News & Updates
Keep up to date with the latest developments across the APR Group
November 11, 2022
Darren Thorpe's Post on LinkedIn
Let’s Band Together for Change
The APR Group recognises that the pause on REDcycle #softplastics collections, will significantly impact over 200 FMCG and retail REDcycle partners.
On the back of the devastating announcement regarding the collapse of the REDcycle program and supply of soft packaging now exceeding current processing capacity in Australia, APR want to get behind #REDcycle during this challenging time.
APR would like to assure all customers that current plastics collection and processing services through APR Plastics has not been affected by this and will continue to operate with no disruption. The APR team are committed to offering assistance and working together with REDcycle and its partners to provide viable short term and long-term solutions so REDcycle can resume collections ASAP.
Click here for full Post
Minister’s Visit to APR Plastics Facility
September 29, 2022
APR Plastics Video from Minister's Visit
The APR team were extremely humbled to have hosted esteemed guests including Australian and Victorian Government, Local Government Councils, industry body and associations for a tour of the APR Plastics Facility in Dandenong South.
Special thanks to The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP, The Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP and all guests for making the time to attend the event and learn more about APR’s Soft Plastics to Oil Initiative.
March 31, 2023
APR Plastics' Partnership with Wonder for Wonder Recycling Rewards Post on Linkedin
The Wonder Recycling Rewards program is a fun and easy recycling program for Aussie schools to participate in. The program encourages Aussie schools to recycle bread bags that might otherwise go to landfill in return for points for their efforts. Points can be redeemed on new sports equipment that kids can play with
- championing active play for kids.
In tandem with the Wonder Recycle Rewards program, Wonder is mapping out a roadmap with its new partner, APR Plastics.
To get involved, families can encourage their respective schools to visit the Wonder website https://lnkd.in/gk_xXRY5 for more information and to sign up. Once a school has signed up, they will receive everything they need to get started – it’s that easy! Spots are limited, so get in quick! The registration period for Wonder Recycling Rewards ends on the 6th of April, 2023.
#school #recycling
#sports
#rewardsprogram
https://lnkd.in/gk_xXRY5
March, 2023
Australia's food and grocery manufacturing industry is serious about making the soft plastic packaging supply chain circular and sustainable. The #NationalPlasticsRecyclingScheme (#NPRS), led by the AFGC, is charting the course to a sustainable future and bringing manufacturers, packaging suppliers, councils, plastics processors and recyclers together in an unprecedented project. Thanks to Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) members for your engagement and support!
#australianmanufacturing #packaging #recycling #aprplastics
December 29, 2022
ABC News Interview with Darren Thorpe on Linkedin
ABC News Radio presenter Andrew Hansen discusses the future of soft plastics and household kerbside recycling during his interview with Darren Thorpe Managing Director APR Plastics.
Plastics and the Circular Economy Conference 2022
November 24, 2022
Plastics and the Circular Economy Conference 2022 Posted by ACOR on Linkedin
Based on discussions at the SPE: Inspiring Plastics Professionals Plastics and #CircularEconomy Conference, a Communique has been put together.
The Communique includes:
- Endorsement of the Australian Government’s Climate Change and National Waste Action Plant targets
- Concerns at Australia’s ongoing rising emissions, rising plastic pollution, uneconomic recycling of plastics
- Calls for a basket of measures to improve the productivity, efficiency and viability of #reuse and #recycling of plastic products and packaging in Australia.
December, 2022
APR Plastics are pleased to announce that we are in partnership with the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC).
We are enthusiastic to be collaborating and working closely together with participating councils in the National Plastics Recycling Scheme (NPRS) project trials.
The NPRS project is designing Australia’s largest industry-led plastics recycling scheme and is driven by Australia’s food and grocery manufacturing industry with funding support from the federal government. Led by the AFGC, the NPRS project is a scheme that is aimed to take hard-to-recycle soft plastic packaging out of the waste stream and recycle it into new, food-grade material, giving it new life.
As a true circular economy model, the NPRS project aims to make it easier for people to recycle soft plastics at home and support the development of a new, advanced recycling industry here in Australia.
For further information regarding the scheme and soft plastics packaging kerbside collection trials, visit
https://www.afgc.org.au/industry-resources/national-plastics-recycling-scheme#nprs|0
Will Victorian Company APR Plastics become the new REDCycle?
