A $95 million state-of-the-art facility in Pinkenba, developed by Rino Recycling, is set to revolutionise recycling by automatically converting construction and demolition waste into reusable materials for new infrastructure projects.
General Manager of Rino Recycling, Dan Blaser, highlighted the facility’s capabilities, boasting a fully automated system capable of processing up to 475 tonnes of waste per hour, equivalent to 68 truckloads, while drastically reducing the need for landfill.
Blaser underscored the facility’s scale, capacity, and efficiency, noting its potential to recycle over 1.5 million tonnes of waste annually with a 97 per cent recovery rate.
“In under 20 minutes, a truck can go from offloading construction waste and leave with a new load of high quality, recycled products ready for the job site. It is a green, circular economy in action,” stated Blaser.
With Brisbane poised for an infrastructure and construction boom fueled by events like the Brisbane 2032 Olympics and the SEQ City Deal, Blaser emphasised the critical role of the facility in leading the charge towards a circular economy.
“This puts in place the infrastructure for developers and all levels of government to adopt a ‘recycled first’ policy when it comes to construction and waste management,” he added.
According to an independent report, the new recycling facility is projected to slash carbon emissions by 55,000 tonnes annually – equivalent to planting 909,000 trees or removing 12,000 cars from the road each year.
Rino Recycling’s Director, Todd Pepper, underscored the plant’s potential to boost Queensland’s recycling rate from 68 per cent to 75 per cent, with a 97 per cent recovery rate.
“We are helping decarbonise through recycling waste and cutting greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the number of truck movements on the road,” explained Pepper.
“The new facility is 13 kilometres from the CBD, so trucks have less distance to travel, and we are replacing the need to have to go to landfill sites west of the city, like Swanbank in Ipswich.”
Moreover, the plant’s focus on sustainability includes an acre of rooftop solar panels for energy efficiency and a system that recycles 35 thousand litres of water every hour, ensuring it remains water-neutral.
The Rino Recycling plant holds Green Star Certification, enabling governments and businesses to meet their environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) objectives, particularly in preparation for the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.
