the largest category
Packaging and drinks bottles accounted for at least 195,500 tonnes of plastic placed on the market in 2024, or roughly 35 kilograms per person. Construction and infrastructure ranked second, followed by electrical and electronic products, synthetic textiles and footwear, and household consumer goods.
Much of the packaging is used only briefly before becoming waste. But the assessment also points to growing demand in longer-lasting products. Across construction, textiles, vehicles, fishing and aquaculture, and electrical and electronic goods, plastic demand is projected to increase by around 38% by 2040.
Most plastic waste in Norway is sent for energy recovery, rather than being recycled into new materials, according to the agency. In 2024, about 34% of plastic packaging was materially recycled.
Why Norway’s plastic use figures are difficult to compare
The latest assessment offers a snapshot of the Norwegian market but does not provide directly comparable figures for other countries. It also uses a different approach from earlier Nordic research covered by NordiskPost, which estimated Norway’s annual plastic inflow at close to 250 kilograms per person in 2020.
The two estimates concern different years and measurement methods. The new figure of 141 kilograms per person therefore does not, on its own, show that Norwegian plastic consumption has fallen.
Norway is considering new packaging rules
The findings come as Norway considers changes to its packaging regulations. In September, the Environment Agency proposed rules intended to implement the European Union’s updated packaging framework, including measures to reduce unnecessary packaging and improve sorting and recyclability. Some types of plastic packaging would have to contain minimum amounts of recycled material from 2030.
The proposals are not yet in force in Norway. The Ministry of Climate and Environment is to assess them before they are sent for public consultation.
Agency director Hilde Singsaas said reducing unnecessary packaging was particularly important because so much of it quickly becomes waste. The agency has also commissioned further analysis of the kinds of plastic used in packaging, agriculture, fishing and aquaculture, with the aim of identifying opportunities to improve recycling.