December 15, 2022
ABC interview with DARREN THORPE
Australians were at a loss when the country's largest soft plastic recycling program REDcycle collapsed last month.
But a Victorian company is trying to fill the void.
Dandenong-based APR Plastics has struck agreements with Macedon Ranges Shire and City of Monash and will trial a soft plastics recycling program for their residents.
Other Victorian councils are expected to follow suit.
APR Plastics managing director Darren Thorpe told ABC Radio Melbourne Drive how their technology works.
Click here to listen to the interview
National Recycling Week
November 8, 2022
National Recycling Week Post on Linkedin
Since the campaign was established in 1996, it has been held every year during the second week of November. This year, National Recycling Week will be from Monday 7th – Sunday 13th November, 2022 with this year's theme 'Waste is not waste until it's wasted'.
We encourage everyone to brush up on their #recycling knowledge, review current initiatives and look for ways to #change and improve behaviours at home and in the workplace. This simple act can make a huge impact in reducing contamination in recycling bins and minimising #waste currently going to landfill. This will result in the capturing of more valuable resources.
Let’s work #together to #inspire behaviour #change by sharing our knowledge and good recycling practices. You can check your local council website for information on what can and can’t be recycled in your municipality. Remember to re-use what you can and recycle correctly and effectively to #help play your part in making a #difference.
September 7, 2022
Victorian-based APR Plastics, sister company to Australian Paper Recovery and APR Kerbside, is finding success in its trial of running polyethylene and polypropylene through its advanced recycling technology, and transforming plastic waste into oil.
APR Plastics was formed in a bid to address and deliver a long-awaited viable solution for existing soft plastic processing difficulties faced by the recycling industry.
“We’ve had plenty of soft plastics coming through our MRF, which has been running since 2019, and we were looking for ways to capture that waste product and not send it to landfill, as it is a valuable resource in its own right once processed,” Logan Thorpe, special project manager at APR Plastics, told PKN.
Aus-first advanced plastics recycling trials underway
August 10, 2022
Packaging News article with Logan Thorpe
Victorian-based APR Plastics, sister company to Australian Paper Recovery and APR Kerbside, is finding success in its trial of running polyethylene and polypropylene through its advanced recycling technology, and transforming plastic waste into oil.
APR Plastics was formed in a bid to address and deliver a long-awaited viable solution for existing soft plastic processing difficulties faced by the recycling industry.
“We’ve had plenty of soft plastics coming through our MRF, which has been running since 2019, and we were looking for ways to capture that waste product and not send it to landfill, as it is a valuable resource in its own right once processed,” Logan Thorpe, special project manager at APR Plastics, told PKN.
July 22, 2022
The CEO Institute hosts a range of business events that feature prominent keynote speakers who address topical issues faced by CEOs.
Yesterday, APR Kerbside welcomed and hosted members from The CEO Institute Syndicate Program during their monthly meeting. On-site, group members from ‘Syndicate 103’ toured the APR Kerbside Material Recovery Facility in Truganina and gained valuable insight into the kerbside recycling process.
The event facilitated an opportunity for the like-minded leaders to network, discuss key business issues, learn and share knowledge.
Up and running
July 19, 2022
APR Plastics Post on LinkedIn
Today we witnessed the magic of transforming plastic waste turned into oil.
Up and running, the APR Plastics team eagerly trialled and ran polypropylene
through our advanced recycling technology.
(Ice cream and yogurt containers)
There has been much hard work done behind the scenes to get us where we are today. We are ecstatic that this solution will change the game. It will assist to not only elevate soft plastics as a valuable resource but also enable us to move towards a circular economy.
It was certainly worth the wait and we are excited to continue along the journey for change.
#advancedrecycling #circulareconomy #pyrolysis #softplastics
July 8, 2022
The first WASTX plant was commissioned at APR Plastics’ Dandenong site and will continue to operate there.
courteously from Biofabrik's website
Coca Cola and Veolia visit APR Plastics to explore LDPE recovery solutions
June 28, 2022
APR Plastics Post on LinkedIn
It was fantastic welcoming on-site today, Benjamin Perlow, Molly Boswell and Vik Shah from Coca Cola Amatil (CCA) and Wayne Fernando from Veolia to the APR Plastics Dandenong South Facility.
