A Melbourne-based company is pioneering a recycling revolution in Australia, after successfully piloting a scheme which could one day prevent 400,000 tonnes of soft plastics from ending up in landfill each year. APR Plastics is now working to scale the program which involves recycling technology trialled in Australia for the very first time.

Melbourne

A Melbourne-based company is pioneering a recycling initiative aimed at repurposing soft plastics, potentially diverting 400,000 tonnes of waste from landfills annually. APR Plastics, led by Darren Thorpe, has developed technology to turn soft plastics, such as chocolate and chip wrappers, into oil through a process called pyrolysis. This oil can then be utilized to produce new plastics.

The initiative is part of APR Plastics' efforts to support major food manufacturers with fully recycled packaging. Henry Cox, the company's operations manager, is spearheading the construction of a demonstration plant in Bacchus Marsh, which is expected to be operational in the coming months.

Since its inception in 2019, APR's technology has undergone careful testing, including a small-scale recycling program in collaboration with Monash City Council. The program has already prevented 28 tonnes of soft plastics from ending up in landfill. Monash City Mayor Nikki Law expressed hope that other councils would follow their example.

While the advanced technology promises significant gains, traditional mechanical recycling methods will remain crucial, particularly for clear soft plastics like industrial plastic wrap. Darren Thorpe emphasized the importance of creating a circular economy where plastic packaging can be continuously recycled.



Recycling company's mission to give soft plastics a second life

Darren Thorpe admits he's never far away from a packet of violet crumbled chocolate. Unfortunately it's my, it's my bias. And it's empty chocolate packets like these that Darren and his staff at APR Plastics are trying to keep out of landfill. Here at the company's sorting facility on the outskirts of Melbourne, the APR team is pioneering a recycling revolution, giving soft plastics a second life. I followed one of our waste trucks one day and saw the amount of plastic that were actually pulled off and said I've got to find a solution for this. From chocolate wrappers to chip packets, Aussies throw out a whopping 400,000 tonnes of soft plastics every year. And now, thanks to new technology successfully piloted by APR, for the first time in Australia, Darren and his team are confident they'll soon be able to provide the country's biggest food manufacturers with what they need to produce their packaging from fully recycled material. One of our catchphrases is chip packet back to a chip packet. The process involves turning soft plastics into oil through an advanced recycling method called pyrolysis. That oil goes to make new plastics which we will continue to use. Henry Cox is operations manager of APR Plastics, tasked with turning the success of the company's recent small pyrolysis trial into recycling reality for residents right around Melbourne. We're commissioning a demonstration plant in Bacchus Marsh and we're working full steam to get that operational by the first quarter of next year. Since APR first set out to find a soft plastics recycling solution in 2019, the team says they've been wary to proceed with caution after seeing a number of schemes fail both locally and overseas. If you don't get the supply chain right, it'll fall over. Critical to ensuring the supply chain works is Monash City Mayor Nikki Law. We know that sustainability is very important to the community. Over the past 18 months, Monash residents have been taking part in a small-scale soft plastics recycling program with APR as the team have trialled its new technology. The program already preventing 28 tonnes of soft plastics from ending up in landfill. We really, really hope that other council can look at what we've done as a great example and they will consider the same pathway as we do. While the new advanced technology involved in sorting out soft plastics is set to make a big impact, the APR team is quick to point out the traditional mechanical recycling of clear soft plastics like industrial plastic wrap will still be as important in the future as it is today. I hear this at the golf club all the time, you know, recycling doesn't work. Recycling just goes to landfill. You just put it into landfill anyway. And we don't. This is something that a lot of waste management companies in Australia, it's too hard. And after a 40-year career in the industry, Darren Thorpe hopes it won't be too long until his violet crumble wrappers no longer get a bad rap. These products are being turned into a circular economy because that packet can be turned back into that packet and that excites me.

The funeral proceedings of the late football players Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva took place in the church of Gondomar in their hometown in the east of Porto. Family members, teammates and coaches joined thousands of mourners to pay their final respects.

Gondomar

Thousands gather to bid farewell to Liverpool's Diogo Jota

McMahon's most recent projects included Netflix's whodunit "The Residence" and the Nicolas Cage drama "The Surfer," which premiered earlier in the year at SXSW.

Australian-American actor Julian McMahon dies, 56

Diplomatic efforts are ongoing as U.S President Donald Trump looks to secure a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. Israel has previously accepted the US proposal, meanwile Hamas has "submitted a positive response" to the mediators.

Doha

Middle East Conflict

Israeli hostage negotiation team to fly to Doha to hold talks with Hamas

A forestry worker injured in a wildfire in the western Turkish province of Izmir has died from his injuries, raising the death toll in recent days from the fires to three, as emergency crews also continued to battle a blaze in a province bordering Syria.

Hatay

Turkiye’s wildfires declared national emergency

Search and rescue operations continued overnight after flash floods slammed central Texas, killing dozens, officials said. More than 20 children are still missing from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp hit by the floods, the Kerr County sheriff said.

Kerrville

Rescues continue in central Texas after deadly flash floods

Officials in the U.S. state of Texas say at least 13 people have died in overnight flash floods after torrential rains triggered an overflow of the Guadalupe River. Nearly 20 children attending a summer camp in the south-central area are missing.

Kerr County

Deadly Texas floods: Search efforts underway for missing children

Türkiye has been battling wildfires for more than a week, with its western province of Izmir among the hardest hit. Thousands have been forced to flee as flames threaten homes and villages.

