The Federal and Western Australian Labor governments are co-investing A$44 million in nine new recycling projects, including tyre recycling, to improve recycling capabilities across Perth and in regional areas in Western Australia.
In total, the nine projects will divert an additional 143,000 tonnes/year of material from Western Australia’s landfills and support 246 ongoing and construction jobs.
The new and upgraded facilities will sort, process and recycle used plastics, tyres, paper and cardboard into valuable new products, such as high-quality plastic pipe.
Of the tyre recycling projects, East-West Pilbara Rubber Recycling Pty Ltd received A$675,000 worth of land allocation to establish a dedicated off-the-road tyre recycling and devulcanisation facility in Port Hedland capable of processing 12,000 tonnes/year.
Meanwhile, Matters Enterprises Pty Ltd received A$5 million to establish a new end-of-life off-the-road tyre collection, sorting and grading facility in Newman in the Pilbara. It will also purchase, install and commission off-the-road tyre recycling and rubber recycling technology at RubberGem’s existing facility in Rockingham.
As well, Complete Tyre Solutions Tyre Recycling Pty Ltd received A$4.5 million to expand tyre rubber crumb recycling at its Neerabup tyre recycling facility. This project will have the capacity to recover up to 3,624 tonnes/year of end-of-life tyres, including the tyres used on mining haul trucks.
The Recycling Modernisation Fund is accelerating Australia’s transition to a safe circular economy so that when a product is no longer useful or required for its initial purpose, it is either reused, recycled or remanufactured, added the statement.
Nationally, the Federal Government is increasing recycling capacity in Australia by more than 1 million tonnes/year while creating over 3,000 jobs, including over 540 in WA.
The Industry will contribute an additional A$55.7 million to the projects. When combined with co-investment from all states and industry, the Recycling Modernisation Fund will give a A$1 billion boost to Australian recycling.