Melbourne-based Ozmotech Pty. Ltd. has established what it touts as the first plant in Australia to convert waste plastic to diesel fuel.
The plant uses thermalysis technology from Kelso, Wash.-based Environmental Fuel Development Co.
An Ozmotech spokesman said the plant can process 14,000 pounds of waste plastic a day, converting it to about 2,000 gallons of diesel. He said the plant will help reduce the amount of plastic going to landfills.
The plant converts unwashed, unsorted scrap and post-consumer plastics. The plastics are heated and the resulting gases are condensed. The end result is diesel with a low sulphur content.
``With a production efficiency of up to 99.58 percent, the resultant diesel output almost equals the waste material input,'' the spokesman said.
The first plant will convert waste plastics from companies in Victoria, Australia, and landfills.