Viva Energy and Cleanaway progress plans for Australia’s first large-scale soft plastics recycling facility.

Plans for Australia’s first large-scale advanced soft plastics recycling facility are a step closer, following the successful completion of a pre-feasibility study by Cleanaway and Viva Energy.

The collaboration would involve converting soft plastics into food-grade recycled plastics using Cleanaway’s collection infrastructure and Viva Energy’s refining and polymerization capabilities.

The two companies signed a Memorandum of Understanding on 3 April 2025, which will enable the project to proceed to a complete feasibility study, the following key step in its delivery. The partners will undertake a 12-month feasibility and engineering study for both the sorting of plastic and its transformation into pyrolysis oil. This will involve engaging with technology providers and engineering support to develop an integrated concept design and provide greater clarity around the capital and delivery costs.

The Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase is expected to commence in 2026, once the details of the Australian Government’s packaging reform, specifically the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), have been finalized.

Cleanaway Executive General Manager, Strategy, Mergers & Acquisitions, Frank Lintvelt, said the collection of soft plastics from households and commercial customers, and the successful injection of feedstock made from these recycled plastics into the refinery had already proven the technical viability of key elements of the project.

“We are looking to establish a pathway to a fully circular solution for soft plastics in Australia,” he said. “Soft plastics are high on the list in our conversations with municipal and commercial customers looking for sustainable outcomes for this problematic waste stream. Cleanaway is uniquely positioned to leverage its national collection and processing footprint to deliver a solution at scale together with Viva Energy.”

Viva Energy Chief Strategy Officer Lachlan Pfeiffer said he had been encouraged by strong engagement from both government and industry, which has given Viva Energy the confidence to proceed to the next stage of the project.

“There is a clear need and appetite for this infrastructure in Australia, driven by growing recognition of the need for a domestic circular solution to the soft plastic challenge,” he said. “This is another example of Viva Energy expanding the diversity of feedstock being utilised through the refinery as we continue to navigate a new pathway for the future of this critical infrastructure. Ours is the only Australian refinery with a polypropylene plant, so Viva Energy will  have a critical role to play in establishing a fully closed loop to transform waste plastics into new food-grade plastics in this country.”

The Australian Government announced in 2022 that it would be reforming packaging regulation, with mandatory obligations on packaging design, recycled content, and the removal of harmful chemicals. Feedback from the public consultation conducted by the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment, and Water (DCCEEW) last year demonstrated strong engagement and a preference from industry and the community to support the creation of a mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) scheme for packaging, where revenue funds are reinvested in the packaging supply chain. The EPR scheme for packaging and soft plastics will give all stakeholders confidence to invest, incentivizing brands to ensure packaging design is compatible with the recycling process and in line with international best practices.

Viva Energy Media Enquiries:

Michael Cave
T: +61 409 647 910
E: michael.cave@vivaenergy.com.au

Cleanaway Media Enquiries:

Mark Biddulph
T: +61 499 332 601
E: mark.biddulph@cleanaway.com.au

About Viva Energy

Viva Energy (ASX: VEA) is a leading convenience retailer, commercial services and energy infrastructure business, with a history spanning more than 120 years in Australia. The Group operates a convenience and fuel network of almost 900 stores across Australia and supplies fuels and lubricants to a total network of nearly 1,500 service stations.

Viva Energy owns and operates the strategically located Geelong Refinery in Victoria, and supports a range of businesses, including bulk fuels, aviation, bitumen, marine, chemicals, polymers, and lubricants, through more than 20 terminals and 80 airports and airfields across the country. www.vivaenergy.com.au

About Cleanaway

Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd (ASX: CWY) is Australia’s leading waste management company with a national network of unique collection, processing, treatment, and landfill assets. Cleanaway operates from more than 330 locations and employs more than 7,900 people. Our philosophy is that all waste is a resource, and we aim to incorporate recovery, recycling, and reuse throughout our operations and those of our clients. Our purpose is to make a sustainable future possible together.