In a landmark achievement for plastic recycling in Australia, Alterra, a pioneering force in advanced plastic recycling technologies, and Viva Energy, a leading Australian energy company, have successfully completed a significant trial at Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery. The collaborative effort saw the processing of 9.5 tons of plastic pyrolysis oil (PPO) produced by Alterra from end-of-life plastics at its facility in Akron, Ohio.

Pyrolysis oil is a liquid fuel product obtained through the process of pyrolysis, by breaking down plastic like HDPE and LDPE particles thermally and extracting oil from it.

The successful processing of Alterra’s PPO at the Geelong Refinery marks a pivotal moment in the nation’s pursuit of a circular economy for plastics. The trial not only confirmed the technical compatibility of the advanced recycled material with conventional refining systems but also underscored Alterra’s ability to produce high-quality PPO at scale from challenging plastic waste streams. This validation is crucial for Viva Energy as they build their case for establishing a permanent soft plastics recycling facility in Australia.

Valerio Coppini, Chief Commercial Officer of Alterra, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership and the trial’s outcome. "The successful trial confirms that our technology can be integrated seamlessly with conventional refining systems and deliver high-purity outputs from challenging plastic waste streams," he stated. "We are excited to partner with Viva Energy to support them in their journey to validate the processing of soft plastics pyrolysis oil at the Geelong Refinery. We see this as an important step in bringing scalable, sustainable plastic recycling to Australia. This is about more than waste diversion—it's about redefining the lifecycle of plastic."

Alterra’s innovative process utilizes pyrolysis to break down post-consumer plastics into their original chemical building blocks. This creates a valuable and sustainable feedstock that can be used for the production of new plastics and chemicals, effectively closing the loop on plastic waste. The PPO utilized in the Geelong Refinery trial is representative of the material that would be produced at scale in the envisioned recycling facility.

Bill Patterson, Executive General Manager – Refining at Viva Energy, highlighted the significance of this initiative for the future of the Geelong Refinery. "Over many decades the Geelong Refinery has played an important role in making fuels and other products which are essential to our way of life in Australia," Mr. Patterson said. "We want to continue to do this, and this initiative is a critical step in demonstrating the various roles our facility can play in the energy transition, establishing a circular economy and helping address Australia's discarded plastic issue."