Page 10 - Packaging News magazine March-April 2022

10 NEWS EXTRA | www.packagingnews.com.au | March-April 2022
Australia’s largest PET recycling
Circular Plastics Australia (PET), the trading name for the JV between Pact Group, Cleanaway, Asahi and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), is officially open for business. The much- anticipated PET recycling plant in Albury-Wodonga will process the equivalent of around 1bn PET beverage bottles per year.
Lindy Hughson reports.
THE $45 million plant in Albury-Wodonga, the largest of its kind in the country, will pro- vide a boost to the local circular economy increasing the amount of locally sourced and recycled PET in Australia by two thirds, from around 30,000 tonnes to over 50,000 tonnes per annum.
It’s a boost for the regional economy too. During its construction and installation, the plant supported around 225 jobs and now will employ about 40 people, mostly Albury- Wodonga locals, for its 24/7 operations.
Annually, the plant will recycle about 30,000 tonnes of PET, converting it to recy- cled raw material to produce new beverage bottles plus other food and beverage packag- ing in Australia, contributing to closing the loop on recycling. Cleanaway will provide the plastic to be recycled through its collec- tion and sorting network, Pact will operate the facility and provide technical and pack- aging expertise, while Asahi Beverages, CCEP and Pact will buy the recycled plastic from the facility to use in their packaging.
Further important environmental bene- fits will be delivered by the plant, including reducing Australia’s reliance on virgin plas- tic and recycled plastic imports.
Solar energy is used to power part of the facility, and a water treatment unit and rain- water tanks will reuse and recycle as much water on site as possible.
Pact Group managing director and CEO, Sanjay Dayal, described the new facility as a “game changer” for Australia’s plastic recy- cling industry .
“We are proud to be part of a sustainable solution to divert plastic waste from landfill and ensure we are recycling and manufac- turing our drink bottles and food packaging here in Australia without the need to import plastic material from overseas.”
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He said Pact Group will continue to work with industry partners and governments to build a strong, local circular economy.
While competitors in the beverage market, CCEP and Asahi Beverages have come together for this joint venture to deliver a significant increase in the volume of PET plastics recycled in Australia.
Asahi Beverages’ Group CEO, Robert Iervasi, said this recycling plant is a testa- ment to the sustainability commitment of each organisation involved.
“It can’t be underestimated how signifi- cant this project will be – we are providing an industry-wide solution that will benefit all Australians. Asahi Beverages already has a large beverage manufacturing plant in Albury, and we are excited to expand our presence, helping create more local jobs. Our consumers told us they wanted more recy- cled bottles, and together we have worked out a way to do that that will make a real impact,” Iervasi said.
Peter West, CCEP’s vice president and GM Australia, Pacific and Indonesia, confirmed CCEP is committed to playing a leading role in Australia’s circular economy.
“With our partners, we are working towards creating a closed loop for our bot- tles where they are used, collected and given another life. This plant, and the future Victorian plant, will complete this loop, help to solve the national rPET shortage and create new jobs for Australian workers. It is a proud moment in our corporate history.”
Presiding over the official opening was Federal Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley and NSW Minister for Environment and Heritage, James Griffin, and the Mayor of Albury City, Kylie King. The facility, which is located at the Nexus Precinct, 10km north of Albury-Wodonga’s CBD in NSW, is among the first businesses located at the new indus- trial precinct.
The Albury-Wodonga project was supported with $5 million from the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, with the backing of the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said that as Australia works internationally and domestically to reduce plastic waste it is good to see practical action and commitment coming to fruition in Albury.