Accelerating Australia's circular economy: inclusive policy and infrastructure

Over the past week, I had the privilege of attending two powerhouse events shaping the future of circularity and sustainability in Australia – the ecologiQ Greener Infrastructure Conference and the Waste Expo Australia. Both reinforced one message loud and clear: the circular economy is no longer a “nice to have” — it’s becoming a critical driver of innovation, procurement and competitive advantage. Hosted by ecologiQ, the Greener Infrastructure Conference brought together leaders across government, construction, and industry to accelerate the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA)’s Recycled First Policy and the journey toward Net Zero Carbon for Suburban Rail Loop project. The discussions were inspiring, challenging and full of urgency: * Australia consumes 31 tonnes of materials per person every year, generating 3 tonnes of waste each * The built environment alone makes up 26% of landfill * The transition to circular models could unlock $26B in GDP annually if we get this right!!! Against this backdrop, it was fantastic to see the excitement for our SustainaWrap™ product at the Carroll and Richardson Flagworld stand. SustainaWrap is: - Made from 100% recycled materials - 100% recyclable right here in Australia Thanks to our partnership with BlockTexx, it can be returned and chemically recycled back into rPET pellets, ready to be re-used in new textiles and other injection moulded products. That’s circularity in action — not theory. And it shows what’s possible when industry collaborates to design out waste, extend material life, and prioritise homegrown recycling solutions. For me, the highlight of these events was the number of organisations — from construction giants to councils and event operators — actively seeking practical, scalable circular solutions. Not five years from now, but today. Australia has the chance to lead. And as suppliers, innovators and manufacturers, we share the responsibility to redesign products for reuse, recyclability and zero waste outcomes. A huge thank you to everyone who stopped by our stand. The conversations have left me energised and optimistic about the momentum building across the infrastructure sector. If you’d like to explore how SustainaWrap or our circular flag recycling program can support your organisation’s sustainability goals, I’d love to continue the conversation.

Driving real-world change through SYR’s Switch Framework and Jangro’s Circular Initiative. In partnership with Jangro Ltd, Queensgate Shopping Centre joined the recycling initiative that gives end-of-life plastic cleaning products a new purpose instead of sending them to landfill. Through the Switch Framework, SYR collects used plastic buckets, which are then sorted, pelletised, and remoulded into new recycled cleaning products. This circular process reduces plastic waste, lowers carbon emissions, and helps businesses move towards a greener future. At SYR, we believe sustainability is a shared responsibility. By working together with partners like Jangro and forward-thinking customers such as Queensgate, we’re building a cleaner, more circular future for the professional cleaning industry. Learn more about the Switch Framework: https://lnkd.in/ezQGu5Jt

Australia launches parliamentary inquiry into circular economy opportunities for end-of-life tyres: https://lnkd.in/dQiA_63m #tirerecycling #tyrerecycling #tyrerecovery #recyclingbusiness #recycling #circulareconomy #sustainability #rubberrecycling #retreading

Australia launches parliamentary inquiry into circular economy opportunities for end-of-life tyres: https://lnkd.in/dGQX7NCC #tirerecycling #tyrerecycling #tyrerecovery #recyclingbusiness #recycling #circulareconomy #sustainability #rubberrecycling #retreading

It’s National Recycling Week, and it’s never too late to take meaningful action. Founded by our long-standing partner Planet Ark, this week is a reminder that every material has value when we keep it in use - not in landfill. At Close the Loop, we’re proud to work with councils, schools, brands, manufacturers, and communities across Australia who share one mission: reduce waste, recover resources, and create real circular outcomes. How you can participate this week (and every week): • Return used printer cartridges via participating retail drop-offs (Cartridges 4 Planet Ark) • Recycle batteries and e-waste at approved collection points • Choose products made with recycled content • Support take-back, refill, and reuse programs in your local area Circularity only works when everyone plays their part. Let’s keep valuable materials where they belong - in circulation, supporting new products, infrastructure, and a healthier planet. Join the cycle. Close the loop. Learn more via Planet Ark → https://lnkd.in/gj2Cv4U #NationalRecyclingWeek #PlanetArk #JointheCycle #CircularEconomy #RecyclingWeek #ClosetheLoop

As part of #CircularEconomyMonth in Canada, our partners at Call2Recycle / Appel à Recycler Canada are showing how sector-specific action can drive measurable progress toward a circular future. Their latest thought leadership article explores how battery recycling fits into the bigger picture of the circular economy, a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of innovation, legislation, and sustainability. 👉 https://okt.to/u0BEqi 👏 With over 45 million kilograms of batteries collected and diverted from landfill since their inception, Call2Recycle is proving that meaningful change starts with practical, focused solutions. While the campaign is centred in Canada, its message is global and at Reconomy, we’re proud to support this momentum by enabling circularity across industries worldwide, from packaging and electronics to construction, fashion, and food systems. 📊 In 2024 alone, we helped businesses manage over 4 million tonnes of materials, keeping valuable resources in use for longer and accelerating the shift to a more sustainable world. Together, through partnerships like these, we’re closing the circularity gap and building a waste-free future. #ThinkCircular #BatteryRecycling

