Page 6 - Packaging News magazine March-April 2022

6 NEWS |
www.packagingnews.com.au | March-April 2022
TOP CLICKS
1LANDMARK $260M INVESTMENT IN ADVANCED RECYCLING Brightmark is constructing an advanced plastics
recycling plant in Parkes, NSW, bringing thermo-chemical recycling technology to Australia
2for the first time. (See p20)
AUSTRALIA’S LARGEST PET RECYCLING PLANT UP AND RUNNING Circular Plastics Australia (PET), the trading name for
the JV between Pact Group, Cleanaway, Asahi and Coca- Cola Europacific Partners,
3opens for business. (See p10)
QENOS TAKES AUSTRALIA A STEP CLOSER TO CIRCULAR PLASTICS Qenos partners with Plastic Energy and Axens in a
boost for the proposed Qenos 4Circular Plastic Project. (See p6)
CELEBRATING THE VOICES AND VIEWS OF WOMEN IN PACKAGING To mark International Women’s Day, PKN
celebrated the women in packaging that have shared their insight and expertise on The PKN Podcast since its
5launch in late 2020. ORORA INNOVATES
IN GLASS FOR LOCAL SPIRITS MARKET
In an Australian first, Orora Beverage has launched its
Orora ORO-GIN spirit bottle
made from its new Orora 6Crystal glass. (See p9)
CLOSE THE LOOP EXPANDS PACKAGING FOOTPRINT IN US Close the Loop is expanding its packaging
operations in the US market with the formation of Close the Loop Packaging based in Kentucky. (See p7)
Qenos makes next circular plastics step
TOP STORIES FROM THE PACKAGING NEWS WEBSITE PACKAGINGNEWS.COM.AU
AUSTRALIA’S only manufacturer of polyethylene and polymers, Qenos, will partner with global advanced recycling technology companies Plastic Energy and Axens in a boost for the pro- posed Qenos Circular Plastic Project (QCPP). The companies will collaborate in planning the development of major advanced recycling manufacturing capa- bility in Australia.
Plastic Energy UK, which spe- cialises in advanced recycling of plastics using its Thermal
Anaerobic Conversion (TAC) pro- cess and Axens (France), which has developed the leading-edge Rewind Mix process, will sup- port the recently announced Qenos and Cleanaway joint feasibility study for the conver- sion of up to 100,000 tonnes of household soft plastic waste and mixed plastics back into circular polyethylene.
The QCPP is the largest pro- posed circular plastics project in Australia and is currently being considered for support under the
federal government’s Modern Manufacturing Initiative. The results of the feasibility study, due in July 2022, will inform the investment decision to be made later this year. Pending a successful outcome, the first of the advanced recycling facilities is expected to be operational by 2025.
Circular plastics manufactur- ing using advanced recycling is considered the next major phase in recycling and, according to figures supplied by Qenos, is forecast to attract $680 billion of investment globally.
Qenos CEO Stephen Bell said the establishment of local advanced capability will drive a new manufacturing sector worth $350 million annually, creating 3100 jobs over the longer term.
The QCPP will establish manufacturing capability using advanced recycling to take soft plastics and other hard-to- recycle plastic waste (which currently goes to landfill, incin- eration or escapes into the environment) and recycle this back into the same products.
$60m boost for recycling
THE federal government’s $60 million funding boost to build Australia’s advanced soft plastics recycling industry has been wel- comed by the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation (APCO), and the wider industry.
The investment, included in March’s Federal Budget, builds on the $190 million Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF), which is driving a $1 billion transformation of the waste and recycling sector.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, “This new funding stream, dedicated to helping solve the
problem of hard to recycle plastic waste, demonstrates our determination to invest in Australian industry, to grow- ing the recycling sector and to creating a stronger economy and stronger future for Australia.”
AFGC CEO Tanya Barden said the funding will allow the devel- opment of onshore recycling capabilities for hard-to-recycle soft plastic packaging, such as bread bags and cereal box liners, and allow Australian manufac- turers to source more food-grade recycled content for packaging here in Australia.
Brooke Donnelly, CEO of APCO, said: “It is crucial that
recovered plastic is treated as a resource and seen as a critical way to ‘close the loop’. No mate- rials are truly recycled until they are used again, so it is vital that we expand our end markets for recovered plastic to ensure it goes back into the economy. This is the final step in a transition to a true circular economy.
The funding will support APCO Members and the entire packaging supply chain to develop new solutions to boost uptake of recycled plastic, including expanding infrastruc- ture to process more recovered plastic into usable material for new products and packaging. ■