Hub Leader Prof Veena is supporting the Australian Government's new 'ReMade in Australia' initiative.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced the ReMade in Australia initiative as a critical step in giving Australians the confidence to recycle more and to buy products manufactured with recycled content.
The UNSW SMaRT Centre and its Director Professor Veena have been pioneering 'waste to product' innovations over a number of years, including their MICROfactorieR technologies.
Prime Minister Morrison said: “We are taking responsibility for our waste, we put a stop to it being shipped overseas as someone else’s problem and we have made recycling one of six national manufacturing priorities,” the Prime Minister said.
“Australians are doing the right thing and they want to be assured that the efforts they make in recycling at their homes and workplaces are delivering real outcomes, from the roads they drive on to the sunglasses they choose to wear.
“We need to recycle even more and this campaign will help consumers and business understand the benefits that recycling can deliver for our environment and for jobs.
“ReMade in Australia builds on the pride we all have in Australian made and the pride we take in doing the right thing for our environment.”
Veena said on the new ReMade in Australia website: "We're looking at waste materials that can be used in re-manufacturing and can therefore create value. All kinds of materials can be brought back to life and reformed."
She added that waste to product outcomes were central to two major research programs she is leading, the ARC Microrecycling Research Hub and the National Environmental Science Program Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said that recycling can reduce pressure on our environment and we want to create Australian manufacturing jobs.
“The ReMade in Australia campaign asks Australians to look for those products using recycled materials, it raises awareness about the ways recycled materials contribute to our everyday lives,” Minister Ley said.
“The Morrison Government is driving a billion dollar transformation of Australia’s waste and recycling industry, through the Recycling Modernisation Fund. We are seeing governments and industry investing in the commissioning of new plant and equipment, and our waste export bans are driving fundamental change.
“ReMade in Australia will help Australians understand the ways they are contributing through both recycling and the choices they make at the checkout.”
Assistant Minister for Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Trevor Evans said that now was the right time for Australian businesses and consumers to think ReMade Australia.
“This campaign taps into the pride Australians have in doing the right thing for the environment,” Assistant Minister Evans said.
“At a time of year when people are buying gifts and unwrapping tonnes of packaging it is all the more important to have recycling front of mind.”
