Mid North Coast company Jim Pearson Transport could use recycled diesel from IGE Solutions in the future

From bio fuels to hydrogen systems, the Mid North Coast based company has tried many alternative fuel sources.

But now it hopes uniquely developed fuel from Australian company Integrated Green Energy (IGE) Solutions will provide a better alternative.

IGE Solutions uses technology to take end-of-life plastics that would be otherwise destined for landfill and convert it into road ready diesel.

Carbon plastic is put into a chamber at 400 degrees Celsius in the absence of oxygen to return it to its original oil state.

Jim Pearson, managing director and owner of Jim Pearson Transport, said his company is "always looking for something to give a better source of fuel in the future."

"The good thing about this fuel is it's actually derived from plastic which was derived from oil in the first place so we're not really putting something into engines which is foreign to them," Mr Pearson said.

"It's pretty much what we get from the service station.

"I find that it's the way to go, I hope it can be made in Australia and use a lot of it.

"For us, to go to a product that's actually derived from crude oil is a big plus and that's where we'd like to go."

IGE Solutions chairman Paul Dickson said mixing, blending or refining isn't required to make the diesel road ready.

"We're making a fuel that meets Euro 6, the highest level of diesel, EN590," Mr Dickson explained.

"This is not a bio-diesel, not an Ethanol blend- this is diesel full stop. It's diesel because it meets that international standard."

Using plastic waste is a win for the environment. About 12 per cent of it nationwide is recycled, with the rest becoming landfill.

"We've obviously got a big problem in Australia with waste plastic and here's a solution to get rid of it," Mr Pearson said.

"I just don't see why we wouldn't push it as hard as we can and we'll use as much of it as we can."

IGE Solutions said the process produces a carbon footprint 38 per cent lower than that of conventionally produced diesel.

"We don't need to be relying on overseas resources- we've got our own plastics," Mr Dickson said.

"Plastics here is not the problem- the problem is we don't have solutions for what to do with plastic at the end of its life.

"We have an economic solution and it's also a solution for the environment.

"It's all part of the circular economy. It's a win for business, it's a win for government and a win for the community."

Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie said the Manning would made a perfect location for manufacturing the diesel.

"The Manning Valley has an industrial heritage and we'd like to get it up and running," Dr Gillespie said.

"This is a practical way of solving a waste problem rather than waste it again.

"All plastics started their life as oil so how better to recycle fossil fuels that use those that have been dug up already."

He stressed the long term future of liquid fuel security across Australia must be both self-reliant and environmentally sound. (More of Dr Gillespie's thoughts on this issue will follow in a separate article).

Jim Pearson Transport will look to trial the diesel in a few trucks.

"You'd want to make sure it was right before you go and put it through a whole fleet of trucks but there will be nothing stopping us putting it through the whole fleet and that's around 250 trucks," Mr Pearson said.

"We'd be using about 650,000 litres of this fuel a week."

He believes the diesel will be more cost effective, but that hasn't been determined with IGE Solutions.

IGE Solutions is currently building a facility in Amsterdam, Holland while construction of the first modules on the Central Coast are well underway.

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