Recycling Construction Plastics through Rainbow Plastics
Recycling Construction Plastics through Rainbow Plastics
Significant volumes of construction and demolition waste are generated during the construction phase of a Project. Typically, this is managed in accordance with the waste hierarchy, with a majority of construction waste sent for recycling. While typical construction outputs such as concrete, asphalt and aggregates can be reasonably straightforward to recycle or re‑sell commercially, other waste materials such as plastics can often fall between the gaps, either as a result of less significant volumes being produced or limited recycling potential.
The Tonkin Gap Alliance sent rigid Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) plastic to Rainbow Plastics, waste resulting from work related to services such as lighting.
Challenges and outcomes
Waste materials such as plastics can often fall between the gaps, either as a result of less significant volumes being produced or limited recycling potential. TGA sent over 30 tonnes of waste plastic to Rainbow Plastic to be processed into a plastic pellet product, which is sold back to Australian pipe manufacturers to manufacture new plastic pipe products.
Rainbow Plastic offer a specialised recycling service for waste PVC and HDPE plastic from mining and construction sites in WA and are committed to achieving a circular economy model for waste construction plastic. The facility in Wattleup has significant stockpiles of product that Rainbow Plastic have collected from numerous sites across WA.
Next steps
Building on the success of the partnership with Rainbow Plastics, future opportunities include expanding similar recycling initiatives across other infrastructure projects, strengthening circular economy outcomes, and increasing industry awareness of viable recycling solutions for construction plastics.
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Contact info
Tonkin Gap Alliance
Emilie Stenmark
Emilie.Stenmark@tgalliance.com.au