Australian Recycling Program
Sustainable By Design
At aluplast, we have taken our commitment to sustainability one step further with an industry first initiative, Australia’s first local uPVC window recycling loop. As part of this aluplast-led program, we partner with fabricators nationwide to collect offcuts, process them in Melbourne, and supply the recycled material to create new long lasting products such as decking and fencing in just weeks. This practical and proven approach reduces construction waste and gives valuable materials a second life.
Watch our new video to see how aluplast is closing the loop and making Australian homes more sustainable by design.
Waste We Couldn’t Accept
At the start, our fabricators were facing a frustrating reality. They were generating uPVC offcuts, clean and highly reusable materials, but had no meaningful outlet for them. Their only option was landfill. This was not just waste; it was a valuable resource, and watching it go unused weighed heavily on everyone involved.
Designing Sustainability from the Start
At aluplast, quality and sustainability go hand in hand. From the outset, our products are engineered with recycling in mind. uPVC can be recycled up to seven times without losing quality, and our materials use eco-friendly, lead-free stabilisers. On top of that, long before interest in the circular economy took off in Australia, we were already building systems to reduce waste and encourage responsible fabrication practices around the world.
Rising to the Challenge in Australia
To address the frustrations of our fabricators, aluplast Australia introduced a pioneering recycling initiative based in Melbourne. We began collecting uPVC offcuts from our national network of fabricators and transporting them in stackable, foldable crates to maximise efficiency. At our dedicated facility in Dandenong South, the material is shredded and granulated, keeping it out of landfill and returning it to the production cycle.
Partnering for Circular Impact
We joined forces with Think Manufacturing, who transforms our recycled uPVC into durable, high quality products like fencing and decking. It is a true circular economy model. Waste from one site becomes building materials for another. This partnership is evolving further. Together with CSIRO, Think Manufacturing is developing an AI powered PVC analyser to accurately identify types of PVC, enhancing recycling efficiency and product quality in future cycles.
Real Results, Real Leadership
Our Managing Director, Ben Webster, highlights that some of our profiles now contain over 80 percent recycled content, reflecting a strong commitment to sustainability that is more than a decade in the making. With uPVC’s low embodied carbon and high recyclability, our windows offer superior energy efficiency, up to 40 percent better than standard double glazed aluminium, helping meet Australia’s 7 star energy rating goals in a sustainable and cost effective way.
Bringing It All Together
The story of our recycling program is one of turning frustration into innovation. When our fabricators said, “we hate sending this to landfill,” we listened and responded. Today, that waste is being reimagined, repurposed and reintegrated, not just in our own windows and doors, but in new local building products. With forward thinking partnerships and smart use of technology, we are proving that sustainability is not just possible. It is practical, tangible and already happening in Melbourne.