Our Projects

The SPW CRC is proud to have initiated and commenced a research projects across its Research Programs.

Research Program 1

Materials and design – to reduce products’ environmental impact

Research Program 1 (RP1) will develop plastic compositions that are more easily recycled or composted, and product designs which eliminate their unnecessary use, enable their reuse, avoid problematic plastics and material complexity and increase recycled content.

Read about our projects below.

Traceable recycled plastics for injection moulding

Neumann Steel/NuPod with Griffith University

The aim of this project is to advance sustainability in construction by reducing polystyrene waste on building sites. The project centres around Neumann Steel’s patented NuPod® void formers and will ensure the consistency and quality of recycled plastics Newmann Steel uses in its injection moulding production processes.

Understanding social usage, attitudes, drivers and barriers which influence the adoption of compostable alternatives to flexible plastic packaging

MyEco Group with RMIT University

This project seeks to define the usage, attitudes, barriers, drivers and opportunities with respect to compostable material adoption amongst representative key stakeholders across the value chain. It will generate the additional data/information required for more informed decisions by key stakeholders in the plastics value chain.

Developing a compostable barrier film for food packaging

MyEco Group with RMIT University

The objective of this project is to develop a certified (home and/or industrial) compostable resin and/or film structure which is suitable for food packaging, with a shelf life appropriate to the specific food packaged, to replace conventional plastic, reduce the amount of soft plastic waste currently going to landfill and meet the demand of this emergent market.

PHA Production from renewable resources

Minderoo Foundation with University of Queensland and RMIT University

The goal of the project is to provide the data, methods, insights, and technologies to develop a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production process from renewable resources that has a clear and credible pathway to commercial scale, and to transfer the process to pilot-scale operations.

At Neumann Steel, our commitment to responsible manufacturing drives us to continuously explore innovative ways to reduce our environmental footprint while delivering high-quality, durable products for our customers.

Partnering with the Solving Plastic Waste CRC is a natural step forward in our sustainability journey. This collaboration aligns perfectly with our vision to create a more circular economy by transforming plastic waste into valuable resources. Innovation in the reuse of recycled plastic is especially critical for our products, such as NUPOD and Nurail. Through CRC’s cutting-edge research and industry collaboration, we have the potential to improve the lifecycle impact of our products and create more resilient construction solutions.

This partnership is more than a research initiative. It’s a proactive step towards a cleaner, more sustainable future for the construction industry.

Neumann Steel

Research Program 2

Maximising the recovery and value of end-of-life plastics

Research Program 2 (RP2) will increase the recovery, sorting and recycling of plastics, maximising the value of the recyclates and expanding the markets for products that contain them. It will also enhance technologies for energy recovery from plastic waste.

Read about our projects below.

Upcycling of polyurethane waste into high value materials

Pinlab with Deakin University

The project aims to address the environmental challenge of polyurethane waste by developing and implementing an innovative recycling methodology to convert polyurethane waste into valuable recycled products.

Development of sustainable polypropylene fibers and films from recycled waste

Gale Pacific with Deakin University

This project is aimed at tackling the significant challenge posed by polypropylene waste management through the development of advanced techniques for upcycling. The goal is to convert polypropylene waste into valuable materials suitable for manufacturing melt spun fibers and films.

Pyrolysis process optimisation

APR Plastics with Central Queensland University

This project aims to optimise the pyrolysis operating conditions and develop process control systems for APR Plastics to produce oil best suited for making virgin polyolefins.

Advanced recycling technologies to address Australia’s plastic waste – 2026 update

CSIRO

CSIRO’s original August 2021 report, ‘Advanced Recycling Technologies to Address Australia’s Plastic Waste’, has been widely referenced across government, industry, and international forums. Given rapid developments in the field, an updated report is necessary to reflect the latest advancements and their applicability in Australia. This revised report will provide an in-depth analysis of emerging technologies, with a particular focus on pyrolysis and soft plastics recycling. It will serve as a key resource for stakeholders across policy, industry, and research, helping to drive informed decision-making and accelerate solutions to Australia’s plastic waste challenge.

Research Program 3

Implementing a circular economy for plastics in Australia

Research Program 3 (RP3) will scale the delivery of a carbon neutral circular economy for plastics by developing circular business models and markets, evidence-based policy advice and globally-informed strategies, underpinned by a robust evidence base for industry decision-making.

Read about our projects below.

Improving recycled polyolefin quality and driving a circular economy in NSW

NSW Environment Protection Authority with University of Technology Sydney

This project seeks to understand the material qualities of recycled polyolefins in NSW and how these are impacted by system characteristics, including technical and social processes as well as economic drivers and regulatory frameworks. The study will analyse the polyolefin recycling system in NSW, considering feedstock, collection, sorting, processing, extrusion and end markets.

Research Program 4

Mitigating the risk of microplastics in agricultural soils

Research Program 4 (RP4) will develop standardised methods to determine the sources, fate, and dispersion of microplastics in Australia’s agricultural soils, examine the long-term risks to human and environmental health and provide effective mitigation strategies to reduce the transmission of microplastics to Australian soils.

Two projects are underway, the descriptions for which will be posted shortly.

New projects and partnership enquiries

The SPW CRC has an open call for new research projects proposed its Partners and by new organisations wanting to work with the SPW CRC.
If you have a project in mind, or would like to speak to us about partnering with us, we look forward to hearing from you. Please contact us using the form below.