Investigating Innovative Waste Economies: redrawing the circular economy
Our planet is facing an increasingly severe problem of waste. Governments and businesses are promoting a solution called the circular economy (CE), which seeks to reuse and recycle resources. However, this approach does not tackle the intricate economic and cultural factors that contribute to the generation of waste.
To understand the technical aspects of dealing with waste and the social and economic factors involved with it, the Institute's Gay Hawkins, Stephen Healy, and Anisah Madden collaborated with Abby Mellick Lopes from the University of Technology Sydney and Monash University's Ruth Lane for the ARC discovery project Innovative Waste Economies: redrawing the circular economy.
The team examined how various communities and businesses address these issues as part of the project and created three case studies. These case studies are now available on the Circular Australia website, a nationwide, non-profit organization that aims to lead Australia towards adopting a circular economy by 2030.
The case studies will also be presented at the next Circular Australia Industry Taskforce meeting on February 14th, which will bring together leaders within the field to collaborate, innovate, and scale the circular economy.
You can access the case studies through the links provided below.
A plastic bottle, discarded at the beach. ISHAN FROM @SEEFROMTHESKY
Case Studies
There is a growing interest in transitioning from a throwaway culture to one centred on reuse. This case study examines Returnr, a Melbourne-based company specialising in creating reusable stainless-steel packaging for grocery home delivery and workplace lunch and coffee takeaway. Adopting reusable packaging systems represents a distinct approach: upstream innovation aimed at eradicating single-use plastics throughout the supply chain.
Sydney is facing a waste crisis, as almost half of the city's waste is organic. In 2016, Planet Ark conducted a study exploring the possibility of collecting used coffee grounds from cafes and institutions for composting on farms matter. Based on the Planet Ark's findings, 'Investigating Innovative Waste Economies: redrawing the circular economy' team expanded the scope and brought together various stakeholders to discuss the practicalities of 'reverse logistics.'
Bedding manufacturing, especially mattresses, pose a challenge to a circular economy due to their complex composition and high end-of-life costs. This case-study study with the Australian Bedding Stewardship Council brought together 15 organisations, including manufacturers, suppliers, retailers, waste managers, and recyclers, to find solutions.
