Most waste ends up in landfill. This scientist finds unexpected ways to give it a second life

Ten years ago, scientist Lynne Loo was studying ways to repurpose waste in Australia. Her focus was initially on abalone industry waste, but her work soon expanded to finding value in discarded materials. The Australian government reports that the nation generates 76 million tonnes of waste annually, with 2.9 million tonnes per individual – much of it ending up in landfills.

One innovator in this field is Matt Barber, who uses a makeshift lab to extract cellulose from food waste. This cellulose can then be processed into paper, leather, wood products, or even bioplastics. Barber emphasizes that this process can occur in a matter of weeks, as opposed to the 75-year growth cycle of a tree.

Meanwhile, at a waste facility in Collie, Western Australia, Renergi is taking a different approach. By employing thermal conversion technology, the company converts rubbish into various products, including vinegar, biochar, and oil. Renergi processes around 30,000 tonnes of biomass waste and 4,000 tonnes of municipal solar waste yearly. Over 70% of this material is repurposed into something new.

The biochar produced by Renergi is already benefiting fruit farms and a winery in Southern Western Australia. The project has been supported by the Australian Renewable Energy Agency, aiming to bring renewable technologies to regional areas. Once fully operational, Renergi is expected to become one of the country's largest producers of these alternative products.

Lynne Loo, the scientist behind these initiatives, remains passionate about her mission to recycle, reuse, and reimagine discarded materials. She is determined to demonstrate to others that innovative waste management is indeed possible.