Two full and inspiring days at the World Recycling Convention in #Barcelona! Lots of learnings and latest updates on, e.g., Digital Product Passport #DPP and Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive #PPWD. In my talk, I focused on the importance of the customer focus through two case-examples and jobs-to-be-done framework. And the best part - meeting new colleagues Anthony Peyton Pascal Gallo Francesco Crotti Kari Syrja Arjun SriHari Shahrzad Safinazlou Jorge Felipe Espeso García Rik Holvoet Leandro Benítez Rodríguez Robert Płatek Dr. Tom Voege Maurizio Rigolio Simone Tirelli Vivek Tandon Victor van den Heuvel Gunnar Schomaker Christer Svanberg Xandra Weinbeck and many more from all over the world! The most inspiring story was by Peter Palmer of Circular Flow ✨ .  Coming from the outside of the industry, he innovated a recycling infrastructure for wetsuits, something that was deemed to be impossible! Brings to my mind the saying: "It always seems impossible until it's done". -Nelson Mandela. Two key take-aways: ❇️ There is still too broad a gap between recyclers and designers. If they would talk to each other, a significantly higher amount of value (i.e. money) could be captured instead of getting lost. We need to bridge this gap through dialogue, collaboration and through implementing circular product design strategies. ♻️ Although the event title refers to recycling, many novel technologies and initiatives presented aim at closing the loop or at least 3-6 recycling cycles maintaining the high functional quality of materials. What is still needed is the development of new value chains and ecosystems, so that that the use of recycled materials can truly scale up, decrease the need for virgin materials and improve the circular material use rate #CMU along with decreased emissions and broader environmental impact. #circulareconomy #circulardesign The People Events

Scottish Government publishes draft Circular Economy Strategy The Scottish Government has published a draft Circular Economy Strategy, with built environment, net zero, textiles, transport and food taking priority. https://lnkd.in/eV-C3_E9

As National Recycling Week comes to a close, it feels like a good time to reflect on what has been an inspiring and eventful few weeks. Working with RecycleAll Australia, we were thrilled to exhibit at the ecologiQ Greener Infrastructure Conference as part of Waste Expo Australia at MCEC. It was an exciting few days, sharing ideas and connecting with others that are working toward circularity in the built environment. Recycle All Director Damien Collins joined a panel on "Circular Solutions - Transforming Waste Through Innovation". As a conference within a larger expo, the space held creativity and collaboration alongside practical solutions and demonstrations. Plenty of honest conversations about what is, and what needs to shift in the industry. The following week, Recycle All were hosted by RMIT Activator as part of the Circular Cities Showcase. Across two days the event brought together government, industry, researchers, local business and community organisations to accelerate the shift to a circular economy. The insightful opening panel was moderated by Claire-Louise Salles from Breathe, in discussion with Liam Wallis from HIP V. HYPE, Sonja Markovic at Evitat and Gary Rosengarten from RMIT University. There’s still a long road ahead, but times like this make it clear that momentum is building. Let’s carry the energy of the week into everyday practice as we build. Recycle everything you can on your sites and save space in your skips. Sort, separate, keep your site efficient and keep materials out of landfill. Reach out and let’s chat about systems that keep construction materials in the loop. The future is circular ♻️ but only if we build it.

UREBAN REFORM CONSULTANT Delighted to celebrate the Circular Economy (CE) Month, October 2025 (PART ONE- WEEK -1 / OCT. 1-6) Every October, Canadians come together to celebrate Circular Economy Month, a national campaign that highlights how we can shift from a traditional “take–make–waste” system toward a more sustainable, circular model, that keeps materials in use for as long as possible through strategies like reuse, repair, recycling, and redesigning, reducing both waste and our demand for added resources. By rethinking how products are made, shared, and consumed, we can lower greenhouse gas emissions, protect ecosystems, and build stronger, more resilient communities. In this month, individuals, schools, businesses, municipalities across the country host events and share stories that inspire action. WHAT IS CIRCULAR ECONOMY (CE) MONTH? Launched by Circular Innovation Council, Circular Economy Month is Canada’s first-ever public awareness campaign dedicated to educating and empowering Canadians to support an economy that delivers on the most important values of Canadians: protecting the planet and prioritizing people. During October, all  Canadians are invited to learn about the Circular Economy (CE), celebrate with individual and collective efforts, embrace circular solutions, and encourage others to take action. Throughout the month weekly themes focus on the environmental, social, and economic benefits of circularity. WEEK 1: INTRODUCTION TO CIRCULAR ECONOMY (OCT. 1-6) CE is a new way of looking at how we use—and reuse materials and resources. Our economy is resource-based, meaning it depends on the ability to preserve finite resources to succeed. Historically, products have been produced and consumed through a linear process (make, take, waste). Products are designed and used for convenience with a limited life and diminishing value over time. Environmental, economic, and social costs are not considered in the linear model. Circularity incorporates better design that consumes fewer raw materials during production, maximizes value during use, and improves products and services that significantly reduce or eliminate waste. A circular economy moves beyond the linear approach to create a more sustainable, closed-loop system where resources are kept in circulation for as long as possible.