Two projects that address the recycling of flexible plastics will receive $848,130 in joint funding from the Victorian Government.
The Australian Packaging Covenant (APC) will work closely with Sustainability Victoria to support the sustainable packaging projects.
The first initiative, headed up by GT Recycling in Geelong, will see packaging for rice and grains, as well as bulk industrial and reusable shopping bags, into polypropylene compounds.
These compounds will then be used in such products as plant pots, garden furniture, and concrete reinforcing bar stools.
The funding will enable the company to install new infrastructure and boost processing capacity by up to 1500 tonnes a year.
The other company, Welvic Australia, is helping keep PVC plastic containers and film out of landfill.
Its project is set to divert between 800 and 1000 tonnes of plastic waste.
Sustainability Victoria CEO Stan Krpan said this included 200 tonnes of Welvic’s own processing scraps, which would be turned into new PVC compounds to be used in industrial hoses and mats.
“By finding ways to turn flexible plastics into valuable products we can help create end markets for the use of this material and support the growth of the recycling industry in Victoria,” Krpan said.
