Viva Energy Australia has secured international certification at its Geelong refinery for producing advanced recycled plastics, marking an important milestone in the development of a domestic circular supply chain for food-grade packaging materials,
The certification confirms the refinery’s capability to co-process plastic-derived feedstocks, enabling the production of recycled polymer suitable for food-grade applications. For Australia’s packaging sector, the milestone represents concrete progress towards scaling advanced recycling infrastructure and reducing reliance on virgin fossil-based plastics.
The certification also covers co-processed renewable diesel, positioning the Geelong refinery as an emerging manufacturer of low-carbon liquid fuels. Viva says the co-processed renewable diesel produced will allow diesel users such as heavy vehicle fleet operators to reduce their carbon footprint without having to purchase different technology or modify existing vehicles.
According to Viva Energy, this positions Geelong as an early domestic producer of low-carbon liquid fuels, capable of supporting heavy vehicle fleet operators to reduce emissions without requiring changes to engines or fuel systems.
The company said the milestone demonstrates how existing infrastructure can be adapted to deliver lower-carbon outcomes, allowing diesel users to cut their carbon footprint without costly upgrades or operational disruption.
For packaging stakeholders, the plastics capability builds directly on Viva Energy’s recent large-scale plastic pyrolysis oil trial at the site.
In that trial, more than 9.5 tonnes of plastic pyrolysis oil were successfully processed – the largest volume handled at Geelong to date. The material, derived from end-of-life plastics through advanced thermochemical liquefaction, was used to assess how contaminants such as chlorides and metals would affect refinery operations and downstream product quality at industrial scale.
The trial forms part of Viva Energy’s joint project with Cleanaway Waste Management to develop Australia’s first large-scale advanced soft plastics recycling facility. Under the proposed model, post-consumer soft plastics would be converted via pyrolysis into plastic pyrolysis oil and then processed through the Geelong refinery to create food-grade certified circular polypropylene for packaging applications.
A comprehensive feasibility study is currently underway, including feedstock characterisation and detailed assessment of shortlisted pyrolysis technology providers. Outcomes from this phase will inform final investment decisions and the design of a full-scale facility capable of supplying recycled feedstock to Australian brand owners.
Viva Energy has previously positioned the initiative as central to the evolution of the Geelong refinery, expanding its role beyond conventional fuel production to support both decarbonisation and plastics circularity.
With certification now in place, the focus shifts from proving technical viability to scaling supply, and strengthens the case for national advanced recycling infrastructure as industry awaits further clarity on the federal government’s Extended Producer Responsibility framework, widely seen as critical to underpinning long-term investment in circular packaging solutions.
