159: Professor Veena Sahajwalla: Green manufacturing and the power of the microfactory

It all started when my SYD-LAX companion in June, Nigel and I were talking about the frustrating state of affairs in recycling tech (I know right? Hit the plane-buddy jackpot!) and he mentioned the hope that lay in the work a colleague of his was doing at the University of New South Wales. We were introduced and the rest is history. What a privilege to be able to bring you this hopeful conversation with Professor Veena Sahajwalla this week on the show. She is the woman behind the technology turning used rubber tyres into sheet steel, and used plastics into filament for 3D printing instead of what the majority of the industry is using - virgin plastics! 

Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla FTSE HonFIEAust directs the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT) at UNSW Australia; delivering scientific and engineering advances in sustainability of materials and associated processes in collaboration with industry. ARC Laureate Professor Veena Sahajwalla is revolutionising recycling science to enable global industries to safely utilise toxic and  complex wastes as low-cost alternatives to virgin raw materials and fossil fuels. As Founding Director of UNSW's Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology, Veena and her team are working closely with industry partners to deliver the new science, processes and technologies that will drive the redirection of many of the world's most challenging waste streams away from landfills and back into production; simultaneously reducing costs to alleviating pressures on the environment. She is reimagining the global supply chain by demonstrating the viability of ‘mining' our overburdened landfills to harness the wealth of useful elements like carbon, hydrogen and materials like silica, titania and metals embedded in our waste. 

Enjoy discovering this incredible woman's work. I can't wait to go visit her research centre and bring you some video footage of what they're doing. As always you can head to the shownotes for more details and to join the low tox club at lowtoxlife.com/podcast

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