The Solving Plastic Waste CRC will drive game-changing industry research and collaboration across the entire plastics value chain transforming the way plastics are designed, manufactured, used, recovered, recycled and how plastic pollution is remediated, by developing new materials, products, technologies, processes and systems.
It will deliver new jobs, skills and regional solutions by growing sustainable businesses and new markets, whilst creating a valuable circular economy for plastics resulting in a cleaner and safer environment.
Our research will unite, incentivise and galvanise industry and stakeholder action to deliver national waste targets and build the capabilities to make Australia a global leader in plastics manufacturing, recycling and reprocessing.
Why a Solving Plastic Waste CRC?
A national and strategic approach under the enabling collaborative structure of a Cooperative Research Centre is essential to enhance and support Australian efforts to find and develop solutions to challenges associated with our use of plastics.
Accelerated by market and policy pressure to reduce waste and emissions, Australian businesses are well positioned to become competitive global players through innovation and collaborative R&D. The Solving Plastic Waste CRC will provide a new platform to unite and galvanise key stakeholders to jointly develop leading solutions for the challenge of plastic waste.
The CRC will deliver outstanding research, education and training opportunities, and build capabilities throughout the value chain. It will address the plastic waste challenge at a sovereign level, working in harmony across the plastics value chain to enable a national outcome that can position Australia as a global leader.
Our Outputs
Key outputs will include:
- new plastics that can be manufactured using Australian sourced renewable materials and valorisation principles
- demonstration of economically viable innovative systems, products, materials and technologies for reuse, remanufacture and recycling
- plastic material flow and recycling information apps, evidence-based decision support tools, and education and behaviour change tools
- innovative and valuable circular business models
- new systems thinking to inform avoidance of plastic usage and therefore waste
- new approaches and technologies to detect, remove and remediate plastic pollutants
- guidance to inform the setting of industry standards
The CRC’s critical legacy will be PhD students and researchers who are well trained through industry experience and can lead the new circular economy
for plastics.
Next steps
Round 24 of the CRC Program opened on the 13 January and the Stage One application will close on 7 March 2023.
If you are interested in learning more about the CRC and becoming a partner, please contact us.
Partners
The Australian plastics value chain is complex, comprising a diverse array of upstream and downstream stakeholders of varying scale, sophistication and business interest.
Partners joining our bid span: raw material suppliers; manufacturers and converters; retailers and brand owners; local government authorities; waste management and recycling companies; State government agencies; industry bodies; non-government organisations; and universities.
