The industrial premises in Motala, a few kilometres west of Linköping, are awe-inspiring. Throughout their history, they have churned out kitchen appliances and stoves. Today, the premises are called Site Zero – and are probably the world’s largest plastic sorting facility.
40 tonnes of plastic, from Sweden, Norway and Finland, arrive here. Per hour.
The packages are sorted by plastic type and packed in large bales that are sent to certified recycling facilities in Europe.
Burning plastic is expensive
Mattias Philipsson smiles when he talks about the volumes. When he stepped in as CEO of Svensk Plaståtervinning in 2018, he had been tasked with building a facility that could sort out four different types of plastic. Mattias wanted to double the capacity – and also be able to sort twelve different varieties even more efficiently. Photographer: Marcus Nyenger
“Sending the plastic we receive for combustion isn’t feasible, neither from a climate or cost perspective. It’s getting more and more expensive to burn plastic. Having thought about this, the owners understood that if we’re to reach recycling targets and lower the cost, then it’s very smart to send as much plastic as possible for recycling.”
Site Zero was completed in 2023, but its close to 70,000 square metres are not full.
“I love the fact that so much comes in! But people aren’t very good at source sorting.”
Do we throw too much plastic in the rubbish bin?
“Yes, and then it’s guaranteed to be burned in combustion plants. This destroys the resource forever, is the total opposite of recycling, and only gives very little energy back. From a climate and resource perspective, burning plastic is a catastrophic mistake!”
How bad are we?
“Very bad, I’d say. It’s difficult to measure, but according to our calculations, 30 per cent of plastic products are sorted at source. The rest goes to combustion, which corresponds to the same amount of emissions as the total of domestic flights. We need to change this!”
A completely open mind
Throughout his career, Mattias Philipsson has held leading roles in both the waste and energy sectors. But he never really thought about plastic.
“I knew absolutely nothing. It was something that was just there, so I went in with a completely open mind. It’s so much fun and there’s so much to do.” Photographer: Marcus Nyenger
So you’re a source sorting wizard now?
“It’s like quitting smoking, you just have to put your mind to it. I wasn’t perfect when I started here, but now I dare say that I’m incredibly good at source sorting. And it's not a pain at all!”
He thinks that plastic as a material has an undeservedly bad reputation. We are looking at a small exhibition in this office when the subject comes up. There is something intense about his eyes, mouth, and body language when he explains why.
“In news articles, there’s almost always something negative about plastic. It’s about littering of the oceans or supposed dangers. Once you get to know the material a little better, you understand that its properties are very unique. Take a cucumber, for example. If you wrap it in plastic it keeps for two weeks. If you don’t, then maybe for two days. There’s nothing wrong with plastic as such, the problem is how we handle plastic when it’s become waste.”
We know that handling plastic incorrectly is not good for the environment. Is there no good material to replace plastic with?
“No, not completely. If there was, I promise it would be on the market. What we are seeing is attempts to reduce plastic production by inventing packaging made up of some plastic and other materials. It’s a nightmare from a recycling perspective, because then we can’t separate the materials. But I’m the first to admit that there’s plastic packaging that’s too big or not fully optimised.”
Looking to create the entire chain
The existence of Site Zero is his doing. But his visions don’t stop there. Just sorting and then sending the plastic to recyclers elsewhere in Europe is something he wants to change.
“We’re considering a future next step: building recycling capacity. Here, we have the land and the premises. It’s a very tempting thought. But the owners must have the strength, I and my employees must have the strength. We have to take one step at a time.”
He is silent for a short while.
“My thoughts don’t stop there. If it’s possible to now recycle plastic into small pellets, why not have the entire chain? Why not have a factory and produce packaging here too? You see, it never ends!”
Mattias Philipsson’s drive, commitment and knowledge have not gone unnoticed. Since 2024, he has chaired Delegationen för cirkulär ekonomi, the Swedish government’s advisory body to promote industry’s transformation toward a circular economy. Photographer: Marcus Nyenger
“Many of the recycling solutions and new business models of the future will be driven by the business community. It’s very inspiring and I’m incredibly honoured to be chair of the delegation. And that’s perhaps proof that we as a company have shown that it’s about living as you preach. To dare, to lead the way, to make investments.”
“And the best compliment you can get is when someone mimics what you’re doing. Our facility has got a little brother in Norway, and two facilities are being built in Germany that are incredibly similar to Site Zero. This is the only way forward if we’re to achieve circular plastic flows!”
From the Navy to LiU
It has been more than 20 years since Mattias Philipsson graduated from the MSc in Industrial Engineering and Management programme. He remembers that time with warmth and pride. But it was not without challenges. Mattias had worked for several years as a naval officer prior to his studies.
