A Philippine delegation visited Norway from 4 to 9 October 2026 to study Norwegian recycling systems and explore opportunities for cooperation on waste management and the circular economy.
The study tour was organised by the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Manila and led by Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Jonas R. Leones.
The delegation included representatives from Evergreen Labs, Philippine Spring Water Resources (Nature’s Spring), the Philippine Alliance for Recycling and Materials Sustainability (PARMS), GIZ Philippines and the Philippines–Norway Business Council.
During the visit, the delegation met with Norwegian companies and organisations involved in waste collection, sorting and recycling, including Infinitum, ROAF, OMRÅ, TOMRA and Grønt Punkt Norge. Meetings were also held with Norway’s Ministry of Climate and Environment and the Norwegian development finance institution Norfund.
The programme focused particularly on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which requires producers to take responsibility for the waste generated by their products, and Deposit Return Systems (DRS), which encourage consumers to return used beverage containers for recycling.
“Moving towards a circular economy takes collaboration across government, business and communities. Norway is pleased to share our experience and learn from the Philippines as both countries work to reduce waste, improve recycling and make better use of resources,” said Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Kristian Netland.
“This visit is an opportunity to turn shared ambitions into practical cooperation,” he added.
The delegation was accompanied by Ana Florentino, Senior Adviser for Business and Trade at the Norwegian Embassy in Manila.
The visit follows growing interest from Southeast Asian countries in Norwegian recycling technology and expertise. In September 2026, a Vietnamese delegation also visited Norwegian recycling technology company TOMRA to explore potential cooperation.
The Norwegian Embassy said the Philippine study tour provided opportunities to discuss how Norwegian technology, expertise and investment could support the Philippines’ transition towards a circular economy.
Related reading: Vietnamese delegation encourages DNV and TOMRA to expand cooperation in Vietnam
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