Deb Friel, Author at Solving Plastic Waste CRC

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Changing Australia: Andy Ball and tackling microplastics in soil

Andy Ball, our Research Program Leader for Microplastics within the Solving Plastic Waste CRC and a distinguished professor at RMIT, speaks to Radio National’s Sally Sara.

Australia generates about three million tonnes of plastic waste a year, and inevitably, when that plastic breaks down, it can go anywhere… including our agricultural soils.
To help tackle the huge challenge before us, the Solving Plastics Waste CRC is looking at ways Australia can change its plastic problem. Distinguished Professor Andy Ball’s job is to determine how to properly detect microplastics in soil and get rid of them.

Hear more from CRC Program Leader, Distinguished Professor Andy Ball, in his interview with Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Radio National.

Listen here

Solving Plastic Waste Inaugural Conference October 2025

In collaboration with our industry partners, Solving Plastic Waste CRC will be hosting our inaugural conference on 21st and 22nd October in Melbourne. A groundbreaking event, the conference will bring together partners, researchers and PhD students as changemakers to tackle one of the planet’s most pressing challenges—plastic pollution. This premier gathering will feature key speakers from across our partner network and research teams to showcase collaborative solutions aimed at transforming how we produce, use, and manage plastics.

CSIRO Ending Plastic Waste Symposium 2024

The Ending Plastic Waste Symposium 2024, led by CSIRO in partnership with RMIT University as host of the ARC TREMS Hub was held on Tuesday 6th August and Wednesday 7th August at Sofitel Melbourne on Collins. The symposium showcased the latest science and technology research across the plastic waste ecosystem with experts from research, industry, and government discussing cutting-edge solutions to end plastic waste.
Key topics presented included plastic design and materials, advances in recycling and resource recovery, plastic in the environment, circular economy and system perspectives and international approaches.

The event provided a valuable opportunity for experts from industry, research and academia to foster connections and future partnerships. Sustainability efforts as part of this event included avoidance of single-use plastics, encouraging the use of reusable items, and included a 50% vegetarian dinner to reduce the carbon footprint.
To view highlights and access presentations and a highlight video from the event visit CSIRO Ending Plastic Waste Symposium 2024.

Solving Plastic Waste CRC Launch

The Solving Plastic Waste CRC (SPW CRC) was formally launched at an event in Brisbane on 7 November. The event was hosted by Griffith University which led the bid to get the SPW CRC funded. The SPW CRC was very pleased to be joined by nearly 70 of its industry, government, not-for-profit and research partners to celebrate the opening of the centre.

The Honourable Ed Husic, Federal Minister for Science and Industry, delivered a congratulatory message to the CRC and its partners via recorded video, stressing the importance of work for the SPW CRC and its alignment with the government’s priorities.

The SPW CRC would like to thank all of its partners as well as colleagues from stakeholder organisations who took the time to join us in celebrating the start of an exciting 10 years of delivering research that will accelerate Australia’s transition to a circular economy for plastics.

We acknowledge the traditional custodians across all the lands on which we live and work, and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We recognise that these lands and waters have always been places of teaching, research and learning.