A research hub for microrecycling of battery and consumer wastes, directed by UNSW Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla, was opened yesterday, 5 April.
The Australian Research Council (ARC) Microrecycling Hub is a five-year national program to develop technologies to recover the valuable materials contained in Australia’s battery and other complex wastes not currently subject to conventional or widespread recycling.
The Hub, hosted by the UNSW Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) Centre, is a collaboration with industry partners and researchers from six other universities around Australia: University of Technology, Sydney; University of Sydney; Monash University; University of Wollongong; Queensland University of Technology; and Deakin University.
Judi Zielke PSM, ARC Chief Executive Officer, said that with more than a quarter of the 76 million tonnes of solid waste Australia generates each year going to landfill, the work of the Microrecycling Hub is critical in identifying new ways to recycle waste and helping Australia move towards a circular economy.
“The Hub’s vision of translating science into real world environmental and economic benefits is at the heart of the ARC’s purpose to harness expertise to support the advancement of knowledge and innovation for the benefit of Australia,” Zielke said.
Professor Attila Brungs, UNSW Vice-Chancellor and President, said the Microrecycling Hub aims to boost resource recovery capability by creating new and scalable manufacturing technologies based on SMaRT’s MICROfactorie concept.
“It is vital that we recover and reuse materials from complex batteries and other consumer wastes in manufacturing as we strive to decarbonise and build the electrification infrastructure needed for our renewable energy supplies,” Brungs said.
It is estimated that 18,600 tonnes of batteries – all of which are hazardous to some degrees – are discarded to landfill in Australia annually. Yet batteries are essential as the world transitions to renewable energy and Australia aims to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The federal National Battery Strategy released in February 2023 found that battery firming capacity is needed for the National Electricity Market to increase its use of renewables to 82 per cent by 2030. It stated that demand for batteries is forecast to accelerate by as much as tenfold over the next decade, which is more than solar photovoltaics grew over the past decade.
Professor Sahajwalla said the science of microrecycling — in collaboration with industry partners — will lead to the creation of new pathways so waste materials can go from being low value to high value materials which can be used in manufacturing.
“The broader impact of the Hub will go beyond scientifically-developed recycling solutions. Climate change and clean energy narratives often overlook the need for more sustainable manufacturing and waste management practices where we start to use waste resources for future manufacturing supply chains,” she said.
Professor Nicholas Fisk, UNSW Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research and Enterprise, said while the $3.3 million Hub builds on previous waste and recycling breakthroughs developed by SMaRT, it is now forging new processes in partnership with industry partners so that technologies developed are commercially fit for purpose.
While the microrecycling hub was started during COVID-19 lockdown periods, it is now being launched as progress is being made on its research and development program. A total of 13 scientific papers have been published in leading journals so far, eight of which were published in 2022.
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