Glass recycling jobs in $19m plant at Orora near Gawler

A new hi-tech facility near Gawler will take glass recyling to a new level in SA and there are jobs in it.

Glass bottle production at Orora Group’s manufacturing facility at Kingsford near Gawler. Picture: Supplied.

Glass recycling in South Australia will benefit from a $19m investment in equipment that removes impurities from used glass to produce higher grade, more valuable glass for reuse in beverage containers.

Orora Group, at Kingsford near Gawler, intends to build a new glass “beneficiation” plant to process up to 150,000 tonnes of recycled glass each year.

Orora managing director and chief executive Brian Lowe, pictured, said 66 jobs would be created during construction and a further 12 ongoing jobs once the facility was operational.

“The beneficiation plant will enable Orora to procure additional volumes of beverage glass through established sources and new container deposit schemes to increase the amount of recycled content in glass packaging manufactured at Gawler,” Mr Lowe said.

“Utilisation of more recycled glass during packaging production will deliver sustainability benefits, including a reduction in the amount of energy and Co2 emissions and in virgin materials deployed to manufacture glass, and will divert waste away from landfill.”

The project won funding through the $190m Recycling Modernisation Fund and was matched with a commitment of $4m each from the state and federal governments.

Environment Minister David Speirs said there was a record investment in the state’s recycling industry.

“The new facility at Orora will significantly increase South Australia’s ability to process glass for making new beverage containers reducing carbon emissions and improving productivity,” he said.

“This investment will reinforce South Australia’s position as a national leader when it comes to waste management and improve our ability to turn waste into new products, which is not only good for the environment but good for the economy.”

A further announcement is expected on Tuesday.

Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley said these hi-tech projects would help power the circular economy.

“By mid-2024 when Australia’s full waste export ban comes into effect, Australia will need to recycle 378,000 tonnes of mixed waste paper and cardboard each year – the same weight as a quarter of a million cars,” Ms Ley said.

“Taking responsibility for our waste means meeting this challenge.

“That is why the Morrison Government is driving a $1bn transformation of our waste and recycling industry, including $190m for a Recycling Modernisation Fund.”

Speaking at a public forum for the University of Adelaide’s Environment Institute, Green Industries SA chief executive Ian Overton said increased spending in Australia on infrastructure was a response to the “China Sword”, the Chinese Government’s program to restrict imports of waste for recycling.

“We’re just about to release $34 million worth of infrastructure funding for South Australia, to look at more glass processing, plastics processing, organics processing,” he said.

“So I think (the China Sword) was a great thing, it has really got us moving, and handling our own waste.”

Glass is clean and new again at Orora Group’s manufacturing facility at Kingsford near Gawler. Picture: Supplied.

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