Recent news that REDcycle is pausing its collection of soft plastics has shone a spotlight on waste and recycling, with consumers, producers, governments and recyclers all keen to find a solution to ensure that plastic packaging does not end up in landfill.

This is a complex issue that requires stakeholders from all parts of the system to come together to find the best way forward.

This community meeting will bring together business, government, academic and community representatives including:

Host: Dr Tamantha Stutchbury, Director (iAccelerate), University of Wollongong
Facilitator: Kylie Flament, CEO, Social Enterprise Council of NSW & ACT (SECNA) and Expert in Residence, iAccelerate
Helen Lewis, Adjunct Professor at the Institute for Sustainable Futures and consultant on plastics and packaging
Steve Morriss, Founder, Close the Loop (recycling)
Kathy Giunta, Director (Circular Economy Programs), NSW Environmental Protection Authority
Peter Windley, Waste Operations Coordinator, Shoalhaven City Council
Suzanne Haddon, Founder, Rooland (sustainable packaging)
Prof Geoff Spinks, Head of School (Mechanical, Materials, Mechatronic and Biomedical Engineering), University of Wollongong
Lisa McLean, CEO, Circular Australia
Andrea Polson, Marketing Director, Licella (recycling)

Together we will discuss the current state of play, and highlight where the challenges and opportunities are, and in particular, how the Illawarra community can help.

This is a hybrid event. There will be opportunities to participate in the discussion both:

In person at iAccelerate - located at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus (tickets are limited)
Online

iAccelerate is an incubator and accelerator for entrepreneurs, intrapreneurs and scale-ups, within the world-class University of Wollongong. Residents are supported by a robust model of education, mentoring, seed funding and unparalleled access to the university.

The Social Enterprise Council for NSW & ACT (SECNA) is a sector-led peak body that represents the interests of social entrepreneurs and social enterprises across NSW & ACT. Social enterprises are businesses, for good. They trade like any other business but exist specifically to make the world a better place, socially and/or environmentally.

Contact the host of Soft Plastics Recycling in the Illawarra - community meeting