Catalyst acquires Planet Ark's PS Hub

Catalyst Development Group will take on operation of Planet Ark’s Product Stewardship Hub from November 2026, through an acquisition and partnership aimed at strengthening recovery programs and bringing more businesses into product stewardship.

Planet Ark will remain actively involved in the hub’s growth and development, contributing its product stewardship experience, industry relationships and networks alongside Catalyst’s commercial and supply chain expertise.

In exclusive comments to PKN, Catalyst CEO Brooke Donnelly says the commercial rationale for collaboration extends across the packaging supply chain.

“Two packaging brands might compete for shelf space, but they often depend on the same collection networks, recycling infrastructure and markets for recovered materials. There is a strong commercial case for solving those shared challenges together.”

The hub’s existing programs include Cartridges 4 Planet Ark, Batteries 4 Planet Ark, Podcycle, ReCork Australia and the Food and Beverage Packaging program, supporting collection and recycling pathways for materials ranging from printer cartridges and coffee capsules to corks and packaging.

Making recovery commercially viable

Expanding participation, Donnelly says, will mean working through the practical and financial relationships that determine whether a recovery system can function.

“For packaging businesses, the challenge is connecting every part of the system. Who collects the material? Who processes it? Who will buy the recovered output? And how do we make the economics work for everyone involved?” she says.

“We bring businesses, government and investors together to work through those questions, establish clear responsibilities and develop commercially viable solutions.”

Catalyst’s approach includes establishing governance, business cases, end markets, investment pathways and operating models that allow multiple organisations to work together. The group combines an advisory arm with the PS Hub, linking its strategy and policy work with the operation of stewardship programs.

Donnelly sees a manufacturing opportunity in building dependable markets for the material those programs recover.

“The opportunity goes well beyond collecting more packaging. It is about turning recovered materials into reliable inputs for manufacturing, reducing exposure to volatile supplies and keeping more of their value in the Australian economy.”

The system behind the collection point

Planet Ark CEO Adam Culley tells PKN the credibility of product stewardship rests on what happens after a consumer hands an item back.

“A collection point is a promise. When someone returns a product or a piece of packaging, they expect a credible recovery system behind it. Building and maintaining that system takes industry commitment, reliable infrastructure, sustainable funding and a market for the material collected.”

The partners see scope to make better use of capabilities across the hub’s programs, while recognising that each product stream has its own recovery requirements.

“Different products need different recovery pathways, but every program should not have to start from scratch,” Culley says.

“By sharing expertise, reporting systems and, where practical, collection and logistics capabilities, we can reduce duplicated effort and direct more resources towards recovering materials.”

Packaging experience informs expansion

Culley points to Donnelly’s experience as CEO of the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation as an asset in developing the hub. Her work there included helping to drive Australia’s first national packaging targets, expand adoption of the Australasian Recycling Label and launch the ANZPAC Plastics Pact.

“Brooke understands what it takes to bring the packaging industry together and turn shared ambition into practical action,” he says.

For existing PS Hub participants, the transition will bring no material change to programs, commitments or day-to-day participation arrangements on day one. The partners intend to build on those programs while opening practical pathways for more businesses to take responsibility for products and packaging at the end of their useful lives.