Innovation: An Acetylene Cylinder Recycling Facility Case Study.

Noting the above discussion on innovation is only general in nature, below is a case study relating it back to the remediation industry.

In 2021, more than 50,000 used acetylene cylinders with asbestos containing material within them were uncovered in an illegal dump site in western Victoria. Due to the hazardous material contained within them, there was no option in Australia to recycle these cylinders. The only options were to bury them back in the ground – at a licenced facility this time – or send them offshore. Neither of these options aligned with sustainability or circular economy principles, so instead a bespoke-designed, purpose-built recycling facility was proposed; nothing of which existed in the domestic market at the time.

In January 2023 the Acetylene Cylinder Recycling Facility project commenced. When working through the technical, financial and commercial aspects as part of stage gate assessments, a number of challenges were uncovered which had to be overcome. These included:

1. Site location and planning: Identifying a suitable site and navigating planning considerations required extensive stakeholder engagement and careful coordination with regulatory agencies.
2. Regulatory compliance: Securing Development Licenses and adhering to General Environmental Duty (GED) requirements highlighted differences between regulators and interface agencies which added to the complexity.
3. Investment and market challenges: The absence of prior investment in local processing facilities for acetylene cylinders took over 12 months preparing an adequate business case to achieve required metrics and risk levels to warrant progression of the project.
4. Environmental and Safety Hazards: Proper handling of hazardous materials including asbestos, acetone solvent, and flammable acetylene gas was crucial.
5. Regulatory timeframes: Delays in obtaining necessary permits and licenses impacted project timelines.
6. Technological challenges: Integrating new technologies into the recycling process sometimes led to unforeseen issues requiring rapid adjustments and solutions.
7. International and local standards: gaps between the two sets of standards were larger than anticipated and required plant modifications.

Despite the project proceeding to construction stage, challenges capable of derailing the project were still required to be identified and managed. Evaluation of the impact of these risks materialising was continuously undertaken to ensure the project would still achieve its goals. The critical challenges included:

1. International technology replication: Adapting international technologies for local use proved challenging due to differing regulatory environments and electrical and hazardous area classification standards. Custom solutions had to be developed and parts deemed suitable in an international setting were replaced with locally manufactured equipment.
2. Market acceptance: There was uncertainty regarding the market's acceptance of a new local processing facility versus established international solutions.
3. Technological adaptations: Ongoing adjustments to the recycling technology and processes required constant evaluation and fine-tuning up to and including commissioning.

These challenges were managed by the project team through embracing an overall delivery approach. This comprised:

1. Comprehensive planning and flexibility: Detailed planning coupled with the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances allowed the project to navigate regulatory hurdles and site planning issues effectively.
2. Strong Regulatory Coordination: Strong relationships with regulatory bodies using transparent communication helped expedite the licensing and approval processes.
3. Innovative problem-solving: Creative thinking and tailored solutions played a key role in overcoming technological and logistical challenges.
4. Dedicated team effort: The commitment and resilience of the workforce was pivotal to maintaining required quality and delivery timeframes.

By committing to healthy risk taking and employing strong risk management, the project has demonstrated what can be achieved by challenging the status quo. Not only has a sustained step-change been achieved and a new business line of potential established, but Australia now has a solution to safely recover acetylene cylinders containing asbestos with over 90% of materials being integrated back into the recycling industry. The facility will be operational in June 2024.

As Innovation Manager at Enviropacific, Ben is responsible for managing Enviropacific’s Strategic Initiatives as part of the business’ overall growth strategy. This includes responsibilities involving exploration and analyses of emerging market opportunities (e.g. circular economy, decarbonisation), expanding business service offerings, increasing technical capability and research and development projects (including patents and grants). His background is environmental engineering and has spent 20 years trying to reduce society’s impact on this planet.

Article Published on 31/05/2024

The statements, analyses, opinions, information and conclusions that may be found in the articles of this publication are those of the author and not of the Australasian Land & Groundwater Association Ltd (ALGA), which only acts in the capacity as publisher. No part of this publication can be regarded as legal advice. Although care has been taken in preparing this publication, neither ALGA nor the author represent or warrant that the information supplied is current, complete or accurate. To the full extent permitted by law, the author and ALGA do not accept any liability, or owe a duty of care, to any person in respect of any such information. No person should rely in any way on the content of this publication and are encouraged to seek independent legal or other professional advice, if required.