Materials Recovery Facility

See our Materials Recovery Facility in action

Mackay Regional Council’s Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) has undergone a $2.6 million upgrade. The upgraded facility now includes an optical sorting machine and glass processing plant.

The Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) is where household recyclables from the Mackay region are transported for sorting to after they have been collected kerbside from the yellow-lidded recycling bins.

We encourage residents to come and see the facility first hand at our Materials Recovery Facility, at Paget, via our CCTV cameras showing all the various processes we use to separate paper and cardboard, aluminium cans, steel cans and the various grades of recyclable plastic.

EOI Materials Recovery Facility tours

Recycling trucks

• Recycling trucks collect approx 700 recycling bins for an optimum load
• The load is delivered to the Materials Recovery Facility where it is weighed to record recyclate recovery and monitor how well the community is recycling.

Receiving storage area

The recycling truck reverses into the receiving area and deposits the recyclate onto the ground. This area can hold three days of material.

Infeed hopper and first conveyer

A front end loader lifts material into the infeed hopper where it is transported along a conveyer to start the sorting process

Materials are further directed around the facility for sorting via a comprehensive conveyer system

Glass screen

Glass is removed by a glass screen and conveyor to an Imploder where it is smashed into a crystalline product similar in texture to sand. This material is now being used commercially in pool filtration, asphalt and abrasive blasting.

Optical sorter

The optical sorter is new innovative technology that has been incorporated into the facility.

This equipment takes photos of items and sends them to their respective sorting cage. This sorter alone has reduced the amount of material going to landfill and is improving recycling rates for our region.

Baling

The sorted paper, steel, plastics and aluminium materials are baled separately, ready for transport to the various recyclate manufacturers for reprocessing.

Recycling education program

Mackay Regional Council Waste Services conduct free educational programs and tours at the MRF for school and community groups. If schools are unable to participate in on-site tours at the MRF, Waste Services have a waste education trailer that is available for school visits. Booking are essential for all education programs offered.

To organise a MRF tour or waste education trailer visit, contact council.