Partnerships that make a sustainable future possible
In today’s rapidly evolving market landscape, collaboration is key to unlocking new opportunities and driving innovation. Strategic partnerships allow us to join forces with organisations that share our vision for sustainable resource recovery. By combining our industry-leading assets, technological expertise, and commitment to circularity, these partnerships enable us to deliver scalable solutions that transform waste into valuable resources. Together, we create a stronger, more resilient ecosystem that advances the domestic circular economy.Strategic partnerships
Cleanaway’s strategic partnerships help scale new technologies, expand resource recovery pathways and support Australia’s shift to a more circular, lower carbon economy. By working with industry leaders, we create practical solutions that reduce landfill, recover valuable materials and cut emissions.
Container Deposit Scheme expertise
TOMRA Cleanaway is a joint venture that brings together TOMRA’s reverse vending technology and Cleanaway’s national resource recovery network. This partnership positions us as a leader in delivering Container Deposit Schemes, operating networks in New South Wales, Tasmania and the West Zone in Victoria. Together, we provide accessible collection points supported by advanced automation and reliable logistics. Through TOMRA’s reverse vending machines, consumers can return eligible containers for an electronic refund, donate to charity or receive a store voucher. All collected containers are transported to Cleanaway facilities for counting and sorting, then recycled and sold into domestic and export markets through our Commodity Trading team.
Circular Plastics Australia (PET)
CPA (PET) is a joint venture between Cleanaway, Pact Group, Asahi Beverages and Coca-Cola Europacific Partners. Together, we are building a domestic circular plastics supply chain, where Cleanaway brings its at-scale collections and sorting capabilities through its MRF and CDS operations to the partnership. Having already opened a facility in Albury, New South Wales in FY22, in FY24 the joint venture opened a second CPA PET facility in Altona North, Victoria. These facilities recycle used plastic containers onshore with ready end-market applications for the recycled PET material back into beverage containers. The facilities have the processing capacity to 56,000 tonnes of PET. This is the equivalent of 2 billion 600ml PET bottles each year, or approximately 76 bottles for every Australian.
Circular Plastics Australia (PE)
Our involvement in Circular Plastics Australia is another way we’re helping to build the local circular economy through the recycling of PET, HDPE and PP. Circular Plastics Australia (PE), our joint venture with Pact Group, operates a third facility at Laverton North, Victoria. This state-of-the-art facility can recycle over 20,000 tonnes of HDPE and PP containers – the equivalent of over half a billion plastic milk bottles and food tubs – every year. The post-consumer material is sorted, shredded, washed and dried before being converted into high-quality food and non-food-grade resins. The recycled resins can replace imported virgin resin in the manufacture of new packaging such as milk and juice bottles.
Driving circular solutions with Viva Energy
Cleanaway’s partnership with Viva Energy Australia is focused on practical, scalable pathways to reduce reliance on virgin materials and cut emissions across Australia’s waste and resource recovery system. Together, we are advancing Cycleback Plastics, a chemical recycling project designed to turn hard-to-recycle soft plastics into food-grade polypropylene through a facility expected to process up to 50,000 tonnes a year. A proof-of-concept with Snackbrands also showed how used cooking oil collected by Cleanaway can be converted at Viva Energy’s Geelong Refinery into biobased polypropylene for food-contact packaging. The partnership is further driving low-carbon transport innovation through verified HVO100 trials delivering a 91 percent emissions reduction, alongside 2025 hydrogen truck trials using Viva Energy’s Geelong hydrogen hub, the first of its kind in Australia. These initiatives reflect a shared commitment to circularity and decarbonisation across the waste and energy sectors.
Industry partnerships
Cleanaway has an important role in guiding policy makers and actively supporting councils and industries to address constraints in current systems of production, consumption, recovery and reuse. We engage with stakeholders about the laws and regulations that affect these industries and our business operations across the nation.We are part of industry associations that advocate for policies that actively advance the circular economy in Australia. This includes the following industry networks and associations:
Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association Australia
The Waste Management and Resource Recovery Association Australia (WMRR) is the peak national body representing the waste and resource recovery industry. It brings together operators, councils, recyclers, technology providers and policymakers to advance best practice and support a more sustainable, efficient and circular waste system. WMRR provides advocacy, industry guidance, training and collaboration platforms that help shape policy, improve operational standards and strengthen the sector’s contribution to environmental and economic outcomes across Australia.
Australian Resources Recovery Council
Australian Resources Recovery Council (ARRC), formerly the National Waste and Recycling Industry Council (NWRIC), is the peak advocacy body for Australia’s waste and resource recovery sector. It represents operators who collect, manage and transform waste into recovered materials and works to strengthen recycling markets, recognise carbon-avoidance benefits, advance renewable fuels and drive investment in resource recovery. ARRC engages closely with government to shape long-term reforms that support a strong, efficient and sustainable industry.
Battery Stewardship Council
The Battery Stewardship Council (BSC) is Australia’s national body responsible for improving the safe collection, recycling and management of used batteries. It oversees the Battery Stewardship Scheme, which brings together manufacturers, retailers, recyclers and collectors to create a coordinated system that increases battery recovery, reduces environmental harm and supports a circular economy. Through accreditation, education and industry collaboration, the BSC drives consistent national standards and helps ensure batteries are handled responsibly from purchase through to end-of-life.
Australian Council of Recycling
The Australian Council of Recycling (ACOR) is the peak body for Australia’s recycling industry, representing organisations across the entire value chain. Its purpose is to accelerate the transition to a circular economy by promoting high-quality recycling, increasing the use of Australian-made recycled materials and advancing best practice across sectors including packaging, batteries, textiles, electronics and tyres.