Astron Plastics Victoria Case Study

Aerofloat designed and installed a plastics recycling wastewater treatment system for Astron Plastics to ensure clean, reusable water within the plant and a sustainable end-product. The existing system at its Cheltenham Victoria site was no longer able to meet the needs of the growing business.

Astron Plastics is the sustainability arm of Pact Group, the largest recycler of post-industrial plastic in the Southern Hemisphere. The company converts local waste into a community resource; Sustainability Victoria recognised this contribution by subsidizing the project. As a world leader in recycling solutions, Pact Group delivers high quality material from its plastics recycling plants. The upgraded plastics recycling plant in Cheltenham is another joint venture for Pact Group and Aerofloat.

The Astron Plastics facility in Cheltenham supplies resin from recycled plastics to Pact Group, which then include the resin in a large range of food-grade packaging such as meat trays and milk packaging products. The resin is also used in a significant variety of non-food grade applications including wheelie bins, underground cable covers, crates and communication pits. This innovative process of recycling plastics to create a new, reusable product meets Pact Group’s vision to create a circular economy.

Aerofloat designed a new system to replace the existing plant to allow Astron Plastics’ new wash line to be accommodated. Aerofloat worked collaboratively with Astron Plastics to include a vibrating screen and a balance tank with air mixing to receive water from the plastics recycling wash machines. A wave separator with coagulant and flocculant injection was installed to remove solids from the water. Return pumps allow the cleaned wash water to be re-used effectively within the plant.

Aerofloat’s plastics recycling wastewater treatment plant design provided for the current needs as well as expansion of the recycling facility in the future. The new system was able to treat higher flow volumes of wash water if needed as the facility grows. A fully automated, intelligent PLC control system allowed Astron Plastics operators remote access to the plant and enabled Aerofloat engineers to assist the team from Sydney at any time.

Aerofloat’s solution allowed for clean wash water to be re-used within the facility, saving on water usage costs and ensured sustainable operations for Astron Plastics. Any excess water could be compliantly discharged to sewer.

Aerofloat has collaborated with Astron Plastics and Pact Group on numerous projects to date, working towards a circular economy. The new plant at Cheltenham allowed for significant water usage reductions for Astron Plastics and a sustainable, long-term solution.