Sustainable Design

Our way of life

Working together we can keep the planet clean for the future.

Product stewardship is not something you can complete, exactly, or graduate from, it is a way of life.

Our program provides a full circular solution for PLAST-AX waste streams and an end-of-life solution for our FEL bin range to ensure that we recover and recycle as much material as possible, continually extending the life span of the resources we use.

Firstly we separate out our tank grade hexene and from other packaging, and general waste so that we have a single polymer to recycle. 

This is absolutely critical to the overall success of any recycling program. 

Prior to processing, our material is isolated, clearly marked, and the plant is cleaned down with a purge. 

The product is then chipped, melted, dyed, and filtered through a screen mesh to remove any contamination. 

At this phase we currently dye the resin black (3% master batch) because the source material is a mixture of colours. In future when there is sufficient signal colour input volume, we will be able to add masterbatch colour and run full batches of other colours. 

The extruded material is then cut into granules and cooled to harden for storage.

The black granules are then ready for their next phase in being ground evenly to a finished mouldable powder.Consistent product size is crucial for our final rotational moulding phase to come, and we partner with experienced providers to utilise their expertise in this area.

The granules are sucked up and feed through grinding discs; the resultant powder is sifted through a shaking hopper, removing any inconsistency in size, before being bagged and clearly labelled.

So much of the success of any recycling program is in the ability to keep source material clean and separate, but then also to be able to batch isolate throughout the process, especially where a number of parties are working together. You need companies and people that really care.

The ground powder is weighed out into its respective shot weights for remaking in the PLAST-AX tooling.

These bins are made from 100% NZ recycled material, we put these bins through the full range of tests for FEL bins. This includes the 1200kg load in the 3m3 strapped in for 100x consecutive lifts.

It was seriously impressive to watch them handle the whole test with absolute ease, showing no signs at all of stress or reduction in performance. This is a real tribute to the achievability of a circular economy (and our ability to deliver on it).

First inspired at the WasteMINZ conference in 2018, PLAST-AX has been committed to a voluntary product stewardship programme since January 2019.
It has been submitted to MFE for official accreditation; this provides a clear structure with operating deliverables and diversion goals for now and in the future.
PLAST-AX has funded all the time, materials and capital cost required to implement and develop the ability and processes to make this project function.

Now

Now and as we go – it’s a journey