At the core of what the Solving Plastic Waste CRC (SPW CRC) does is to bring the research sector in Australia together with industry, government, not-for-profit and other organisations to solve major plastic waste problems and provide an evidence base for new innovations for the sector.
Industry has focused key aspects of the CRC’s activities on the creation of a circular economy for polyolefins (polyethylene, PE; and polypropylene, PP). They represent 43% of the plastics consumed in Australia and are over-represented in plastic waste streams and pollution since they are widely used in products with a short useful life, ending up in landfill.
The SPW CRC and its partners are finding solutions for some difficult to recycle products containing PE, soft plastics, single-use medical products, and agricultural films.