Australian enviro-tech start-up Samsara Eco has introduced Australia’s first infinite recycling Research & Development (R&D) facility, located within the Poplars Innovation Precinct in Queanbeyan, NSW, which is set to open in 2024.
The new R&D facility will serve as the new home base where Samsara Eco can scale its scientific research on infinite recycling with its patented enzymatic capabilities as it aims to recycle 1.5 million tonnes of plastic per annum by 2030.
“You can’t solve the climate crisis unless you solve the plastics crisis,” Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco, said. “Plastic is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century and provides enormous utility because of its durability, flexibility and strength. Yet, it’s also an environmental disaster with almost every piece of the nine billion tonnes ever made still on the planet.”
But while the move will see Samsara Eco’s R&D move out of the research laboratories at the Australian National University (ANU), the start-up will continue to partner with ANU as it works to scale up its world-leading technology ready for commercialisation.
“We’ve had fantastic growth out of our ANU lab so far, but the plastic problem is growing fast,” Riley added. “As we gear up towards commercialisation, access to our first R&D facility will enable us to accelerate the capabilities of infinite recycling and scale our solution which breaks down plastics in minutes, not centuries.”
Samsara Eco’s plastic waste solution involves taking the plastic that already exists and infinitely recycles it with the help of its patented enzyme technology instead of mining for fossil fuels to create new plastic or relying on current recycling methods that result in less than 10 per cent of plastic waste actually being recycled.
Currently, the start-up’s enzymatic library can tackle challenging plastics including coloured, multi-layered, mixed plastics and textiles such as polyester and nylon 66. The company stated that the R&D facility will be pivotal to expanding its enzymatic library.
Samsara Eco is also working with Poplars, the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council and the local community in the development of the infinite recycling R&D facility.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Mayor, Cr Kenrick Winchester, said that securing Samsara Eco as a key anchor tenant of the Poplars Innovation Precinct was a great step toward achieving the vision for the precinct.
“Samsara Eco’s innovative technology has the potential to put Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra on the international stage as countries all over the world look for ways to reduce waste and work toward net-zero carbon emissions,” Cr Winchester said. “We hope that securing Samsara Eco is the first of many new and exciting initiatives for the precinct and we look forward to the employment opportunities the precinct will provide.”
David Maxwell, Director Poplars Developments, pointed out that Poplars Innovation Precinct is located in Queanbeyan on the doorstep of the Australian Capital Territory which will support employment and investment opportunities.
“With an expanding network of connections to a range of Universities and growth in the scientific research and high-technology industries, the precinct will be uniquely positioned to accelerate Samsara Eco’s next phase of growth,” Maxwell said.
