Page 18 - Tropic Magazine Issue 18

TROPIC • ENVIRONMENT

Lesley and Colin Van Staveren
Blueclick Photography

Repurposing plastic

FUTURE PROOFING
A Cairns couple begins rolling out products from
the region’s first plastic recycling facility.

Words Renee Cluff

As Australia finds itself in a plastic waste crisis, Cairns couple
Colin and Lesley Van Staveren have dared to tread where no
others have.
Bolstered by $183,300 in funding under the Australian
Government’s Regional Jobs Investment Packages, the couple is
establishing their own plastic recycling plant in Tropical North
Queensland. ReGen Plastics is a spin-off of their other company, engineering and strength standards for the construction
FNQ Plastics, and the husband and wife team are confident a industry. “Builders can’t wait for it to be launched and tested,
combined 40 years’ experience in plastic will ensure the venture’s because they want to do better but need more proven options,”
success. “With India and China banning solid imports of plastic, Ms Van Staveren said. “It has got to be high performance and it
we’ve been seeing the gravity of the situation getting worse has to be the same strength as what they’re already using.”
every year and we knew what the possibilities were,” Ms Van For the recyclers, the secret is avoiding single use plastic, which
Staveren said. “The challenge for others has been that there are Ms Van Staveren said literally is rubbish. They’re working with
so many plastics and every single type has different properties, industry and the public to source high-grade packaging from
but we already know all about that. There’s also been challenges products like laundry detergent and milk. “When you’ve got the
in proving the value of the flake as a commodity, so you’ve got to cheap disposable stuff there’s no value to get out of it but with
create the demand first.” the pure grade you can keep recycling it again and again and
With that in mind, the couple is starting with the end again,” Ms Van Staveren said. “We work with industries that use
product and working backwards. “When you’re talking about good plastic that don’t have anywhere to direct it, such as the
engineering applications, plastic can outperform metal and pool industry, agriculture, fisheries, even building. When people
steel,” Ms Van Staveren said. “We have created products which buy things, they should check the number on the packaging
are twin wall panels that can be used for multiple applications because a recycling symbol is not good enough. For us, the
including roofing, walls, fencing, sound barriers, structural preference is number two.”
beams and joists.”
The company is currently working with the Federal MORE: regenplastics.com.au
Government’s AusIndustry body to ensure the product meets

RECYCLING EXPANSION
A $6.9 million upgrade of the Cairns Cairns Regional Council Mayor Bob
Material Recovery Facility aims to double Manning said that will increase the
the amount of local waste diverted from processing facility’s capacity to 300,000
landfill. The facility processes all of the tonnes. “We know our community takes Discover
waste placed in yellow-lidded recycling its environmental responsibilities
bins. Currently, plastics, paper, steel seriously,” Cr Manning said. “This CAIRNS BEST KEPT SECRET!
and aluminium are sorted before being much-needed upgrade will not only
transported to Brisbane for recycling, while allow us to significantly increase the
much of the glass is crushed to be used recovery rate of recyclables, but also
in other Council operations. The upgrade, as a consequence, significantly reduce
jointly funded by the Cairns Regional the amount of waste needing to go to
Council and the Queensland Government, landfill.” The work is scheduled to be Three Wolves Cocktail & Tapas Bar is a versatile space hidden down a red brick lane
will extend the receival hall and deliver a completed in March next year. way on Abbott St, where you can venture out during the week and find a dark and
new glass-sorting and processing plant. warm space filled with whisky, cocktails and Spanish tapas. With a brand new cocktail
and tapas menu, over 200 whiskies, a carefully selected wine list and a handful of craft
beers, there is something for everyone at Three Wolves.

18 • Tropic • Issue 18 32 ABBOTT ST, CAIRNS THREEWOLVES.COM.AU