Project Wallaby Plastoil
Key figures
-
P2.5 plastic-to-oil prototype with a capacity of 2.5 tons/day
- Order volume of approximately EUR 1,5 million.
With the "Wallaby" project, enespa set foot on the Australian continent for the first time. This marked the beginning of a success story. Wallabies are a type of kangaroo and also the Australian national animal. Because they only move forward, they represent progress.
The first Australian project came about through the mediation of our business partner Plastoil.
Update 23.12.2025
Enespa and Plastoil are entering the crucial phase in Australia.
Implementation on the ground is gaining momentum
Following intensive preparatory work with our partner Plastoil, our project “ Wallaby” in Australia is entering its decisive phase: In the newly constructed factory hall on the premises of the local Plastoil partner APR (Australian Paper Recovery) in Maddingley, in the state of Victoria , work is now progressing visibly.
The P2.5 plastic-to-oil prototype plant, delivered last year and with a daily capacity of five tons, was installed on-site over the past two months. The feedstock for the plant will be supplied from various APR sites around Melbourne and processed there using existing sorting facilities.
Under the Australian summer sun, the foundation for the first pyrolysis plant in "Down Under" is being laid step by step. We hope to commence regular operations together with APR in the first quarter of 2026.
Closed cycle and clear goals
The project, facilitated by our Australian-New Zealand distribution partner Plastoil, is being implemented locally in partnership with APR – one of Australia's leading recycling companies with over 40 years of experience. The pyrolysis oil produced by APR is further processed at the refinery in Dandenong and reintroduced into the plastics cycle.
Australia as a strategic springboard
With Project Wallaby, enespa is establishing its first presence on the Australian continent. The name was chosen deliberately: wallabies – a species of kangaroo and a national symbol of Australia – represent progress, as they move exclusively forward. For enespa, Australia is not just a single location, but a strategic gateway to Oceania , New Zealand, and, in the long term, to further markets in Asia.
Following projects in Europe and America, recent successes in Brazil, and planned activities in Africa (Morocco), it's clear: enespa is growing globally . Project Wallaby also marks the transition to a new chapter – from the development phase to scaling . 2026 promises to be a particularly exciting year.
About our partnership with Plastoil & APR
The project began when Arjuna Wimalasuriya , Managing Director of Plastoil in New Zealand, contacted Darren Thorpe , Managing Director of APR (Australian Paper Recovery) . At that time, there was no partnership between our companies. However, APR had already established itself as a recycling pioneer and market leader in Australia for over four decades – particularly in mechanical recycling.
Thorpe is a passionate advocate of the circular economy and has been intensively involved for many years in the question of how material cycles – especially in the plastics sector – can be closed more efficiently and sustainably. Despite the successes of mechanical recycling, this method is increasingly reaching its technical and economic limits with certain plastic streams.
As part of a joint trial phase, APR has the opportunity to familiarize itself with our showcase pyrolysis plant and evaluate its potential in practical application. The results are compelling: The technology opens up new avenues for plastic fractions that were previously only partially or not at all recyclable.
At the same time, this laid the foundation for the current collaboration of all three partners in the "Wallaby" project in Australia.
And so it all began
Milestones
Autumn 2023
Plastoil founder Paul Wilton and Managing Director Arj Wimalasuriya in Tangstedt.
October 2023
Showcase pyrolysis plant (1 tonne daily capacity) arrives at APR in Melbourne and goes into trial operation with various plastic waste feedstocks.
December 2023
APR Managing Director Darren Thorpe opts for an enespa P2.5 plastic-to-oil prototype plant with a daily capacity of 2.5 tons.
June 2024
September 2024
February 2025
November 2025
Start of the installation of the system in the new factory hall.
Q1 2026
Better with every project
In production
We often work behind the scenes. Some projects take years to become visible. Here we show what we're doing to advance the circular economy of plastics. Click on the hotspots to go directly to a project.
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