Viva Energy has announced it has started developing a Melbourne tyre recycling facility that could process up to 80,000 tonnes of used tyres per year.
Based at its Geelong Refinery, the initiative would see used tyres diverted from landfill and added to the manufacture of lower-carbon fuels.
Via a memorandum of understanding with Canadian resource recovery and advanced recycling business Klean Industries, Viva Energy will work on a pre-feasibility study to establish the facility.
The tyre recycling facility will extract three key products from tyres, including recovered carbon black, steel and biogenic pyrolysis oil.
Klean Industries is a global leader in using advanced technologies to convert waste into valuable resources, with Viva selecting Klean due to its proven expertise in recycling technologies.
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Viva Energy chief strategy officer Lachlan Pfeiffer says the project marks a critical step in a new role the Geelong Refinery could play in the future.
“This partnership with Klean Industries is an important development for Viva Energy as we continue to explore new pathways to a more sustainable future for our refinery,” he says.
“By transforming end-of-life tyres into valuable resources, we are not only reducing waste but also pioneering new paths for low- carbon fuel production. This project demonstrates our determination to develop a circular economy and deliver environmental and economic benefits for the community.”
Klean Industries CEO Jesse Klinkhamer says the brand is excited to join in a strategic partnership with Viva to address the “end-of-life tyre crisis in Australia”.
“Together, we are poised to transform used tyres into sustainable products that fulfill the growing demand for sustainable low-carbon fuels and raw materials. Together, we are making a difference and leading the way towards a more sustainable future,” Klinkhamer says.
Viva Energy is importing to the Geelong Refinery a shipment of tyre pyrolysis oil produced using Klean’s innovative technology. This is an important step in proving the processing of tyre pyrolysis oil at scale in the refinery and is another significant milestone in Viva Energy’s co-processing trials, demonstrating the company’s commitment to creating lower carbon fuels and products.
When this project proceeds, it will expand the suite of alternative feedstocks utilised at the refinery through co-processing, cementing the facility’s role in Australia’s circular economy and reducing the amount of waste going to landfill.
Over the past two months, Viva Energy has announced several innovative projects to utilise alternative feedstocks at the refinery made from soft plastics, tallow and used cooking oil.
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