South Australia’s new $23.3 million recycling facility has officially opened at Kilburn, using the latest in optical sorting technology to produce clean commodities ideal for developing local markets.
The state-of-the-art Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), owned by the Central Adelaide Waste and Recycling Authority (CAWRA), a joint initiative of the Cities of Charles Sturt and Port Adelaide Enfield, is able to process 50,000 tonnes of recyclables per year from household yellow bins.
The MRF was opened by the Federal Member for Sturt, James Stevens, representing the Minister for the Environment, Sussan Ley, South Australia Minister for the Environment, David Speirs, Mayor of Charles Sturt, Angela Evans, and Deputy Mayor of Port Adelaide Enfield, Hannah Evans.
CAWRA has designed and constructed the facility with funding of $4.36m provided by the Federal and State Governments’ Recycling Modernisation Fund. It will be operated by global leader in packaging and resource recovery, Visy.
In a first for South Australia, the MRF will include a modern and interactive education centre incorporating a full-length glass viewing wall and an elevated walkway, which will give school and community groups a unique close-up view of the entire recycling process.
City of Charles Sturt Mayor, Angela Evans, said, “Establishing the MRF is a momentous achievement in the future of recycling for our communities.
“Our residents can now have visibility and confidence that our recycling will be processed locally and responsibly, to go back into the circular economy.”
CAWRA Executive Officer, Rebekah Schubert, said, “We want to see South Australia’s recyclables processed right here in South Australia.
“This facility means we will always have somewhere for our recycling to go and we will keep this local, in South Australia, at every opportunity to help grow our local circular economy.”
City of Port Adelaide Enfield Mayor, Claire Boan, said, “The MRF is going to be of great economic value to our local businesses.
“Finding ways to recycle our waste and transform it into everyday products is good for businesses and diverting waste from landfill is good for the environment.”
Featured image of Deputy Mayor of Port Adelaide Enfield, Hannah Evans, City of Charles Sturt Mayor, Angela Evans, SA Minister for the Environment, David Speirs, and Federal Member for Sturt, James Stevens MP, supplied by City of Charles Sturt.
