SCS Plastics uses grant to produce 100 per cent recycled packaging

To help the business along the way, it has received a $50,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Investment Support Grants – Packaging (ISG-P) program for the project’s first stage.

Production manager David Davkovski said the final product would see SCS Plastics producing 100 per cent recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic in Shepparton.

“We will be granulating our own webbing and turning that into little micro granules, which then can be washed and pelletized,” he said.

“Then, through that process what ends up happening is we can mix that back in with some standard PET resin, along with some other polymers and then we can effectively make our own material.

“We’re aligning with a circular economy which is the 2025 packaging targets.

“At the moment, we are converting 35 per cent recycled PET into the Australian market.”

Mr Davkovski said SCS Plastics recently launched with Costco Australia 100 per cent recycled PET.

He said it was a long process but it was about continuing the family business that was established in 1985.

“Our aim for the environment is to take what the consumer puts in the bin — a tray, one of our meat trays, if you like — we want to take that tray and put it back into its own stream,” Mr Davkovski said.

“If the tray can’t be put into its own stream, even with what we’re doing, we can still sell it to local manufacturers who make T-shirts or even park benches, so … we’re trying to bring it all together to make 100 per cent recycled PET.”

Member for Northern Victoria Mark Gepp said the final investment would help the Shepparton community and help create new jobs.

“SCS Plastics are leading the way in innovation, giving new life to our waste and reducing the impact of disposable packaging on our environment.”