APR Plastics, Aster Chemicals and Energy, Taghleef Industries Group, and Pro-Pac Group have entered a strategic partnership aimed at “revolutionizing the recycling of hard-to-recycle soft plastics.” This collaboration within the value chain is poised to transform the Australian recycling landscape by utilizing advanced recycling technologies to convert multi-layer soft plastic waste back into food-grade packaging film products.

Source: PackagingNews

While multi-layer soft plastic packaging effectively preserves food and minimizes waste, it has historically posed challenges due to its high-performance requirements, which lead to complex structures and insufficient recycling infrastructure.

The partnership will ensure that there is secure processing and offtake for APR’s new pyrolysis line located in Maddingley, Victoria.

It is anticipated that the initiative will convert up to 3,000 tonnes of soft plastic waste into pyrolysis oil, which will undergo further refinement and processing into recycled PP film. This film can then be printed and laminated for snack food packaging, including products like biscuits and confectionery.

Multi-layer soft plastic packaging remains a hard-to-recycle material with few local recycling options that are truly circular. Advanced recycling of this material is a feasible and viable solution for Australia, and we’re looking forward to working with our partners to ensure this important initiative is successful.

^{Darren Thorpe, CEO of APR Plastics}

APR will spearhead the pyrolysis project, with Aster processing the pyrolysis oil into olefins, which will subsequently be transformed into PP resin before Taghleef manufactures it into PP film. Pro-Pac will complete the circular value chain by producing snack food wrappers from the PP film.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) among the four parties signifies a significant milestone in the pursuit of a fully circular packaging solution.

Realisation of this partnership is critical to demonstrate the circularity from collection of Australian plastic waste to consumer products wrapped in recycled flexible packaging.

^{Elie Jarrous, COO of Taghleef}

Erwin Ciputra, Group CEO of Aster, acknowledges that making real progress on the environmental impact of plastic waste demands more than just ambition; it requires collaboration and action.

Elie Jarrous, COO of Taghleef, embraces the initiative and reaffirms Taghleef's commitment to contributing to the availability of filmic products with recycled content in the Australian market.