The group meets monthly at the University of Wollongong’s innovation campus in North Wollongong. Meetings are open to anyone with an interest in our activities.
Meetings
One of our initial priorities is to gain a better understanding of the many great initiatives already underway in the Illawarra. In 2023 Circular Plastics Illawarra organised two tours of Shoalhaven City Council’s plastics recycling facility in West Nowra. Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is granulated, melted into blocks and sold to a recycler. Soft plastics including textiles are mixed with glass fines to manufacture into tiles and other products in the MICROfactorie™. Read more.
Industry engagement
We are actively engaging with governments and elected officials at a local, state and federal level to advocate for policies and initiatives that support a circular economy for plastics. Examples include:
Submission to the NSW EPA on single use plastics (February 2024) read more
Submission to Wollongong City Council on the draft Climate Change Mitigation Plan (Nov 2023) read more
Letter to the Federal Minister for the Environment and Water proposing a national ban on EPS waffle pods (July 2023) read more
Meeting with Maryanne Stuart, Member for Heathcote (May 2023) read more
Submission to the Inquiry into plastic pollution in Australia’s oceans and waterways (December 2022) read more
Government advocacy
Locally, we know that valuable plastics research is being undertaken across the University of Wollongong (UOW) in diverse disciplines including engineering, business, geography, design and building and construction. Circular Plastics Illawarra invited academics from UOW to a workshop on 28 July 2023 to discuss how current research on plastics and sustainability could be leveraged to develop a circular economy for plastics in the Illawarra.
Research roundtable
Events
Positive pathways for soft plastics: recent developments and opportunities for the Illawarra
10 May, University of Wollongong Innovation Campus
This event will bring together expert panellists to outline the emerging opportunities for a Circular Economy for soft plastics and to meet with our local community.
It will be held at the UOW Innovation Campus.
Free tickets and more details via Humanitix. Our members and our community are all invited!
It will be a great way to network, contribute to the discussion and to learn.
Register here
Read an update on soft plastics here
