Upcycle, an Indigenous-led tyre processing business, has been awarded a $5 million contract from Mineral Resources (MinRes) to recycle haulage tyres from the Onslow iIon project in Western Australia.
Upcycle is a joint venture between Carroll Engineering Services and King Kira Group (KKG). It is spearheaded by Tammy O’Connor, KKG founder, managing director and a Nyiyaparli/Paylku woman.
Under its agreement with MinRes, Upcycle will use the material gathered from the haulage tyres to build playgrounds and infrastructure.
“I’ve spent 10 years understanding waste – what’s being buried onsite and what could be reused,” O’Connor said.
“Rather than letting that waste sit underground, we want to create social value by using recycled materials to build playgrounds, infrastructure and more. We want to lead the way in tyre recycling across Western Australia while influencing the broader waste management industry.
“Our technology and innovation creates sustainable outcomes with tangible environmental and financial benefits.”
While burying waste has been a common practice in mining, O’Connor said the resources industry has to rethink its strategy looking to the future.
“What’s buried now will have to be dug up later for rehabilitation, so why not create solutions today that benefit everyone-mining companies, communities and the planet?” she said.
“Upcycle is about more than recycling tyres. It’s about building capacity, providing employment and creating a legacy for Indigenous businesses.”
Upcycle will provide services south of Perth in the naval base, which is central to all its cooperations and enables it to reduce costs and streamline operation.
MinRes general manager environment and heritage Celine Mangan said the company is pleased to partner with Upcycle.
“By recycling our haulage truck tyres, we’re taking a significant step towards reducing our environmental footprint,” Mangan said.
“This collaboration demonstrates our dedication to environmental stewardship and supports our commitment to working alongside Indigenous businesses to grow opportunities for First Nations people.”