saveBOARD: turning beverage cartons to construction products

saveBOARD has opened its first recycling facility in Australia. Located in Warragamba, in south-west Sydney, the $5.5 million facility has the capacity to process up to 4000 tonnes of materials annually and employ up to 12 local staff to operate the plant.

Supported by the Australian Government’s Recycling Modernisation Fund and the NSW Government’s Waste Less, Recycle More initiative, the facility will manufacture construction products entirely from used beverage cartons that would otherwise end up in landfill. The product — a sturdy, lightweight alternative to conventional plasterboard, plywood or particle board — is 100% recyclable.

The project is the first collaboration between Tetra Pak and SIG Combibloc in Australia, under the umbrella of the Global Recycling Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment (GRACE). It is a joint initiative with saveBOARD and its partner Freightways.

The opening ceremony of the facility was co-hosted by saveBOARD and Tetra Pak.

Paul Charteris, CEO and Co-Founder of saveBOARD, said the facility will support the circular economy and enhance the construction industry’s drive towards more sustainable construction practices, showing the importance and value in recycling and opting for recyclable products.

Andrew Pooch, Managing Director of Tetra Pak Australia and New Zealand, said, “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 forms part of Tetra Pak’s commitment to develop more packaging in line with the 2025 National Packaging Targets. The partnership with saveBOARD shows that innovation in recycling comes in many forms.

The launch of the first saveBOARD facility in Australia marks a step in advancing the infrastructure needed to support carton recycling and enable circular economy locally. In late 2024, saveBOARD will be opening another facility in Campbellfield, Victoria, after receiving $1 million in funding from the Victorian Government.