Visy and geosynthetic product manufacturer Geofabrics have signed a multi-year partnership to reduce the number of plastic bottles going into landfill.
Visy uses food grade recycled PET (rPET) in the manufacture of its plastic bottles. Through the partnership, rPET that is not fit for Visy’s bottle-to-bottle recycling will be purchased by Geofabrics to make sustainable geotextiles for use in Australia’s road, rail and mining industries.
Traditional geotextiles are made from unsustainable virgin materials. According to Geofabrics Australasia Managing Director and CEO Dennis Grech, Geofabrics’ bidim Green and Sealmac Green are the only Australian made recycled alternatives, replacing offshore sourced polymer with Australian sourced recycled polymer – direct from Visy’s recycling plant in Smithfield NSW.
“The relationship between Visy and Geofabrics is a real win-win for Australia. For the first time, Australian sourced recycled plastic bottles are converted into geotextiles that build Australia’s national infrastructure – the roads we drive on, our rail networks and our mining assets,” Grech said.
“Why does this matter? We are taking plastic waste out of landfills and out of our waterways and oceans and, in doing so, we are building Australia’s recycling industry and creating jobs for all Australians.”
Similarly, Visy COO Mark De Wit said the partnership with Geofabrics is an example of how Visy’s innovative approach can work with its partners’ product development processes to create practical and sustainable solutions.
“Geofabrics are making great progress in the sustainability space and, specifically, through the innovative use of rPET in manufacturing a range of products that will be deployed in building Australia’s key infrastructure,” De Wit said said.
“Visy has a long history of developing technologies that change the face of the industry, and our success is cemented through collaborations with like-minded businesses, such as Geofabrics, who have a strong orientation to sustainability and a commitment to making a positive long-term contribution to the wider community.”
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