UQ’s Research Group on Industrial Ecology and Circular Economy (IE&CE) Participates in the Recen

UQ’s Research Group on Industrial Ecology and Circular Economy (IE&CE) at SEES is one of the active participants in the recent workshop on circular economy initiated by the Australian Industrial Ecology Network (AIEN) with the Product Stewardship Cluster of Australia and NSW’s Office of Environment and Heritage at the Dolphin Marine Magic, 65 Orlando Street, Coffs Harbor on May 2, 2017. Dubbed as Driving the Circular Economy with Product Stewardship, the workshop aims to consult and engage stakeholders from the industry and the government sectors on product stewardship projects and issues towards circular economy across Australia.

In the workshop, UQ’s IE&CE Research Group Leader Dr. Anthony Halog is joined by Ms. Maria Isabel Dumlao-Tan (the group’s new addition focusing on e-waste through her PhD program) and Dr. Raquel Balanay (a postdoctoral research fellow from the Philippines studying on impact pathways of gold mining through the Schlumberger Foundation’s fellowship). With the given opportunity, Dr. Halog echoes the thrusts of IE&CE research group at UQ and its commitment to support and join in any initiative towards taking circular economy on the ground for sustainable development across Australia.

The open discussions of the workshop provide the vital opportunity for the participating institutions’ representatives to level off expectations once again on the current product stewardship efforts and directions, revisit the action agenda that crystallized from earlier consultative meetings and rundown of forward steps and research opportunities, and point out missed-out aspects of the current efforts as well as issues. The R’s hub program that is soon to be experienced in Canberra, ACT takes the limelight with the introduction of its structure, functions and underlying principles. The said program is a product of years of conceptualization and rehashing until the commitment of its cooperating industries is finally sealed. It is set to take off very soon for pilot testing and study as a model to eliminate household wastes.

For UQ’s delegates, the workshop affords the opportunity to connect with industry players in the realm of industrial ecology and circular economy for future collaboration. While it gives such opportunity, it also reaffirms the directions that the IE&CE group at UQ has to take for a key role in IE&CE pursuits in the State of Queensland and in Australia. Currently, UQ’s IE&CE Research Group undertakes efforts to deal with sustainability issues in the agri-food, construction and mining sectors particularly. It is boldly exploring steps towards the development of models to tackle IE&CE issues comprehensively. Also with UQ in the workshop is the University of Technology-Sydney, which it hopes to partner in inter-state IE&CE research opportunities.