Conveyor belt recycling initiative for Gladstone Ports Corporation

Fenner Conveyors (Fenner), in partnership with Tyrecycle, has delivered a conveyor belt recycling initiative for Gladstone Ports Corporation (GPC), providing a practical circular economy model for Australia’s bulk materials handling sector.

Fenner coordinated the recovery and recycling pathway for decommissioned conveyor belts from the Port of Gladstone, where GPC operates 65 conveyor systems and more than 48 kilometres of installed conveyor belting.

Through Fenner’s circular belting solution, end-of-life conveyor belts are diverted from landfill, transported to Tyrecycle’s Brisbane facility for processing, and repurposed into new rubber products.

In June, six conveyor belts totalling 122 tonnes were removed from the Port of Gladstone and returned to Tyrecycle’s Brisbane facility before being sent to Tyrecycle Somerton for further processing into feedstock for local use.

Independent analysis commissioned by Tyrecycle estimated the recycling of these belts saved more than 190 tonnes of CO₂ equivalent.

Fenner Conveyors Sales and Marketing Executive General Manager Trevor Svenson said the project showed how industry could turn conveyor belt waste into a local circular economy opportunity.

“Every organisation that begins recycling its belts is contributing to a growing circular economy, supporting local manufacturing, creating jobs and reducing waste,” Svenson said.

“GPC’s involvement is an important step in proving this model can work at scale for major industrial sites. We are proud to help deliver a solution that is practical, efficient and genuinely circular,” he said.

The recovered material supports the development of Fenner’s InfinitySeries conveyor belting, which incorporates recycled rubber materials, including reclaimed conveyor belts, into new belt construction.

A GPC spokesperson said the initiative provided a long-sought recycling pathway for used conveyor belts.

“Our teams have been working through options for some time, so to have a genuine, data-backed recycling solution is a great step forward,” the spokesperson said.

Tyrecycle Head of Trading, Mining and Strategic Development Ashley Battilana said the project proved the Fenner–Tyrecycle circular belting solution in practice.

“The one-in, one-out logistics model removed double handling, reduced supply chain costs and enabled recycling to be completed in Australia within three days of the belt being removed from service,” Battilana said.

Fenner Conveyors remains committed to expanding belt recycling efforts nationwide and partnering with customers to embed circular economy principles into everyday operations.

Image caption: Conveyor belt recycling. Image: Supplied