Australian And European Engineers Deliver World-First Recycling Facility

Featured in Inside Waste Magazine

To create a world-first, the team behind Australia’s newest recycling facility has scoured the globe, sourcing expertise from Europe and the UK to create a cutting-edge plant in Brisbane.

Rino Recycling engaged recycling solutions company, Turmec and CDE Group to help design and install the $95 million facility at Pinkenba. 

Rino Recycling General Manager Dan Blaser said in a world-first, the facility can sort and process many types of both wet and dry waste under one roof. 

“Rino Recycling has brought together the best engineers in the world to successfully collaborate with us to deliver a leading plant that underpins a strong sustainable recycling industry for Australia,” Mr Blaser said. 

Turmec Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Bailey, said while his company has a long history in the supply and installation of mechanical treatment plants worldwide, this is the largest by scale. 

“Our expertise and knowledge made us the ideal candidate for this project, which is the biggest mixed construction and demolition plant in the world by volume. Turmec specialises in dry waste separation techniques and CDE with wash plant delivery, and we have collaborated with Rino to deliver a turnkey facility offering wet and dry plant options,” Mr Bailey said. 

A major challenge for the engineering team was the integration of four feeder points for construction waste, skip bin waste, raw dirty fill/excavation waste, and liquid waste which includes non-destructive digging and street sweepings. 

“The varied waste types had to be integrated into an automated production line comprising effective material separation with the express purpose of producing a number of high-quality products like aggregates and road base, while the leftover residual waste is of significant quality to be used as fuel for industrial boilers,” Mr Bailey said. 

CDE General Manager for Australasia, Daniel Webber, said his company was responsible for the design, construction, and commissioning of the wet processing section of the Rino Recycling facility. 

“We delivered the plant’s HydroVac and wet waste retrieval system along with aggregate scrubbing, beneficiation, and sand washing. CDE also provided a water recovery and recycling system which recycles over 90 per cent of the plant’s water needs,” Mr Webber said. 

The facility incorporates a jig which is a wet density aggregates separator system on the aggregate line that removes lightweight impurities like tiles, masonry, and heavy plastics. The higher quality heavy aggregates can then be used in construction applications like concrete.

Rino Recycling General Manager Dan Blaser said with a waste recovery rate of 97 per cent, the Rino facility supports a circular economy. 

Rino Recycling General Manager Dan Blaser said the Rino Recycling facility can process 1.5 million tonnes of mixed construction waste each year, producing a range of high-quality recycled materials for use back on construction sites, including aggregates, road base, and washed sand, effectively minimising the need for landfill. 

Construction of the plant began in January 2023, with performance testing now complete, and the plant operational.