The Norwegian Centre against Marine Litter (Marfo) is headquartered in Svolvær and functions as a public agency focused on combating marine litter. Marine litter is a significant environmental problem in Norway, where it is estimated that between 9 and 23 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean each year. The main sources of plastic pollution include fisheries, aquaculture and consumer waste, which includes household products, drink bottles and single-use plastics.
The centre works to address the challenges associated with plastic waste, especially fast food packaging, which is often found along beaches. In order to reduce the amount of plastic in the ocean, a ban has been introduced on several types of single-use plastic items. Marfo also participates in beach clean-ups to record and remove plastic waste from coastlines, thereby contributing to a more sustainable management of marine resources.