On February 26, 2025, Big Bag Recovery and our sister company Circular Communities Australia celebrated a monumental milestone with the grand opening of Australia’s first purpose-built big bag recycling plant in Toowoomba, Queensland. This state-of-the-art 2,300 sqm processing facility marks a significant leap forward in sustainable waste management for bulk bags and sacks.
Revolutionising Bulk Bag Recycling
As Australia’s only government-accredited stewardship for bulk bags and sacks, Big Bag Recovery is at the forefront of the circular economy revolution. This new, innovative facility efficiently processes woven polypropylene (wPP) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) bags over 15kg/l of contents, transforming them into recycled resin pellets.
The process is straightforward:
- Big Bag Recovery collects recyclable wPP and LDPE bags from various industries including agriculture, construction, manufacturing and more.
- Circular Communities Australia transforms these bags into recycled resin pellets.
- These pellets are then used to create valuable products such as water evaporation discs and community and school seating.
Environmental Impact and Process
The environmental benefits of this initiative are substantial:
- Diverting approximately 4,000 tonnes of waste from being burned, buried or sent to landfill annually
- Preventing over 5,871 tonnes of CO2e greenhouse gas emissions each year
- Equivalent to powering 1,174 residential homes for a year (Sustainable Builders Alliance)
Community Benefits and Future Outlook
Beyond environmental gains, the Toowoomba facility is boosting the local economy by creating jobs. It’s already providing eight full-time roles, with expectations to grow to 15 positions. Partnerships with organisations like the Endeavour Foundation are also creating meaningful employment opportunities for individuals who have faced barriers to work.
Join the Circular Economy Revolution
Want to be part of this circular economy revolution? Let’s discuss how your business can benefit from the Big Bag Recovery program and contribute to a more sustainable future. Together, we can create positive change and set new standards for sustainability in Australia.
