Plastics To Oil

Game-changer for plastics recycling

APR Plastics is a sister company to Australian Paper Recovery and APR Kerbside.

APR Plastics was formed in an endeavour to address and deliver a long-awaited viable solution for existing soft plastic processing difficulties faced by the recycling industry.

APR Plastics works closely with APR Kerbside who specialises in glass out innovation and the processing of household recoverables through the Victorian kerbside stream.

APR Plastics has invested significant resources and time to secure progressive technology that will enable the roll-out of the Plastics to Oil project. This will be a game changer for plastics recycling. This technology will provide sustainable alternatives to the Australian Recycling industry diverting soft plastics currently destined for landfill.

The Technology

Biofabrik WASTX

In this innovative design, the generated gases from the pyrolysis process can also be utilised onsite into a hybrid generator to produce energy. This energy acquired can run the plant by utilising one third of the 1000kgs of plastic processed. This plant also generates carbon ash/black from contaminates on the plastic processed in low percentages.

The Biofabrik WASTX pyrolysis plant is a unique, modular design that enables waste plastics to be broken down back into its chemical compounds. Through pyrolysis these waste plastics are broken down into oil, for use in plastic manufacturing and energy, gas, to be distributed into the hybrid generator that will make the plant itself self-sufficient, and carbon ash, which is produced from any contaminants on the plastic in feed, generally in low percentages.

Soft Plastics to Oil Recycling Solution

There are several key contamination issues challenging the recycling efforts by local council and residents due to soft plastic materials:

Plastic bags cannot be recycled through the kerbside recycling stream.
The need to keep recycling loose. Resident’s are continually educated and reminded to not place recyclables in plastic bags as it can prevent useful materials from being recycled.
Currently Australian recycling processors cannot process all soft plastics. These materials must be placed in the rubbish bin or taken to participating supermarkets.

When will the project commence?

A commercial plant will be built in the first half of 2024 with operations predicted to commence from August 2024.

Which soft plastic materials can be utilised for conversion to oil?

Resins 2,4 and 5 (HDPE, LDPE, Polypropylene).

What are the key benefits?

Divert soft plastics from landfill.
Seamless integration with existing APR processes and operations.
New solution that aligns and works towards achieving zero waste strategy goals.
Collaborative opportunities with local manufacturing businesses in accordance with the Modern Manufacturing Strategy.
Job Creation.
Assisting to meet national packaging targets of 50% by 2025.
Scalable to deliver high volumes and positively impact the circular economy.

How it works

The Biofabrik WASTX operation system transforms waste plastics such as multi-layer films into high quality, energetically usable products. One unit has the capability to process up to 1000kgs of such plastics per day.

The Process

STEP 01

Shredder

The plastic waste must first be shredded and dried so it can be consistently fed into the process.

STEP 02

Day Silo

Once fed into the day silo, in which the material is temporarily stored, the system automatically draws the material for processing. A uniquely designed corkscrew conveyor transports the plastic waste into the reactor and breaks it down.

STEP 03

Reactor

In the reactor itself, the material is split at high temperatures. The pyrolysis process shortens the long hydrocarbon chains of the plastic and creates an oil vapour.

STEP 04

By Product

This oil vapour flows into the subsequent condensation stages, where it becomes liquid again. The achieved products are simply stored in sealed containment and used locally and internationally.

Environmental Commitment

APR Plastic recognises its environmental obligations, both locally and globally, to present and future generations. We will strive towards zero waste to landfill through waste reduction, reuse and recycling.

At APR Plastic, our services provide household recoverables and processing solutions that maximise the capture of resources from the waste stream.

APR Plastic will operate in a manner, which protects the environment, especially the health of our valued staff.

Our Values

Our values represent who we are and are the core of our business:

Our safety culture is part of everything we do
Value and respect our people and customers
Care for the community and our environment
Strive for excellence with continuous improvement and handling of materials safely and effectively.

Australian Paper Recovery

Setting the Standard for Waste Paper Recovery

Australian Paper Recovery has been in the business of collecting waste paper, plastic and cardboard waste since 2002 and has earned an industry leading reputation. In today’s ever increasingly competitive business environment, we are an important resource for many commercial and industrial companies in the recovery and recycling of all grades of waste paper, plastic and cardboard.

APR has been operational since 2002. APR has established it’s packing sheds in Melbourne and surrounding suburbs, with it’s own baling and sorting facilities and it’s willingness to contract process.

APR Kerbside

Specialising in Circularity of Recyclable Materials

APR Kerbside is an Australian family owned business that specialises in glass out innovation, ensuring quality products in and out and circularity of recyclable materials.

The APR Kerbside Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Truganina is the only one in Victoria that doesn’t accept glass. Improving the separation of household recyclables and having no glass in the kerbside commingled recyclable stream has led to a significant improvement in the quality of all recyclables.

Municipal councils who have partnered with APR over the last two years have seen first hand, the substantial benefits of having no glass in the commingled stream.