Container Exchange has announced a 12-month pilot to trial the use of renewable diesel in trucks transporting containers across South East Queensland as part of the state’s Containers for Change scheme.
The not-for-profit organisation, which operates Queensland’s container refund program, is partnering with waste management and resource recovery company Cleanaway to reduce emissions associated with the movement of containers for recycling.
As part of the pilot, a portion of Cleanaway’s fleet operating across Brisbane, the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast will run on HVO100 renewable diesel supplied by Viva Energy Australia.
According to Container Exchange, HVO100 is a fossil fuel alternative produced from renewable resources such as used cooking oil and can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 91 per cent compared with conventional diesel.
Container Exchange chief executive officer Natalie Roach said the trial aligns with the organisation’s broader objectives for the scheme. “The move to low-carbon fuel reflects our commitment to maximising the environmental, social and economic impacts of Queensland’s container refund scheme,” Roach said.
She noted the scale of container movements in the region, saying more than 1.5 billion containers are returned through Containers for Change in South East Queensland each year, accounting for more than half of the state’s total.
“Through our pilot with Cleanaway, where renewable diesel is used, containers will travel with a smaller carbon footprint, ensuring the recycling process is as clean as the outcomes it delivers,” Roach said.
Cleanaway general manager of container deposit schemes Stuart Baird said the company welcomed the opportunity to participate in the trial.
“We are proud to be able to bring vehicles powered by HVO100 renewable diesel to the Containers for Change scheme to reduce the emissions associated with the collection and transportation of eligible containers,” Baird said.
He added that Cleanaway would continue to work with Container Exchange during the pilot. “We are looking forward to working closely with COEX to continue to deliver more sustainable outcomes for Queensland,” Baird said.
Containers for Change is described by Container Exchange as Queensland’s largest community-facing recycling system.
Since the scheme began in November 2018, more than 11 billion containers have been returned to refund points statewide, resulting in $1.1 billion in 10-cent refunds being paid to Queenslanders, according to the organisation.
