Page 45 - Plastics News April 2025
P. 45
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
get mandatory changes in packaging composi-
tion and safety standards. Requirements could
include minimum recycled content and bans on
harmful substances.
Public consultation feedback from Australia’s
Department of Climate Change, Energy, the En-
vironment and Water showed strong engage-
ment with the potential EPR scheme, with rev-
enue to be reinvested into the supply chain.
This next phase is aimed at evaluating the techni-
cal and financial aspects of the proposed devel- The EPR framework is designed to support
opment. The feasibility process will extend over confidence and investment in recycling. It also
a year and involve engineering assessments. encourages domestic manufacturers to create
packaging that is easily recyclable. The scheme
It will analyse both the sorting of plastic waste intends to bring practices in line with internation-
and its conversion into pyrolysis oil. al norms.
Specialist input from technology and engineer- Cleanaway Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions
ing consultants will be sought. executive general manager Frank Lintvelt said:
“We are looking to establish a pathway to a fully
A key outcome will be a unified design concept circular solution for soft plastics in Australia.
for the facility. This phase will also help esti-
mate investment levels and construction-related “Soft plastics are high on the list in our conversa-
costs. tions with municipal and commercial customers
looking for sustainable outcomes for this prob-
The front-end engineering and design (FEED) lematic waste stream.
stage is planned to begin in 2026. However, its
exact timing depends on the finalisation of na- “Cleanaway is uniquely positioned to leverage
tional packaging regulation changes. These in- its national collection and processing footprint
clude updates under Australia’s extended pro- to deliver a solution at scale together with Viva
ducer responsibility (EPR) scheme. Energy.”
In 2022, the national government committed to Source – Packaging Gateway
reforming packaging rules. These reforms tar-
April 2025 PLASTICS NEWS 45
