Innovation cluster and tech giant: Leads the way in addressing ocean plastic

Every year, another 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into the world’s oceans, most of this comes from our own consumption. HP is now entering into a collaboration with the Norwegian innovation cluster NOSCA Clean Oceans, together they agree to do their best to contribute to the UN’s sustainability goals and in the long run, plastic – free oceans.

 

A report from HP estimates that there are a total of over 150 million tons of plastic in the ocean right now, and each year it increases by about 8 million new tons. The report states that plastic that has been released into the sea is difficult to remove. Eventually, the plastic breaks down into microplastics that settle on the seabed or are eaten by animals, leading to several environmental and ecosystem problems.

 

– We see how important it is to look ahead and be smarter with our own consumption. That is why we are working, among other things, to develop grown breaking technology that helps to remove plastic from our oceans. Right now, we have an ongoing project in Store Lungegårdsvann in Bergen where we test barrier and collection technology for marine plastic when filling when filling up rock mass in the sea. We were therefore very positive about HP as a supplier, says Geir Christian Helgesen who is chairman of NOSCA Clean Oceans.

 

The technology company HP shows that they take the issue seriously by introducing plastic from the sea into their new products.

 

– We want to contribute to the UN’s sustainability goals and work to imbed plastic, which would otherwise have ended up in the sea, into our circular supply chain, so that it can be recycled and introduced into our new products. The goal is for our products to contain at least 30% recycled plastic by 2025, says the Norwegian head of the technology company HP, Verner Hølleland.

Encourages the people of Bergen to fight for the environment

NOSCA Clean Oceans is a national innovation cluster with headquarters in Bergen, which works to clean the oceans of plastic and other marine litter by using innovative technological solutions. One of their goals is to achieve a circular economy for the waste that is collected, so it gets new value.

 

– We see that quick measures must be taken to remove the plastic that is in the oceans. Our ambition is to find new ways we can reuse the plastic is collected, so that it can have new value and can be used again and again, says Geir Christian Helgesen Chairman of NOSCA Clean Oceans innovation cluster.

 

Furthermore, he says that the innovation cluster is well positioned to become a leader in handling plastic and microplastics, as they have several experts in the field.

Laptop bag made from 100% plastic bottles

HP reports that they already have diverted more than 60 million plastic bottles from ending up in the world’s oceans – instead of ending up in the oceans, they are making sure this gets into the supply chain and into new HP products. At the CES trade fair earlier this year, the technology giant presented several sustainable products.

 

– We came up with new laptops, monitors and cases that consist of recycled plastic. The bags are special as they consist 100% of recycled bottles – which could have ended up in the oceans, while the screen and the laptop consist of both recycled plastic and plastic that has been in the oceans, says the Norwegian manager.

 

HP’s goal is to divert and reuse a minimum of 25,000 tons of plastic – as much as 1.2 billion disposable plastic bottles – from ending up in the sea, Hølleland says.

Werner Hølleland
Verner Hølleland, Head of HP Norway