$45 million plant to close the loop on PET packaging recycling

Pact Group Holdings, Cleanaway Waste Management and Asahi Beverages have entered into a joint venture, to construct a PET recycling site in Albury/Wodonga.

The $45 million recycling plant is expected to recycle the equivalent of around one billion 600 mL PET plastic bottles each year, with the bottles used as raw material to produce new bottles and food and beverage packaging to help close the loop on recycling. This is planned to reduce Australia’s reliance on virgin plastic, the amount of plastic waste sent overseas and the amount of recycled plastic Australia imports.

The plant will draw on the expertise of each member of the joint venture, which will trade as Circular Plastics Australia (PET). Cleanaway will provide the plastic to be recycled through its collection and sorting network, Pact will provide technical and packaging expertise, while Asahi Beverages will buy the recycled plastic for use in its packaging.

Robert Iervasi, Group CEO of Asahi Beverages, acknowledged the contributions from Minister Matt Kean, Federal MP and Environmental Minister Sussan Ley and the Albury Council towards the project.

“We already have our beverage manufacturing plant in Albury. We are delighted to expand our presence there and create more local jobs. We’ve listened to our consumers and are committed to delivering them more recycled bottles. We are very pleased to be contributing to the creation of a truly circular economy and can’t wait to get this project started,” Iervasi said.

Construction will commence towards the end of the year, pending approval from Albury Council, and is expected to be fully operational by December 2021.

Image caption: Cleanaway’s CEO and Managing Director, Vik Bansal; Pact’s Managing Director and CEO, Sanjay Dayal; and Asahi Beverage’s Group CEO, Robert Iervasi.