Container sorting facility
Our Eastern Creek Container Sorting Facility in NSW is custom-built to count, sort and process 250,000 containers an hour. The site processes materials collected from the NSW’s container deposit scheme, Return and Earn.
The facility produces quality recycling because incoming containers are separated at the source so they have minimal contamination. The facility produces quality commodity streams which is critical for the success of the recycling economy.
Eastern Creek processes more than five million containers every day.
Eligible containers through Return and Earn
Most 150-millilitre to 3-litre drink containers are accepted if they are made from
- Glass
- Plastic
- Aluminium
- Steel
- Liquid paperboard (cartons)
Wine, spirits, cordial and plain milk containers are generally NOT eligible. Containers should be empty, uncrushed, unbroken and have the original label attached.
Key features
Once processed the plastic, aluminium, steel and LPB containers are baled and delivered to local and international recycling facilities.
The facility has received more than 380 million containers since the scheme began in December 2017.
Businesses that collect a large volume of drink containers, also benefit from the facility if engaged with a dedicated container collection service through Cleanaway.
How we do it
TOMRA Cleanaway is the joint venture formed to operate the Return and Earn network. Cleanaway trucks collect the containers from various Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs) and other registered locations such as shops, large collection depots, and charity organisations.
The containers are delivered to Eastern Creek where optical sorters identify and sort containers based on material type at thousands of reads per minute. Sorted material is then baled and distributed to domestic and international recycling markets to be turned into new products.