Sims Resource Renewal, one of the Australasian Pozzolan Association’s latest members are welcoming the public into their virtual engagement room to see the first proposed Campbellfield resource renewal facility.

The state-of-the-art resource renewal facility is planned to operate next to Sims’ existing metal recycling site in Campbellfield, Victoria. The proposed facility will use plasma gasification technology, to transform Sims’ shredded material known as ASR, into new, quality products including construction materials, electricity and recycled plastics.

“ASR is what remains once recoverable materials are removed following the recycling of metal-based goods like cars, washing machines, and shopping trolleys,” Sims Resource Renewal states.

The facility will simultaneously prompt further research and development to advance the technology and develop a globally leading, closed-loop business model to support a more circular economy.

“We want to create shared value by producing new products from recycled materials, generating local employment and economic opportunities, and partnering on social value initiatives.”

Subject to necessary environmental and planning approvals, construction of the proposed facility is expected to commence in late 2021, with the facility operational by late 2022.

The proposed facility will:

·   Help reduce Sims’ current environmental footprint in Victoria by eliminating 60,000 tonnes of ASR from landfill each year.

·   Lead to a significant decrease in trucking distance travelled.

·   Reduce CO2 emissions by enabling the reuse of materials that would otherwise need to be created from scratch.

·   Progress us towards our goal of carbon neutrality as we'll optimise the design of our technology to produce a cleaner form of electricity than currently available through the grid to power our facility and neighbouring metals recycling operation.

·   Once the technology is advanced, we'll further reduce our carbon footprint by capturing the carbon present in the shredded material to create new products which may include the building blocks of recycled plastics.

Sims Resource Renewal is hosting a series of virtual engagement events to update the community on the progress of the proposed Campbellfield resource renewal facility and to seek further feedback on design concepts and environmental considerations. The second virtual event is currently open, and the third event planned for November 2021.

Sims Resource Renewal aims to have 11 resource renewal facilities operating globally by 2030, with the first facility proposed for Campbellfield in Victoria.