Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have launched a new $1.3 million partnership to work with Indonesia to tackle plastic pollution in the Indo-Pacific.
The Plastics Innovation Hub Indonesia will bring together researchers, investors, businesses, and community and government leaders from the region to develop solutions to address the challenge of plastic waste in the oceans and waterways.
The Hub will draw on the latest technology to end plastic waste, such as the use of Artificial Intelligence to identify and trace pollution in waterways and harnessing enzymes to degrade PET plastic and microplastics.
Within the Indo-Pacific region, it is estimated there are between five and ten billion pieces of plastic on the coastline.
The new Plastics Innovation Hub will help to build on efforts already underway between Australia and Indonesia to address marine plastic pollution in the region.
It also aligns with the on-going discussions taking place at the fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly to develop a coordinated global response on plastic pollution.
CSIRO Chief Executive Dr Larry Marshall said ocean pollution is a global challenge that Australia can assist with, through a collaborative approach.
“Science can turn this environmental challenge into an economic opportunity by changing the way we behave, and how we make, use, recycle or dispose of plastics, but it will take partnerships across research, business, investors, government and the community to turn the best ideas into real-world solutions,” Marshall said.
The Hub is part of CSIRO’s developing Ending Plastic Waste Mission with the goal of an 80 per cent reduction in plastic waste entering the environment by 2030.
Related stories:
- UN agrees to end plastic pollution
- Waste collection ramps up in flood zones
- State’s best recyclers named in Sustainability Victoria report