Packaging solutions company Amcor ANZ and biotech company Licella Holdings have signed an agreement to build an advanced plastic recycling facility in Australia.
It signals healthy competition in advanced plastic recycling in the country, with similar initiatives, launched last year, including Victoria’s IQ renew plant, and the National Plastic Recycling Scheme (NPRS)
“We are proud to be able to help deliver a local supply of food-grade recycled content that can enable more customers to participate in a circular economy,” said Mike Cash, president, Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific.
The proposed plant is to be built in Melbourne and is expected to process 20,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually, utilising Licella’s Cat-HTR technology, which enables soft plastic to be repeatedly recycled into food-grade post-consumer recycled content.
According to the companies, this project stage has already received approval from the Victorian Environmental Protection Agencies. The initiative will still rely on collection activities to help divert soft plastic waste from landfills.
As one of the first advanced recycling facilities to be built in the country, the collaborative says it is committed to creating a local circular economy for soft plastics and helps advance Amcor’s goal to achieve 30 per cent recycled content across its portfolio by 2030.
Both companies have previously collaborated on a feasibility study that validated a local supply chain for food-grade recycled soft plastic.
“Licella and Amcor share a vision for a more sustainable future for plastic,” said Dr Len Humphreys, CEO at Licella Holdings. “We are delighted to partner with Amcor as we develop our first Australian advanced recycling facility.”
Both parties will be undertaking further discussions on final terms and arrangements, subject to respective internal approvals.
