From bags to benches: Sydney Water and Confluence Water's collaborate to boost on-site sustainability

Xanthe Petridis with Plasmar representative Sam

Sydney Water and Confluence Water are benching soft plastic waste with a recycling initiative that turns on site soft plastic waste into sustainable outdoor products.

The inspiring program was first born in August 2022 when Xanthe Petridis, a dedicated Water Quality Analyst at Sydney Water, pioneered a sustainable approach for managing soft plastic waste.

Xanthe discovered Plasmar, a company known for recycling mixed industrial waste plastics into robust, durable products such as sleepers, fence posts, garden beds, and benches.

Inspired by Plasmar's innovative approach to soft plastic waste , Xanthe advocated for a partnership, aiming to further the environmental objectives of both Sydney Water and Confluence Water.

Soft plastics collection point at West Ryde

"We strive to excel in environmental stewardship, and redirecting our waste away from landfills towards local businesses is a clear demonstration of our commitment," Xanthe said.

Before long, Sydney Water had formed a strategic partnership with Plasmar. Xanthe moved quickly to establish plastic collection points across the organisation, appointing dedicated members of the Lab Services Team as waste champions to oversee the initiative.

Sydney Water’s Steve Slater, Property Services & Chantelle Jans, Lab Services Operations with Confluence Water’s Maintenance & Scheduler, Shannan Hitchen

Concurrently, the need for new outdoor furniture at West Ryde became apparent as the existing pieces were deteriorating. Seizing this opportunity to bolster their environmental efforts, Chantelle Jans from Sydney Water's Lab Services Operations team suggested replacing the old furniture with Plasmar's ‘'Better Benches’. These innovative seats, crafted from the soft plastics collected at the newly established points, represented the perfect sustainable solution.

With support from Steve Slater of Sydney Water Property Services, Xanthe collaborated with Confluence Water’s Maintenance & Scheduler, Shannan Hitchen, and the site Operations Team to install these sustainable benches. This proactive initiative not only improved the aesthetics of the site but also served as a practical demonstration of environmental sustainability in action.

"The Confluence Water team quickly embraced the idea,” Shannan said.

The purchase of the new benches aligned perfectly with our goal to minimise our plastic waste and simultaneously enhance our facilities, and is the the ultimate full circle moment” he said.

The initiative was met with such enthusiasm that Shannan and the team soon arranged for additional installations—seven benches at West Ryde, two at Hornsby Heights, and four at Rouse Hill.

"Our efforts with Sydney Water illustrate how partnerships can transform environmental challenges into opportunities for innovation and community benefit," Shannan said.

Chantelle Jans praised the initiative. “Our successful soft plastics recycling program, pioneered by Xanthe in collaboration with Plasmar and delivered by many Laboratory Services team members, has now reaped the fruits of its labour with the installation of seven picnic bench sets made entirely from recycled plastic.” 

New recycled plastic benches featuring original umbrella shades from the 1980s

Since August 2022, the team have collected over 3,100kg of soft plastic, which has been turned into eco-friendly, reusable products.

Rhys Hollstein, Senior FM Supervisor from Confluence Water’s Operations Team, noted the positive impact on team morale.

"Seeing the direct results of our environmental initiatives has been hugely motivating," he commented.

“It's gratifying to know that our daily efforts are contributing to a healthier planet.”

The shared collaboration exemplifies the potential for industrial waste to be beneficially repurposed, setting a powerful example we hope will inspire similar initiatives across the water industry.

The success of the soft plastics recycling program is ongoing, supported by 13 dedicated waste champions within Sydney Water Laboratory Services. Well done to all involved!