Rawtec Pty Ltd

Rawtec Pty Ltd is a specialist Australian consulting firm providing expertise in waste management, resource recovery, circular economy and environmental sustainability. Through its collaboration with Wine Australia, Rawtec has helped address one of the grape and wine sector's emerging environmental challenges: the management of end-of-life chromated copper arsenate (CCA) treated vineyard posts.

In 2025, Rawtec completed a detailed feasibility study investigating the establishment of regional aggregation sites for discarded CCA vineyard posts in South Australia. The research examined environmental, workplace health and safety, operational, regulatory and economic considerations associated with collecting and storing posts ahead of future recycling, reuse or disposal pathways. The study estimated that millions of CCA-treated vineyard posts remain in use across the sector and identified growing risks associated with unmanaged stockpiles, including contamination, fire, safety and disposal liabilities.

The project assessed more than 500 potential sites and identified suitable locations across key wine regions, including the Riverland and Limestone Coast. Rawtec evaluated multiple operating models and found that establishing aggregation sites at existing waste management facilities offered the most cost-effective and practical solution. The work demonstrated that regional aggregation could reduce environmental and safety risks, improve disposal efficiency, and provide the feedstock certainty required to support future recycling and circular economy solutions for treated timber.

By combining waste management expertise with practical industry engagement, Rawtec has provided Wine Australia and the grape and wine sector with a clear pathway for managing CCA vineyard posts more effectively. The study supports future investment decisions, reduces environmental and regulatory risks, and lays the groundwork for new resource recovery and circular economy opportunities within Australia's wine regions.