CSIRO gathers innovators to tackle plastic waste

The rate of plastic production has grown faster than any other material since the 1970s, making plastic waste an urgent global concern. Currently, about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced every year.

Plastic waste flows into riverways and oceans, with an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic on the ocean floor. CSIRO’s Indo-Pacific Plastics Innovation Network (IPPIN) was formed in order to respond proactively to this massive problem.

The Australian national science agency is in the process of gathering environmental entrepreneurs from across the Indo-Pacific region for a Demo Day to showcase innovative methods for tackling plastic waste. More than 20 international teams will take part in the IPPIN Accelerator+ Program, with these entrepreneurs set to converge at locations across Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok to show how their solutions are transforming the way we produce, use and recycle plastic materials.

Kirsten Rose, CSIRO’s Deputy Chief Executive, emphasised the critical role of international partnerships in addressing global challenges like plastic waste and enhancing Australia’s innovation ecosystem.

“Plastic pollution is a global crisis that knows no borders and we cannot tackle it alone,” Rose said.

“Collaborating with our neighbours is crucial for advancing technology and business innovation, enabling us to weather economic uncertainty. By working together across borders, we can create a more resilient, healthier and prosperous region.

“Initiatives like IPPIN foster joint innovation, leading to sustainable and organic solutions to boost industry profitability.”

Those attending Demo Days can expect to see advanced waste management systems, creative methods for repurposing single-use plastics, and initiatives to empower marginalised communities most impacted by plastic pollution.

IPPIN Senior Program Manager Andrea Sosa Pintos said that CSIRO’s IPPIN program enables innovative solutions to accelerate rapidly and at scale.

“By 2040, global plastic use is estimated to double. Australia’s commitment to the High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution, as part of the negotiations for a UN treaty to end plastic pollution, firmly highlights our role as a regional leader in combating plastic pollution,” Sosa Pinto said.

“To date, IPPIN has engaged with over 3000 people in program activities and supported 130 global entrepreneurial teams to scale up sustainable and innovative technologies to find lasting solutions to address plastic waste.

“We have seen humble ideas grow into fully fledged, profitable innovations that revolutionise upstream and downstream plastic solutions. Continuing to support future innovators will be critical in tackling plastic waste regionally, together.”

Image ©Greenhope

One such success story is IPPIN alumnus Greenhope, a startup that has developed technology that utilises cassava starch to produce commercialised biodegradable bioplastic packaging.

Since its venture began, Greenhope has replaced 12 billion pieces of conventional plastic with biodegradable plastic and improved the welfare of 179 Indonesia cassava farmers.

CSIRO said IPPIN highlights the agency’s ongoing commitment to ending plastic waste and changing the way plastic is reduced, reused and recycled.

To find out more about the IPPIN teams, click here.

Top image caption: IPPIN 2023 alumnus The Ocean Cleanup deploys its ocean-cleaning technologies around the globe. Image ©The Ocean Cleanup.