A soft plastics recycling plant is expected to open in Australia, turning potato chip bags into oil for reproduction, keeping them out of landfills, as the Moorabool News reported.
Australian-based APR Plastics received a development license from the Environment Protection Authority and financial backing from Sustainability Victoria to develop the industrial plant in Victoria, Australia. When it opens, it will be the country's first plant to transform soft plastics, such as chip bags and candy wrappers, into a synthetic oil, which will be reused in new food-grade packaging.
"We're the first of its kind, and then hopefully we can grow it and scale it up," said APR Plastics managing director Darren Thorpe. "So there's less of that fossil crude being used."
Each year, over 507 million tons of plastic are produced. However, only about 9% of plastic is recycled globally. The discarded plastic often ends up in landfills, releasing harmful methane gas, which is 80 times stronger than carbon dioxide. This methane contributes to 25% of planetary overheating, leading to intense heat waves and more serious weather disasters. Landfills also contaminate soil and water sources.
Plastics that are not recycled can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose. This slow process leads to the development of microplastics, minuscule particles of plastic that can enter our food, water, and bodies.
According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, there are microplastics inside every human. Because of this, it can be difficult to fully pinpoint the exact impact of microplastics, but there are studies that show they could be linked to cancer, cardiovascular problems, and reproductive issues.
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"There is 350,000 tonnes of confectionery items plastic put onto the market every year," Thorpe said.
The recycling plant from APR Plastics can help curb plastic waste by recycling some soft plastics that aren't normally recycled, like potato chip bags and candy wrappers, to help create more recycled, sustainable packaging. When it opens, the plant will process 10 tons of plastic each day, producing upwards of 10,000 litres of oil to be used in new packaging.
Other groups are looking at alternative plastic solutions to curb the pollution of plastic in landfills and in microplastics. Aldi recently announced using 35% recycled products in their chip bags. Candy manufacturer Constantia Flexibles also developed a fully recyclable candy wrapper. Other researchers are looking at ways to create new, 100% recyclable plastic that can replace our current products.
Construction is currently underway for the soft plastic recycling plant in Australia, and APR Plastics hopes that it will be operating by February 2026.
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