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Highlights:
- Viva Energy and Cleanaway aim to develop large-scale plastic recycling infrastructure in Australia
- Over 9.5 tonnes of pyrolysis oil processed at Geelong site in early milestone
- FEED phase for the proposed facility expected to begin in 2026
Viva Energy Group Ltd (ASX: VEA) has announced a strategic partnership with Cleanaway Waste Management to explore the development of a large-scale plastic recycling facility in Australia. The initiative seeks to address the nation's growing waste plastic issue by combining Viva’s refining capabilities with Cleanaway’s established collection and processing network.
As part of the project, the companies recently completed a trial that processed over 9.5 tonnes of plastic pyrolysis oil at Viva Energy’s Geelong refinery in Victoria. This step marks one of the first successful integrations of chemically recycled plastic feedstock into a domestic refining operation in the country.
The collaboration remains in the feasibility study phase, with both companies evaluating the technical and economic viability of scaling up operations. If successful, the project is set to progress to the Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) phase by 2026, according to statements from the companies.
The proposed facility would leverage Cleanaway’s national waste collection system to source feedstock and Viva Energy’s refining infrastructure for processing, aligning with broader industrial efforts to reduce landfill volumes and increase recycling rates.
While financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, the initiative signals growing corporate focus on circular economy models and chemical recycling technologies. The use of pyrolysis — a process that breaks down plastic waste into synthetic crude oil — could provide a pathway for transforming non-mechanically recyclable plastics into usable fuels or feedstocks.
The move comes amid increasing regulatory and public pressure on industries to improve sustainability practices. Australia's current recycling rates for plastic remain below global benchmarks, and industrial-scale chemical recycling is viewed as a potential solution to bridge that gap.
Investors will be monitoring future project developments and regulatory responses as the partnership advances toward engineering and investment decisions over the next 12 to 24 months.






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