About
Our history
For the last two decades, Cleanaway has grown into Australia’s leading waste management and waste recovery provider. This transformation has been driven by a deliberate strategy of acquiring businesses that expand our capabilities, infrastructure and reach both into new sectors and across the country. Today, Cleanaway represents the amalgamation of many family-run businesses and small-to-medium enterprises, as well as large corporate acquisitions, allowing us to deliver end-to-end, sustainable waste solutions at scale.
In the 1950s and 1960s, a number of small family businesses were formed, which would later come together under the Cleanaway brand. Some were acquired by Brambles, while others were acquired by Transpacific Industries waste and recycling operations.
A small family rubbish business, Cleanaway Pty Ltd, was registered in 1955 in New South Wales, although nothing more is known about its operations or where in Sydney it operated.
In 1955/56, BHP required the services of a contractor to recover metal from steelmaking slag and refuse. A new company, Breckett Pty Ltd, was formed by Brambles and awarded a long-term contract to operate BHP’s specialised industrial processes and steelworks.
Brambles entered the waste management and disposal industry in 1970 when it purchased the Australian waste collection and disposal services of the Purle Group.
In 1975, Cleanaway Recycling Pty Ltd was registered by Brambles, 100 years after Walter Bramble first started operations in the Hunter Valley. The following year, Brisbane Sanitation was acquired, the first time Brambles became involved in domestic garbage as well as industrial waste.
In 1979, the Brambles waste services division was renamed Cleanaway and a new logo was designed. By 1980, Cleanaway Waste Services comprised 14 different companies among the five mainland states, each operating under their own name.
Transpacific Industries was formed in 1987, expanding through organic and strategic growth.
TPI expands waste sector footprint by acquiring Baxter and Twigg.
On 2004, Transpacific Industries (ASX: TPI) lists on the ASX at an initial offering price of $2.40 giving it an initial market capitalisation of $210.55 million.
TPI included in the S&P/ASX 200 index.
TPI expands waste sector footprint by acquiring Waste Management NZ.
TPI expands as Brambles streamlines, exiting Europe:
UK
Cleanaway sold to Veolia
Germany
Cleanaway sold to SULO
Australia
Cleanaway & Brambles Industrial Services sold to KKR
Waste ops
Cleanaway Technical Services sold to TPI
On May 2007, KKR sells Cleanaway to Transpacific Industries for total consideration of $1.25 billion.
On November 2007, TPI acquires certain assets of EnviroWaste Services for total consideration of $84 million.
TPI purchases Melbourne Regional Landfill.
AGM - Shareholders vote to change the name of TPI to Cleanaway Waste Management Ltd
On 1 February 2016, Cleanaway Waste Management Limited (CWY) launched on ASX and our new logo was unveiled.
On May 2017, Cleanaway announces the opening of new 50-tonne-per-hour single-stream material recovery facility (MRF) in Perth, Western Australia.
On July 2017, NSW container deposit scheme (Return and Earn) appoints TOMRA Cleanaway joint venture as Network Operator.
On May 2018, Cleanaway makes the S&P/ASX 100 index.
Cleanaway builds network in Victoria and Tasmania with the acquisition of SKM Recycling’s assets for $66 million.
On February 2020, Cleanaway forms JV with Pact Group and Asahi Beverages to develop a PET plastic pelletising plant, which will process the equivalent of 1 billion PET drink bottles per year.
On August 2020, Statewide Recycling acquisition brings the Stawell Landfill under Cleanaway ownership licensed for putrescible, asbestos, and Category C soils.
On October 2020, Cleanaway acquires Grasshopper Environmental, strengthening C&D offerings in NSW.
On April 2021, Cleanaway reaches agreement to acquire two landfills and five transfer stations in Sydney from Suez for $501 million.
On December 2021, First Circular Plastics Australia facility in Albury NSW begins operations designed to receive over 20,000 tonnes of PET plastic bottles annually, contributing to a circular economy for plastic bottles in Australia.
On May 2021, Cleanaway appoints Mark Schubert as CEO and MD.
On September 2022, Cleanaway completes acquisition of Global Renewables Australia (GRA), adding large-scale organics (putrescible waste) processing in Sydney for $168.6 million.
On April 2023, TOMRA Cleanaway is appointed as the West Zone network operator for the Victorian container deposit scheme CDS Vic.
On July 2023, Cleanaway acquires AEO (Australia Eco Oils), including the Scanline brand, one of Australia’s leading collectors and processors of used cooking oil (UCO).
On August 2023, Laverton Circular Plastics Australia (CPA) facility opens, a joint venture between Pact Group and Cleanaway.
On December 2023, Second CPA facility opens in Altona North, VIC.
On September 2024, TOMRA Cleanaway has been appointed as the network operator for Tasmania's container refund scheme, "Recycle Rewards".
On April 2025, Cleanaway opens Australia’s most advanced Material Recovery Facility in Western Sydney.
On July 2025, Cleanaway acquires the waste and recycling business of Citywide Waste for $110 million, including Victoria’s second-largest waste transfer station on Dynon Rd, Melbourne.
On July 2025, Cleanaway acquires Contract Resources for $377 million, a specialist provider of industrial services in the oil and gas sectors in Australia, New Zealand and the Middle East.
On July 2025, Cleanaway opens first-ever clinical waste treatment in Bridgewater TAS.
