South Australia's newest recycling facility, able to process 50,000 tonnes of recyclables per year from household yellow bins, has been officially opened today at Kilburn.
The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) was opened this afternoon by the Federal Member for Sturt, James Stevens MP, representing the Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley, SA Minister for the Environment David Speirs, Mayor of Charles Sturt, Angela Evans and Deputy Mayor of Port Adelaide Enfield, Hannah Evans.
The state-of-the-art $23.2m MRF, owned by the Central Adelaide Waste and Recycling Authority (CAWRA), includes the latest in optical sorting technology to produce clean commodities ideal for developing local markets.
CAWRA, a joint initiative of the Cities of Charles Sturt and Port Adelaide Enfield, has designed and constructed the facility with funding of $4.36m provided by the Federal and State
Governments' Recycling Modernisation Fund. It will be operated by global leader in packaging and resource recovery, Visy.
In a first for South Australia, the MRF will include a modern and interactive education centre incorporating a full-length glass viewing wall and an elevated walkway, which will give school and community groups a unique close-up view of the entire recycling process.
CAWRA Executive Officer, Rebekah Schubert, said CAWRA's goal was to build the local circular economy by prioritising local markets.
"We want to see South Australia's recyclables processed right here in South Australia. This facility means we will always have somewhere for our recycling to go and we will keep this local, in South Australia, at every opportunity to help grow our local circular economy," Ms Schubert said.
"Visy Recycling, a leading Materials Recovery Facility operator and a leader in supporting the Australian circular economy, will operate the facility."
Federal Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, said that the Kilburn plant was at the forefront of a national transformation of the recycling industry and one of eight projects up and running in South Australia.
"We need to recycle more, to take responsibility for our waste and to help Australians better understand the value of recycling for our environment and our economy," Minister Ley said.
"The Morrison Government has made recycling a national priority and both the SA Government and CAWRA are showing that by working together we can deliver jobs and, in this case, find a new and productive use for plastics and glass."
SA Minister for Environment and Water, David Speirs, said: "South Australia is a nation leader when it comes to waste management and the opening of this new state-of-the-art recycling facility just north of the CBD will only further enhance this reputation.
"With the ability to process up to 50,000 tonnes of recyclables per year or the equivalent of 5,000 trucks worth, this will greatly increase our ability to process materials right here in South Australia.
"This is not only good for the environment but good for the economy with three times as many jobs created for every tonne of waste recycled or reused instead of going to landfill."
City of Charles Sturt Mayor, Angela Evans, said: "Establishing the MRF is a momentous achievement in the future of recycling for our communities.
"Our residents can now have visibility and confidence that our recycling will be processed locally and responsibly, to go back into the circular economy."
City of Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor, Claire Boan, said: "The MRF is going to be of great economic value to our local businesses. Finding ways to recycle our waste and transform it into everyday products is good for businesses and diverting waste from landfill is good for the environment."
Visy's Executive General Manager for Recycling, Wayne Russell, said: "Recycling and sustainability are at the centre of everything we do here at Visy. Together Visy and CAWRA will recycle more materials, turning them back into new food and beverage packaging and products".
The new MRF has been designed and constructed by Wastech Engineering and Pascale Construction.
CAWRA already has agreements in place to process recycling from:
- City of Charles Sturt;
- City of Port Adelaide Enfield;
- City of West Torrens;
- Mount Barker District Council; and
- Rural City of Murray Bridge
About CAWRA
The Central Adelaide Waste and Recycling Authority (CAWRA) is a Local Government Regional Subsidiary founded by the Cities of Charles Sturt and Port Adelaide Enfield. It was formed to establish the new, state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility in Kilburn.
About Visy
Visy is a global leader in packaging and resource recovery, and has been a pioneer in sustainability since its inception. Its innovation, manufacturing and logistic capabilities are organised around an integrated closed loop. Together, they give life to tailored solutions that deliver enduring value for its customers, partners and communities.
