Recycling Solution for Cardboard Fibre Pulping Rejects

Client:

Large Australian cardboard manufacturer

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Waste Type:

Mixture of shredded multi polymer soft plastics & fibre rejects

Client Overview

A leading cardboard fibre pulping manufacturer sought to reduce landfill waste and find a sustainable recycling solution for its production rejects. These waste materials, previously sent to landfill, carried a significant cost and environmental footprint due to the lack of onshore recycling options in Australia.

Challenge: Diverting Cardboard Fibre Rejects from Landfill

The client’s manufacturing rejects — containing mixed fibres and polymers — could not be processed using conventional recycling systems.
 As a result, large volumes were disposed of in landfill, increasing waste management costs, carbon emissions, and environmental impact.
Circular Futures was engaged to develop a sustainable waste diversion strategy, enabling onshore processing, circular economy reuse, and regulatory compliance.

Approach: Research, Analysis, and Real-World Trials

Our waste management consulting team partnered with research laboratories to analyse the material composition and assess its potential for recycling and energy recovery.
 Testing focused on:

  • Polymer types and material breakdown

  • Moisture and calorific values

  • Ash and chlorine content

This data helped determine the suitability of the material as an alternative fuel source to replace gas or coal in cement kiln production.
Following laboratory testing, real-world trials were conducted using larger sample sizes to evaluate commercial and operational viability. The project also included reclassification and analysis for regulatory approval, ensuring compliance with environmental standards.

Outcome: Innovative Onshore Recycling Pathways

Circular Futures successfully identified multiple reuse and recovery pathways, both onshore and export, to transform the waste material into valuable resources:

  • Cold friction processing technology — converting rejects into pellets suitable for use as low-carbon concrete aggregate substitutes.

  • Shredding and flake processing — enabling optical sorting and extrusion into new manufacturing applications such as construction panels and consumer products.

This approach provided the client with a circular economy recycling solution, reducing environmental impact while creating new resource recovery opportunities.

Impacts & Benefits

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100% landfill diversion achieved through onshore recycling

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Significant cost savings in waste disposal and material recovery

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Reduced carbon footprint through alternative fuel substitution

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Regulatory compliance and responsible waste classification

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Sustainable circular economy solution supporting local manufacturing

Driving Sustainable Waste Management in Australia

This project showcases Circular Futures’ expertise in waste diversion, alternative fuel development, and circular economy consulting.
 By combining scientific analysis, innovation, and industry collaboration, we deliver practical recycling solutions that help Australian businesses reduce waste, cut emissions, and recover value from manufacturing by-products.