Development licence approved for advanced recycling in Altona

A development licence has been approved to build a an advanced recycling plant in Altona, that 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.

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

On its website, Advanced Recycling Victoria states the proposed facility will use Australian technology called Cat-HTR™, developed by Licella.

It states that the proposed facility will produce 17,000 tonnes per annum of oil that could be used back in the local plastic supply chain, increasing to more than 100,000 tonnes per annum) and over time, will have the potential to produce nearly 100,000 tonnes per annum of recycled plastic locally.

If approved, Licella will commence building in 2023. It is estimated the proposed facility would take about 12 months to build.

For more information, visit: www.engage.vic.gov.au