Ödemiş

Turkiye wildfires: At least two dead as fires burn for eighth day

It was not clear if Hamas’ statement meant it had accepted the proposal from US President Donald Trump for a 60-day ceasefire.

Jerusalem

Hamas says it is  'positive' about latest ceasefire proposal

President Trump brought pomp and circumstance to his signing of the "big, beautiful bill" on Friday, with an Independence Day ceremony at the White House that included a B-2 bomber flyover.

Washington

Global Tariffs

Trump signs "big, beautiful bill" as tariff deadline looms

Heavy rainfall in central Texas caused the Guadalupe River to overflow and unleash a torrent of water. The bodies of at least 13 children and adults have been recovered and more than 20 girls are missing from a sleepaway camp.

Floods kill at least 13 in Texas, over 20 missing from summer camp

The talk comes a day after President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Ukraine, Iran and other issues in a call the Kremlin described as "frank and constructive."

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy, Trump agree on joint defense efforts in phone call

Russia pummeled Kyiv with the largest drone attack of the war, injuring at least 23 people and damaging buildings across the capital only hours after U.S. President Donald Trump spoke with Russia's Vladimir Putin, officials said.

Russia hits Kyiv with largest drone attack after Trump-Putin call

U.S. President Donald Trump marked the passage of the new spending bill, which includes changes to food assistance, student loan programs, and clean energy credits. Robert Costa joins "CBS Mornings" to break down what's in the legislation.

Trump set to sign "big, beautiful bill"

More than 80 Palestinians were killed in Gaza on Thursday (July 3), according to health officials, as Israel intensified its strikes, hitting a school-turned-displacement facility. CNN’s Paula Hancocks looks at the damage and humanitarian toll.

More than 80 people killed in Gaza in one day

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Kyiv will do "anything" to advance EU accession talks. Zelenskyy spoke alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, President of the European Council António Costa and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.

Ukraine will do 'anything' to advance EU accession talks: Zelenskyy

President Donald Trump said Washington will start sending letters to countries on Friday specifying what tariff rates they will face on imports to the United States, a clear shift from earlier pledges to strike scores of individual deals.

Trump: Letters telling countries their tariff rate going out Friday

Indonesian rescuers on Thursday (July 3) temporarily halted a search for 30 people still missing after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near the island of Bali with the loss of six lives, the national search and rescue agency said.

Gilimanuk

Indonesia suspends search for 30 missing after ferry sinks near Bali

After marathon debate sessions in the Senate and House, President Donald Trump’s budget bill passed in the House. Republicans secured the biggest win of Trump’s presidency.

Trump’s landmark ‘big, beautiful bill’ narrowly passes U.S. House

Florida says the first group of migrant detainees have arrived at the new immigration detention center known as "Alligator Alcatraz." CBS News correspondent Shanelle Kaul has more.

Ochopee

First group of detainees arrive at "Alligator Alcatraz," Florida says

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday (July 3) that he spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and that he plans to hold a call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. CBS News White House reporter Willie James Inman has more.

Trump speaks with Putin, plans call with Zelenskyy

CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez reports on a lawsuit from lawyers for Kilmar Abrego Garcia alleging he suffered “torture and mistreatment” after he was wrongfully deported and held in El Salvador’s notorious mega prison.

Tecoluca

Kilmar Abrego Garcia claims he was tortured in El Salvadoran prison

The Kremlin welcomed the development, with spokesman Dmitry Peskov claiming it proves Western arsenals are being depleted and predicting that less aid will hasten the end of the conflict.

U.S. pauses military aid to Ukraine over depleted weapons stockpile

Two contractors employed by UG Solutions spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity as they were revealing their employers’ internal operations.

U.S. contractors say live ammo used at Gaza aid distribution site

Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries spoke for hours on the House floor about potential impacts of President Trump's "big, beautiful bill" that Republicans are looking to pass before July 4. Following debate, the House is set for a final vote on the massive budget bill.

House debates Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' ahead of final vote

CBS News political contributor Caroline Polisi joins "CBS Mornings" to break down the jury's verdict in Sean "Diddy" Combs' federal trial and the judge's decision to deny bail for the music mogul ahead of his sentencing.

Manhattan

Sean "Diddy" Combs denied bail after split verdict

Liverpool soccer player Diogo Jota has died aged 28, just weeks after marrying his childhood sweetheart. The footballer passed away in a car crash in northern Spain.

Madrid

Liverpool soccer player dies in car crash 10 days after wedding

The Pentagon said that U.S. strikes 10 days ago had degraded Iran's nuclear program by up to two years, suggesting the U.S. military operation likely achieved its goals despite a far more cautious initial assessment that leaked to the public.

Tehran

Iran nuclear program degraded by up to two years: Pentagon

Days before his 90th birthday, the Dalai Lama announced the Gaden Phodrang Trust, a non-profit he founded, will have the sole authority to recognize his future reincarnation, but China insists it will choose the successor of the Tibetan spiritual leader.

Lhasa

China rejects Dalai Lama’s succession plan

The U.S. Congress inched towards approving President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill, despite attempts by Democrats to stop it. The bill is Trump’s signature legislation which includes massive spending increases on the military and immigration enforcement while slashing social programs.

Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill nears approval

Sean (Diddy) Combs was found guilty on prostitution-related charges, but was acquitted on more serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking giving him a maximum sentence of 20 years. But the courtroom victory was subdued following a judge’s ruling to deny him bail.