Plasticus Tasmania
Located at Naniyilipata/Acton Park, Lutruwita/Tasmania, on Palawa Country
Creating new products out of old plastic
Welcome to Plasticus Tasmania
Plasticus Tasmania is driven by a passion for giving new purpose to materials considered too difficult to recycle by the current systems.
With a focus on HDPE plastic, Plasticus Tasmania processes the recyclable material and creates new products.
Plasticus Products
Our vessels/pots and clocks are the first products to be released. At this stage, the moulds used to create these goods are basic and the products require finishing by hand. The products do have a hand-made feel about them. Little anomalies that gives each of them unique character.
Plastic, Collection, and Mission Statement
Types of plastic
There are many different types of plastic. Each one was developed with a unique chemical formula. Which means that each type offer particular qualities, that are often utilized for different purposes.
The most common can be identified by their resin code. We know these as the numbers found inside the recycling symbol (1-7).
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most commonly used and recycled plastics. It is used to make many every day items from lids, milk and laundry liquid bottles, to toys, pipes, and your recycling bin.
HDPE is relatively cheap to make and offers superior resistance to UV and chemical solvents.
Many lids are made from HDPE. Due to the size of most lids, they get lost within our large-scale recycling systems and end up going to landfill. This was one of the reasons why I decided to direct my attention to HDPE with an extra focus on the smaller items.
How collection works
Collecting for Plasticus Tasmania is as simple as 3 easy steps.
Step 1. Tasmanian residents are encouraged to collect items made from HDPE at their homes and work places.
Step 2. Please rinse all items and remove labels and stickers to allow for ease of processing. It can be quite time intensive removing all contaminates by hand and dealing with fatty residues is never fun. Also, I can not process anything that has held chemicals that can not go down the kitchen sink.
Step 3. When you are ready, there are three drop off locations situated around the greater Nipaluna /Hobart area.
At present, Plasticus Tasmania is working in conjunction with the Glenorchy Waste Management Centre, the Resource Work Cooperative in South Hobart, and the Warrane - Mornington Neighbourhood Centre.
The Glenorchy Waste Management Centre, is located at 26A Jackson St, Glenorchy TAS 7010. The recycling drop off area is on the left-hand side of the road. The collection bin is kept inside the office. There will be someone there that can direct you where to leave your donation.
The Resource Work Cooperative Tip shop, 30 Mcrobies Rd, South Hobart. There is a collection bin at the back of the shop where people can leave donations. This area is staffed at all times, let someone know you would like to drop off plastic and they will show you where the collection bin is kept.
The Warrane - Mornington Neighbourhood Centre is located at 150A Bligh Street, TAS 7018. Their deposit bin is located inside the building drop offs need to be within their open times which are: Mon-Thurs 8:30-4 and Fri 9-1. There is limited storage space, so they can only accept collections of small items such as lids.
Mission Statement
At Plasticus Tasmania, my mission is to reduce plastic waste by transforming it into valuable, locally crafted products. I'll strive to inspire sustainable living, foster community engagement in resource management, and shift perceptions around "single-use" materials.
Through local recycling initiatives, education, and creative repurposing, I aim to empower individuals to take an active role in reducing their environmental footprint.
By processing materials on the island, I promote self-reliance, sustainability, and the growth of local industries.
My goal is to create beautiful and functional homewares that showcase the potential of recycled materials while strengthening connections within the Tasmanian community.