This Week In Waste - Second Lives

In our latest waste innovation round up, we kick off with the Aussie invention that's cleverly filtering reusable water from cement slurry that has saved 4.5million litres of water to date to our top trends spotted at AWRE and end with a sunlit twist on retired landfills, plus policy and funding updates and more: get ready to jump into a world where waste is just the beginning.

Enjoy!

Waste Tech Spotlight

In our latest interview with SLURRYTUB™ CEO David Flintoff, we learn how their surprisingly simple, cost effective and ingenious portable filtration system is providing a best practice environmental solution for tradies, changing the way wet trade slurry is being managed and saving an estimated 4.5 million litres of water in the process! Full article here.

AWRE Expo Insights: Top 3 Waste Tech Trends

1/. Your Avo on Toast Today, Tomorrow's Topsoil Treasure

A highlight at the recent AWRE expo was the increasing number of technologies to convert organic, food and even plastic waste into soil, fertilisers and biochar. With soil degradation being an issue globally, these technologies hold promise for restoring soil health and improving agricultural yield.

While there's a national target to cut our individual waste by 10%, recent findings in the National Waste Report 2022 have estimated that our household waste has surged by 3% since 2017. As landfills approach their limits and waste numbers grow, technologies that turn waste into soil, biochar and fertiliser could provide a potential circular solution with added benefits. What was waste yesterday can be the foundation of tomorrow's harvest.

2/. Battery Burnout or Born Again

By 2030 it's forecast 30,000 tonnes of used EV batteries will need to be disposed of in Australia according to a report by the University of Technology Sydney – commissioned by the not-for-profit Battery Stewardship Council.

Managing spent batteries is becoming critical with the undeniable rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and the use of battery-powered devices in our everyday lives.

These are more than just your typical A.A. batteries we're discussing; the lithium-ion batteries powering EV cars and e-scooters are a significant waste and safety problem.

Just because an E.V. battery has reached the end of its life for vehicle use doesn't mean it's entirely spent. Many innovators are exploring the "second life" of these batteries. Once they're no longer efficient for cars or buses, batteries could be repurposed for applications like grid energy storage, which can function for several years. This novel approach uses their remaining capacity for meaningful purposes.

3/. Ditch the Plastic Ocean, Embrace the Plastic Road.

With a tidal wave of plastics flooding our environment, the pressing question emerges: how can we repurpose plastics into valuable products for our local economy? Beyond the usual consumer goods, envision plastics finding new life in the infrastructure we rely upon—like car parks and roads.

A prime example? Look no further than the road under your feet. Pioneering researchers from RMIT University are steering a groundbreaking project to use recycled plastics as a performance enhancer in asphalt. And it's not just any plastic: the project focuses on incorporating recycled materials, including industrial waste and the difficult-to-manage soft plastics.

With the support of the Australian Research Council, Austroads, and 10 Victorian councils, this initiative is not just about recycling waste. It's a vision to redefine the future of our infrastructure by integrating sustainability. So, the next time you're on a smooth drive in Victoria, remember – that stretch of road could be more than just asphalt; it's paving the way to Net Zero. Read more.

What's Trending From The Blog: "The New Alchemists"

In a world drowning in waste, we explore the intricacies of cutting-edge waste transformation technologies like plastic pyrolysis and biochar production in our exclusive subscriber feature. Ready to unearth the magic?

Mining The Sun?

Meanwhile, in the U.S., the EPA 'Re-powering America's Land' initiative has identified enough landfill sites, mine lands, and brownfields to build half the solar capacity needed to achieve net zero targets by 2050. So says an upcoming report by The Nature Conservancy that suggests repurposing former mine lands, landfills and brownfields is an affordable path to building clean energy hubs. Read more here.

Policy Pulse

The Australian ACCC has published draft guidelines on environmental and sustainability claims for businesses. An important initiative in the wake of 'greenwashing' and hopefully will provide much needed guidance and assurance for consumers, customers and businesses alike. Read more here.

Funding Focus

Applications for the Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) Plastics Technology stream are open from 18 July 2023 to 13 November 2023.

Up to $60 million is available under the Plastic Technology stream. Its purpose is to deliver national solutions for hard-to-recycle plastics. Some state or territory governments will also contribute funding. Each state has a different deadline. More details here.

Social Diary

We've got a packed calendar for August and we're buzzing with excitement. If you're attending any of these events, let us know– we'd love to catch up!

Building a Circular Future - 22/8 We'll be heading to St Mary's RSL Sydney for workshop sessions on managing building and industrial waste in our journey towards a circular economy. With panel discussions and presentations from Circular Australia, NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA), Department of Regional NSW, Urban Development Institute of Australia (NSW), Coreo, SaveBoard, Western Sydney Parkland Authority and Penrith City Council. More about it here.

The 2023 Consensus Awards - 24/8, 6pm-10.30pm Get ready for a night of innovation and recognition at the UTS Ariel Function Centre, Sydney. We're particularly excited to see The Hon Ed Husic, our Minister for Industry & Science, presenting the awards including those for the GreenTech category. Now in their 23rd year, the Consensus Awards identify and award locally designed and developed innovation across Australia and New Zealand. Did you know? 9 out of 10 winners from these awards have seen 10x returns. Mind-blowing, right? Learn more at www.consensus.com.au and maybe grab a ticket here.

Book of the WeekThe Clean Tech Revolution: Winning and Profiting from Clean Energy by Ron Pernick and Clint WilderAn insightful look into how the U.S. approached clean tech's evolution, from concept to concrete. Unpack the game-changers across eight sectors: solar, wind, biofuels, green builds, next-gen transport, smart grid, mobile apps, and water tech. A masterclass on how pioneering clean tech companies kickstarted a movement. Available on Amazon here.

To thank you for reading this far we have a surprising fun fact for you, we learnt at AWRE that it is possible to pulverise an entire cow into soil in under 90 mins.🐄📩 Got something to share? Email our team and let's make it happen!

Have you enjoyed this edition? Please share it with a friend! Or have feedback? We'd love to hear from you.

Signing off for now!

Jane @ Team Laying Waste! Media