Case Study - Penguin Composites

Download the Case Study - Penguin Composites (PDF).

The project

• The project will seek to reduce costs of waste disposal by finding alternative disposal methods for identified waste streams, including:​
  • co-processing of fibre composite waste​
  • recycling of cardboard and plastic film waste

Background

• The company manufactures high-quality fibre composite products for global supply chains in the defence, marine, energy and automotive industries.
• A large proportion of waste generated in-process is offcut fibre composite material, which has very limited options for recycling or re-use.

Objectives

• Reduce waste to landfill​.
• Maintain or reduce current costs.

Targets

• Reduce waste to landfill by 50%​.
• Maintain or reduce current waste disposal costs.

Outcomes

What was implemented?

• Recycling cardboard, co-mingled, steel, aluminium and drums.​
• Fortnightly kerbside pickup for co-mingled has begun for both sites​.
• More reliable metal recycler engaged - this one even pays us!
• Staff education program has begun​.
• Collaborated and conducted experiments to seek secondary uses for fibre composites.

Key issues

• How to deal with ‘problem’ wastes, for example fibreglass offcuts, resins and MDF​ - MDF is a real issue and can’t be recycled​.
• We looked at many options for fibreglass but mainly tried to reduce waste generation at the source.

Performance against targets

• We reduced our waste to landfill by approximately 35% across the site.
• We were able to maintain our current costs as the return from the metal recycler has offset additional costs of recycling.

Lessons learnt

• Waste management can be really challenging, all businesses have their own unique problems.​
• It’s great that Tasmanian businesses are genuine in their efforts to do something about it.
• Touring the recycling plant really opened my eyes to the amount of waste that we all generate, it’s actually quite mind blowing.