APR Plastics, Aster Chemicals and Energy, Taghleef Industries Group, and Pro-Pac Group have formed a strategic partnership aimed at revolutionising the recycling of hard-to-recycle soft plastics.
The collaboration across the entire value chain will leverage advanced recycling technologies to convert multi-layer soft plastic waste back into food-grade packaging film products.
Multi-layer soft plastic packaging is fit for purpose in preserving food and reducing waste, but it has long been considered problematic due to its high-performance requirements dictating complex structures and the lack of appropriate recycling infrastructure.
The partnership will ensure there is secured processing and offtake for APR Plastics’ new pyrolysis line in Maddingley, Victoria.
The partnership is expected to convert up to 3000 tonnes of soft plastic waste into pyrolysis oil for further refinement and processing into recycled polypropylene film. This film can then be printed and laminated into snack food packaging for products such as biscuits and confectionary.
APR Plastics is leading the pyrolysis project, with Aster Chemicals and Energy processing the pyrolysis oil into olefins. The olefins will then be converted into polypropylene resin before Taghleef Industries Group manufactures it into polypropylene film.
Pro-Pac Group will complete the circular value chain by manufacturing the polypropylene film into snack food wrappers. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the four parties marks a milestone in the journey towards this fully circular packaging solution.
Darren Thorpe, Chief Executive Officer, APR Plastics, emphasised the importance of building local recycling capacity.
“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.
“We’re looking forward to working with our partners to ensure this important initiative is successful.”
Aster is a leading provider of energy, chemical, and infrastructure solutions in Southeast Asia, supplying products and services to various manufacturing industries in both domestic and international markets.
Erwin Ciputra, Group Chief Executive Officer, said the company recognises that real progress on the environmental impact of plastic waste requires more than ambition — it requires collaboration and action.
Ciputra said the partnership is a tangible step to leverage technological capabilities across the supply chain to deliver more sustainable outcomes.
Chief Operations Officer of Taghleef Industries, Elie Jarrous, welcomed the initiative and reiterated the company’s commitment to make filmic products that have recycled content available to the Australian market.
“Realisation of this partnership is critical to demonstrate the circularity from collection of Australian plastic waste to consumer products wrapped in recycled flexible packaging,” Jarrous said.
“Food-grade recycled content for packaging films is currently imported as Australia lacks domestic advanced recycling capability. This partnership will be groundbreaking for the local circular economy as it will turn Australian packaging waste back into locally manufactured packaging,” said Pro-Pac Group Chief Executive Officer Ian Shannon.
Related stories:
APR Plastics finds solution for soft plastics recycling challenge
