Dandenong recycling business to double capacity

The family-run business Waste Converters Recycling has been awarded $466,000 through the Victorian Government’s Driving Investment for New Recycling program, which the company will use to expand its Dandenong South recycling facility. Recycling capacity will be doubled from 50,000 to 100,000 tonnes per annum, while 15 new jobs will be created.

The company sources the bulk of its timber packaging waste from the logistics, warehousing and manufacturing industries in the south-east of Melbourne and currently services over 2000 businesses. Waste Converters recovers used pallets and other waste and recycles the wood into new or repaired pallets, boxes, crates and landscaping mulches.

The funds will be used to build a 2250 m² building and a 5000 m² concrete hardstand. The facility is designed to be carbon neutral, with plans incorporating a 137,000 L rainwater harvesting tank and a 20 kW solar power system.

Waste Converters Director Ward Petherbridge said the facility “will allow us to significantly increase the output of the timber packaging recycling arm of the business. With more of our facility undercover, we can also explore new opportunities to diversify the waste stream recycled at the site and increase the recycled products sold back into the market.”

The Driving Investment for New Recycling program is designed to attract significant investment in new or upgrading existing infrastructure to increase the recovery of valuable materials from the waste stream. Waste Converters’ project is one of seven to share in $2.4 million from the fund.

Other recipients include:

• $500,000 for Action Recovery and Recycling to establish a new facility to recover commercial and industrial waste currently being sent directly to landfill, including cardboard, paper, timber, glass and plastics.
• $54,845 for Alex Fraser Group to increase the use of recycled glass sand in a larger range of products, such as road base and pavement mix.
• $265,000 for Sita Australia to recover valuable recyclables from the Barwon Region by purchasing new recycling equipment.
• $500,000 for Tyrecycle to double its capacity to recycle tyres into rubber granules.
• $500,000 for Visy Recycling to open a new facility to handle its own and others’ waste, recovering valuable materials that can be recycled such as cardboard, polyethylene terephthalate and timber.
• $174,600 for Waste Composting Technology to purchase equipment to decontaminate and grade organic material and produce two grades of finished material, either compost or mulch.