The site tour presented visitors with the #opportunity to observe and gain knowledge on how the #Biofabrik WASTX #pyrolysis process works and the #environmental benefits that the advanced recycling #technology offers.
It was great to be able to share insights amongst the group and discuss solutions and #recovery options available in the soft plastics space for CCA’s Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) materials.
June 28, 2022
June 22, 2022
APR Plastics Post on LinkedIn Regarding the Implementation of 100% Recycled Bins
The APR Group is always on the lookout for new ways to do better and improve the service offering for customers. We are excited to share that we’ve made a switch! We will be introducing 100% recycled 1100L bins to APR Plastics’ existing commercial plastics collection services.
June 21, 2022
Inside Waste Article with Managing Director Darren Thorpe
Australian Paper Recovery (APR Plastics) is tackling the soft plastic issue at its Kerbside Material Recovery Facility. The company’s Soft Plastics to Oil initiative aims to provide a solution to help tackle Australia’s soft plastic pollution problem.
APR Kerbside
June 8, 2022
The APR Kerbside team recently welcomed the Australian Food & Grocery Council to our Truganina Material Recovery Facility.
We were very humbled yesterday to host and welcome on-site at the Truganina APR Kerbside MRF, members from the Federal government - Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE), State government agencies – Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and Sustainability Victoria.
May 21, 2022
Pop the champagne! APR just turned 20!
The 21st of May 2022, marked the twentieth anniversary for Australian Paper Recovery. This anniversary marked not only the successes but also the celebration of the long-term relationships built with employees, customers and communities.
Here are a few photos from the recent 20th Anniversary celebration.
May 10, 2022
Site Visit from City of Greater Dandenong Mayor
This week, Mayor Councillor Jim Memeti, (City of Greater Dandenong) attended a site tour at APR’s Plastics Facility in Dandenong South. Mayor Memeti was also accompanied by colleagues Kevin Van Boxtel and Dan Widdup.
After successfully removing glass out, we are now seeing that the biggest waste component coming out of our Kerbside MRF is soft plastics. On-site, the visitors had an opportunity to learn about APR’s Soft Plastics to Oil Project and view the innovative #advancedrecycling technology first-hand.
APR Plastics was thrilled to be able to share with the group, insights and exciting plans ahead detailing how we as a business intend to work towards achieving a #circulareconomy. APR Plastics is providing a solution to help tackle Australia’s soft plastics pollution problem and are projecting to exceed the government mandated 80% waste recovery rate for #recycling.
May 6, 2022
Waste Management Review Article with Managing Director Darren Thorpe
APR Plastics is introducing an Australian-first to help solve the nation’s plastic recycling problem.
APR Plastics has installed an advanced recycling unit that will convert hard to recycle soft plastics destined for landfill, such as chocolate wrappers and bread packaging, into oil for plastic remanufacture.
May 2022
Waste Management Review interview with Logan Thorpe about turning Plastics into Oil
APR Plastics is introducing an Australian-first to help solve the nation’s plastic recycling problem.
March 31, 2022
Amazing day at our #advancedrecycling conference where we had our distribution partner Plastoil Australia and the Founder of Biofabrik Technologies GmbH speak to everyone and share our journeys and plans for the future to solve this soft plastics/hard to recycle plastics issue with unique, decentralised pyrolysis machinery!
APR Group Launches WASTX Tech in Australia
March 24, 2022
Packaging News article with Darren Thorpe, APR Group CEO
Victorian-based recycler APR Group has partnered with Plastoil, the local arm of global recycling technology developer Biofabrik, to launch the new advanced recycling technology WASTX Plastic in Australia.
October 26, 2021
Inside Waste Interview with Darren Thorpe
An interview with Darren Thorpe on why we need to stop talking about circular economy and start acting
October 11, 2021
The Age Interview with Darren Thorpe & Glass Out Feature
A Melbourne business is finding ways to divert more paper, plastic and glass from landfill
2020
In 2019, Ballarat residents heeded the call to ‘pass on glass’ and leave glass bottles and jars out of their yellow-lidded recycling bins. Now it’s time to ‘leave the bag out’.
July 22, 2019
Article from Melton & Moorabool Star Weekly
We need to adopt a "No Glass Collection" policy
APR Kerbside (Australian Paper Recovery)
As Featured on Channel Nine News
August 15, 2019
Glassless Materials Recovery Facility - New Trial with City of Yarra
