Pact's billion-bottle recycling project wins award in National Recycling Week

During National Recycling Week this year, Pact Group has won an award for its PET plastic recycling facility that recycles the equivalent of around 1 billion 600 mL PET plastic beverage bottles each year into food-grade resin.

The Australian Institute of Project Management’s Sustainable Project Management Achievement Award for NSW was awarded to Pact for its $50 million Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) PET plastic recycling facility in Albury.

The CPA facility commenced operation in February 2022 and is a joint venture between Pact, Cleanaway Waste Management, Asahi Beverages and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP).

Cleanaway collects, sorts and delivers PET plastic waste from kerbside collection bins and container deposit schemes to the Pact-operated facility for recycling. The recycled resin is then used by Asahi and Coca-Cola to manufacture new beverage bottles, and by Pact to make new beverage bottles and food packaging.

Pact Group CEO Sanjay Dayal said it was a great honour for the Pact team to be recognised for its commitment to driving the circular economy in Australia.

“Brand owners and consumers alike are demanding packaging that is made from recycled material and is recyclable. We have collaborated with industry partners to create Australia’s largest state-of-the-art PET recycling facility to respond to those needs,” Dayal said.

“The world-class CPA PET recycling facility in Albury ensures we are taking responsibility for our plastic waste, reducing the need to import virgin plastic resin and minimising harm to the environment for future generations.”

Pact’s Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) PET plastic recycling facility in Albury. Image: Supplied

The CPA joint venture is building a second PET recycling facility with similar capacity in Melbourne which is due to commence operations in the first half of 2023.

Top image caption: Pact recycling facility, Albury. Image: Supplied