A development licence has been approved to build a plastic resource recovery plant in Altona, which will convert end-of-life plastics into liquid and gaseous hydrocarbon products

Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) approved the application from Advanced Recycling Victoria after several months of consideration and public consultation. 

Under the development as proposed, Advanced Recycling will initially take up to 20,000 tonnes of end-of-life plastics per year

Liquid products generated through the recycling process can be refined to manufacture plastic or in the asphalt industry.

The gaseous product can be used as a fuel to offset use of natural gas.

Infrastructure will include a plastic storage area, a plastic preparation shed, and a hydrothermal treatment plant. Refurbished chemical storage tanks will be used to store the products generated.

“The project targets plastics that cannot be recycled to a useful product using current methods and will be among the first of its kind in Australia,” Permissions Director Con Lolis said.

This proposal was considered as an A02a (Other waste treatment - incineration) scheduled activity requiring a development licence from EPA.

For more information go to https://engage.vic.gov.au/advanced-recycling-victoria