IT'S all too common at the end of watching a nature or environment documentary to freak out and wonder where all your recycling is going and whether it's harming the world.
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Is it finding its way into the ocean? Is it ruining animals' habitats? Well, as it turns out if you live in eastern Australia then it's probably going to Narrabri - or at least some of it is.
Australian Recycled Plastics (ARP) is one of the only facilities in the country that can process polyethylene terephthalate, which is used to make items like bottles, jars and recently lots of hand sanitiser dispensers.
Because of this, ARP has received more than $4.2 million for upgrades and to increase its processing abilities by more than a third, from 6000 to 9300 tonnes per annum.
The NSW and federal government have recently combined to chip in $2 million to the project.
Member for Parkes, Mark Coulton, said the upgrade will allow the facility to take on an even larger role in the nation's recycling industry.
"Narrabri is leading the way in this industry, and this expansion will allow the facility to reach its full potential," he said.
"Australian Recycled Plastics is strategically placed to take advantage of Narrabri's gas industry and the Inland Rail project."
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The upgrade is part of the Commonwealth's Recycling Modernisation Fund, which will see more than $190 million invested in recycling nation-wide.
This is due to the ban on waste export that will come into effect in mid-2024, meaning Australia needs to find a way to recycle an additional 645,000 tonnes of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres each year.
Co-owner of ARP, Dale Smith, is thrilled to see the government come on board and is looking forward to what the future holds.
"It will also increase our ability to use lower-grade material from all over the east coast of Australia," he said.
"It will certainly help us get the facility to where we want it to be over the next five years and secures our position in the post-recycling industry."
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Cody Tsaousis
I'm a news reporter who enjoys covering politics and energy, but I will write about anything for my community. I moved to the New England in 2021 after spending several years in the Upper Hunter.
I'm a news reporter who enjoys covering politics and energy, but I will write about anything for my community. I moved to the New England in 2021 after spending several years in the Upper Hunter.
