Viva Energy has produced its first ISCC+ certified mass balanced bio-based polymer from used cooking oil (UCO) at its Geelong Refinery. 
The UCO came from Intersnack ANZ in NSW where it had been used to cook snacks like Kettle Chips, CC’s, Natural Chip Company, Thins and Cheezels. Later this year, Intersnack ANZ will use this ISCC+ certified mass balance bio-based material to create plastic packaging for some of its products.
Cleanaway collected and processed the UCO to remove any impurities before it was delivered to the Geelong Refinery for processing. Viva Energy has invested in upgrades at the refinery to allow the injection of these alternative feedstocks into its complex infrastructure.
Viva Energy Chief Strategy Officer Lachlan Pfeiffer says the project is initiated as a proof-of-concept exercise to collect data, understand the properties of the feedstock and the complexities of the UCO supply chain.
“Over time, the plan is to expand the scale of the processing, create new roles for the refinery and transform the site into a broader energy hub,” he says.
“There is growing interest in plastic with recycled content and in a more sustainable solution to Australia’s plastic waste challenges, particularly from food manufacturers like Intersnack ANZ.
“We believe there will be a strong market for food-grade packaging made from recycled materials, but we recognise there is a need for regulatory support for this to be a success.”
Intersnack ANZ CEO Kurt Preshaw says this project will help Intersnack ANZ to develop a pathway to reduce the company’s scope 3 carbon emissions.
“We are excited about this important first step for Intersnack ANZ and its potential to address the broader industry challenge of plastic waste,” he says.
“Piloting used cooking oil as a feedstock has provided Viva Energy with an effective way to explore alternative inputs for the refinery, opening a pathway for the acceptance of oil from Australian recycled soft plastics.
“Our customers and consumers expect us to reduce our reliance on virgin plastic, and this initiative is a critical first step toward that goal. We are proud to be driving this innovation locally in Australia alongside the passionate team at Viva Energy. As the project progresses, we look forward to measuring its impact on emissions and continuing our collaboration to achieve our ambitious sustainability targets.”
In coming months, Viva Energy expects to announce the successful processing of other alternative feedstocks at the refinery, including plastic pyrolysis oil and tyre pyrolysis oil.
 at its Geelong Refinery.){kind=link}