Deakin leading search for recycling and waste solutions

THIS week Deakin’s materials scientists presented an innovative approach to tackling the global recycling crisis to Victorian waste management leaders at Waurn Ponds Estate.
Deakin’s Institute for Frontier Materials (IFM) has been working on a range of projects to tackle the crisis.
The IFM’s circular economy strategy lead Catherine McMahon says Deakin’s scientists “design out waste” ethos has helped make them world leaders in materials design.
“We’re in this recycling crisis because our current generation of materials aren’t designed to be recycled or re-purposed.
“We are a global leader in materials science because at IFM we’re re-designing materials with waste eradication in mind. This is key to circular economy approach.”
The IFM are focusing on designing materials that can either biodegrade or can be easily reused.
Ms McMahon says Deakin’s researchers have found many innovative ways to re-purpose materials.
“Turning end of life textiles into bone repair systems, used silk material into artificial blood vessels, textile fibres into vaccines and usually discarded textile waste into leather interior alternatives for cars.”
Despite the current crisis, Ms McMahon says she believes if the right methods were adopted that things can improve.
“If we made products from their inception thinking about their end of life then we will never have a recycling crisis again.”