Packaging waste innovator saveBOARD has opened its first recycling facility in Australia in Warragamba, Sydney’s southwest. It can turn up to 4,000 tonnes of beverage carton packaging waste annually into sustainable building materials for Aussie homes and offices.
Supported by the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund and the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, the facility is the first in Australia to manufacture construction products entirely from used beverage cartons that would otherwise end up in a landfill. This sturdy, lightweight alternative to conventional plasterboard, plywood or particle board is also 100 per cent recyclable.
The $5.5 million project is the first collaboration between Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc in Australia under the Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (GRACE) umbrella. It is a joint initiative with saveBOARD and its partner Freightways.
“It’s exciting to finally be opening the first saveBOARD facility in Australia, supporting the circular economy to make a real impact on the environment and climate change,” saveBOARD CEO and co-founder Paul Charteris said.
“This facility will enhance the construction industry’s drive towards more sustainable construction practices while also showing consumers the importance and value in recycling and opting for recyclable products in their day-to-day lives.”
Andrew Pooch, managing director of Tetra Pak Australia and New Zealand, added, “We’re incredibly proud to be part of this sustainability journey alongside saveBOARD as we look at even more innovative ways we can convert carton packaging waste into useful applications and contribute to a strong circular economy.
“This is part of our ongoing sustainability commitment as we look to enable more packaging to become 100 per cent recyclable or reusable, in line with the 2025 National Packaging Targets. By partnering with saveBOARD, we’re showing that innovation in recycling comes in many forms, and consumers can see first-hand how they can contribute to a more sustainable future.”
Launching the first saveBOARD facility in Australia is important in advancing the infrastructure needed to support carton recycling and enable a circular economy locally. saveBOARD will open another recycling facility in Campbellfield, Victoria, in late 2024 after receiving $1 million in funding from the Victorian Government.
