A major expansion at a plastics recycling facility in Dandenong South is utilising state-of-the-art technology to transform plastic containers into high-quality recycled flake for food packaging.
The multi-million dollar facility upgrade, which received $6 million in funding from the Victorian Government and the Australian Government, has also created 28 new jobs in the region.
Martogg, one of Australia’s largest privately owned plastics recycling companies, has invested in advanced optical sorting technology that identifies and sorts post-consumer PET bottles and containers.
This process allows for the granulation and thorough washing of the containers, producing a high-quality flake suitable for conversion back into food-grade recycled pellets.
The expansion has enabled the plant to process 40,000 tonnes of post-consumer PET bottles each year, allowing it to produce 17,300 tonnes of food-grade PET flake annually, which is equivalent to over 800 million PET bottles.
This facility upgrade is part of a broader initiative, with 13 jointly funded recycling projects completed since 2021, nine of which specifically target plastics.
These projects have increased Victoria’s capacity to process an additional 80,000 tonnes of plastics per year, with Martogg’s project contributing over a quarter of this additional capacity.
Victorian Minister for Environment Steve Dimopoulos commented, “We want to reshape Victoria, where we use recycled materials anywhere and everywhere, from the roads you drive on to the bottles we drink from. We’re pleased to partner with the Albanese Labor Government on a significant investment in Victoria’s recycling economy, creating jobs and building a strong local recycling sector.”
Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek added, “I know Victorians want to do their part to reduce their waste, reuse, and recycle household products. That’s why we are supporting new recycling infrastructure to tackle plastic waste and prevent soft plastics from going to landfill, while fostering innovation and delivering jobs.”
“The Albanese Government is committed to collaborating with states and territories to better support industry and households in managing waste and increasing recycling capacity,” Plibersek stated.
Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus noted, “The Albanese and Allan Governments are working together to boost the local economy and reduce waste by recycling plastics into new products instead of adding it to landfill. People in Isaacs care about the environment and want to do their part to protect our environment. This $6 million joint investment creates new jobs and opportunities for our community and confirms Dandenong’s place as the heart of manufacturing in Victoria.”
Member for Dandenong Gabrielle Williams emphasised the significance of the new technology, stating, “This new technology is turbocharging our ability to locally recycle and reuse plastic from our household recycling bins and our Container Deposit Scheme.”
