recycling

The Victorian state government is giving innovators $4.4 million to create everyday products from reusable waste while getting those ideas out of the lab and into the market with a new round of recycling infrastructure grants. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced 19 projects will share in $2.6 million to support … Continue reading Vic government $4.4m grant for innovators to manufacture from reusable waste →

Australian recycling giant Visy has entered into an agreement to acquire the Australian and New Zealand glass manufacturing business of Owens Illinois (O-I). The deal, worth almost $1 billion, is one of the biggest manufacturing acquisitions by an Australian-owned business in Australian business history. Visy would employ 7200 people in manufacturing jobs post acquisition. Visy … Continue reading Visy acquires glass manufacturer Owens Illinois →

A report from Arup has set out a roadmap for a circular economy in photovoltaic panels. Acknowledging that PV solar rooftop panels can provide a sustainable energy source for Australian businesses and household, the report outlines that with the current adoption of solar, there will be between 300,000 and 450,000 tonnes of panel waste by … Continue reading Plan to create solar panel circular economy →

A new fund will support technologies and processes to recycle plastic, paper, glass, and tyres. The $100 million Australian Recycling Investment Fund has been established by the federal government to support projects which increase recycling, turn waste into valuable products, and back innovation in waste diversion. The fund will be managed by the Clean Energy … Continue reading $100 million fund to support uptake of recycled materials →

Food packaging could be made from the by-products of fresh fruit, through research conducted by chemists from the University of New South Wales (UNSW). Professors Jayashree Arcot and Martina Stenzel have been experimenting with the pseudostems of banana plants, and turning this discarded by-products of the banana harvest into a material suitable for food packaging. … Continue reading Food waste turned into fresh packaging →

The potential to extract lithium, manufacture products such as batteries, and recycle them at the end of their life, all in Australia, has taken a step forward with Lithium Australia announcing a 73.7 per cent interest in Envirostream, an almost 50 point increase. Lithium Australia invests in extraction processes for lithium, supplying the battery industry. … Continue reading Investment to create circular economy in lithium battery manufacturing →

Organic waste could be turned into a source of clean energy, based on research conducted by University of Southern Queensland principal scientist, Bernadette McCabe. McCabe is finding out whether materials which would otherwise be disposed of, at a cost, could instead be a profitable source of energy. “Thanks to biogas technology, Australia’s relationship with organic … Continue reading Organic waste to be used for biogas →

With only 10 per cent of the 56 million tyres discarded in Australia annually domestically recycled, this stream of product presents an opportunity for businesses, the environment, and the economy. Tyre Stewardship Australia explains the value of this material. The Australian manufacturing sector could play a pivotal role in developing new markets and products using … Continue reading Recycled tyres are providing a new material stream for innovative manufacturers →

 A project to turn textile waste, including manufacturing scraps, unwanted clothing, and cotton gin trash into new products, has been supported by the Queensland University of Technology’s (QUT) Institute for Future Environments (IFE) Catapult program. The program aims to turn textile waste into carbon material for potassium ion batteries (KIB). As a significant waste stream, … Continue reading Textiles to be turned into potassium ion batteries →

Manufacturers have the potential to play a key part in tackling the waste crisis. Connor Pearce reports. A term that is gaining broader recognition to describe a new production paradigm is the circular economy, whereby products are produced from materials already in the market, rather than extracted from the environment, and when they reach the … Continue reading Manufacturing and the circular economy →

Experts engaged to give advice on Victoria’s circular economy (CE) plan warn that without industry input, the strategy’s success could be jeopardised. RMIT professors Scott Valentine and Usha Iyer-Raniga, who have given input to the government in feedback workshops, highlighted that the strategy should not just go towards grappling with Victoria’s waste and recycling crisis, … Continue reading Circular economy needs industry input: experts →

A new research hub, led by UNSW professor Veena Sahajwalla, will investigate the recycling of battery and consumer wastes to create useful materials for manufacturers. The Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Microrecycling of Battery and Consumer Wastes will take metallic allows, oxides, and carbon and divert these elements from landfill and turn them … Continue reading Hub to transform battery waste into valuable materials →

Manufacturers seeking to use recycled materials, or ensure that their products have an extended lifespan, have now further options thanks to the recent independence of Advisory System for Processing, Innovation & Resource Exchange (ASPIRE). Since its development in 2015, the facility was located in CSIRO’s Data61, the data and digital specialist arm of the science … Continue reading Circular economy tool expands for greater recycled materials use →

The Green Globe Awards from the NSW Office of Environment and Heritage are open for nominations for the twentieth year and manufacturers are encouraged to apply. With awards in twelve categories, the awards highlight how sustainability is a key concern for the entire community. Manufacturers are invited to nominate for categories including Business Leadership, Innovation … Continue reading Manufacturers able to nominate for Green Globe Awards →

Victorian manufacturing firm Integrated Recycling has had its Duratrack railway sleepers made from recycled plastic laid at Richmond train station, near the centre of Melbourne’s railway network. Integrated Recycling turns plastic that would have otherwise gone to landfill into sleepers at its plant in Mildura. The Victorian government has invested $630 000 in the development … Continue reading Recycled plastic turned into rail sleepers →

 Stan Krpan, chief executive officer (CEO) of Sustainability Victoria, has stepped down after accepting a new role as CEO of Solar Victoria. In the interim Carl Muller, director of corporate services of Sustainability Victoria, will be acting CEO. Sustainability Victoria board chair Heather Campbell, thanked Krpan, stating, “on behalf of the board, I would like … Continue reading Sustainability Victoria CEO set to lead Solar Victoria →

A new $10.9 million research consortium led by the University of Adelaide is exploring ways to turn agricultural waste into new products. The consortium, Agricultural Product Development, will bring together 18 partners to develop high-value products from agricultural waste, including nine South Australian-based companies from the agriculture and food sector, and another nine national and international academic institutions … Continue reading New research consortium explores deriving new products from waste →

The Victorian government is investing on a new program to boost waste recycling by encouraging industries to procure the products containing recyclable material and to find new and innovative uses for them. Victoria’s Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio today announced a $37 million package that will increase the quality of recycled materials in … Continue reading VIC gov launches new plan to boost recycling →

Adelaide recycling business Plastics Granulating Services (PGS) has been forced to close due to power bill increases of $100,000 over the past 18 months. According to managing director Stephen Scherer, 35 jobs were lost as a result of the closure. The facility, which processed 10,000 tonnes of plastic waste, was the only recycling service of … Continue reading SA plastic recycling facility shut due to power prices →

Boyne Smelters Limited is now operating Australia’s largest aluminium can recycling facility after a successful pilot proved the potential of the value-add processing concept earlier this year.