Cleanaway Waste Management Limited has officially opened its new Western Sydney Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Rooty Hill, described by the company as the most advanced of its kind in Australia.
The facility is equipped with optical sorting technology capable of achieving up to 99.5 per cent purity in recovered materials, and is expected to process up to 120,000 tonnes of commercial and residential recyclables annually.
In a news release, Cleanaway said the MRF represents a boost to the recycling and circular economy capabilities of both Sydney and New South Wales.
Designed to recover more usable resources from commingled recycling streams, the facility uses a combination of ballistic separators, colour and shape-based optical sorting, eddy currents, magnets, and wind sifting technologies.
Cleanaway said the high-tech systems will improve both the quality and volume of recycled materials.
Mark Schubert, CEO and Managing Director of Cleanaway, described the MRF as “a gamechanger for Sydney,” highlighting its role in supporting the needs of a growing population and increasing circularity in the state.
“The MRF is a best-in-class Cleanaway asset that will set a new standard for fire safety, environmental control and resource recovery,” Schubert said.
The facility forms part of Cleanaway’s broader service network, which includes collection and post-collection assets.
The company said this integration allows it to offer end-to-end waste management solutions to customers across New South Wales.
Cleanaway also acknowledged Blacktown City Council as a foundational partner in the project. Located within Sydney’s growth corridor, the Rooty Hill facility is expected to strengthen industry capacity to recycle key materials.
According to Cleanaway, recovered plastics will be pelletised and used to produce high-quality food-grade resin for plastic packaging, through partnerships with Circular Plastics Australia in Altona and Laverton.
The new facility supports Cleanaway’s Blueprint 2030 strategy, which focuses on developing a network of infrastructure assets to deliver consistent and sustainable waste management services across the country.
