Local industry and community drive circular change across the Illawarra
Industry, government, researchers and the community are working together to create the Illawarra Circular Precinct — a long-term plan to turn waste into local opportunity through shared data, technology and collaboration.
The Illawarra region is fast becoming a model for circular economy collaboration, with work now underway to shape the Illawarra Circular Precinct — a project that brings together local industry, government and community partners to reduce waste and drive new forms of manufacturing and recycling.
Following a major design workshop at the University of Wollongong in June, 57 participants from local councils, businesses, waste service providers, and research organisations and Circular Australia contributed ideas for the region’s first Circular Economy Precinct. Discussions explored how the Illawarra could activate new technologies, jobs and economic opportunities by turning waste into a valuable resource.
The workshop identified several practical opportunities including the creation of a Circular Materials Hub to co-locate reuse and recycling initiatives, a digital platform to track waste streams, and a shared database of circular projects across the region. Participants also suggested mapping skills and capabilities to understand where new training or infrastructure might be needed.
A Steering Committee (SteerCo) has now been formed to guide next steps, with members from Veolia, Flagstaff Group, Crooked River Wines, Wollongong City Council, Southern Cross Aged Care, the University of Wollongong, the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation (ISJO), and Circular Plastics Illawarra. This group will help prioritise material flows for diversion, develop the precinct roadmap, and plan future pilot projects.
The Illawarra Circular Precincts Taskforce — described as a community of practice — met online for the first time in August, sharing early case studies from Crooked River Wines, the University of Wollongong, and the Energy Futures Network. Breakout discussions identified priority areas such as data verification, waste stream innovation and pilot-scale demonstration projects.
The next Taskforce meeting will take place at the University of Wollongong’s Innovation Campus on Wednesday 5 November, 10am–12pm, hosted by Circular Australia. The session will spotlight local circular initiatives including steel recycling at BlueScope, industrial symbiosis with Veolia, and sustainable manufacturing at Moduplay. Taskforce meetings welcome any interested parties to attend.
Work is also underway to gather data on regional waste flows, test traceability tools for soft plastics and organics, and pilot new recycling approaches across sectors such as construction and healthcare. Initiatives like the recent ISJO soft plastics collection events — which gathered 500kg in just four hours at Albion Park — show how local action is helping inform larger plans.
Organisers are now calling for Illawarra Circular Economy case studies to build a public database of local examples and share practical lessons across sectors.
Anyone interested in joining the network or attending future Taskforce meetings can contact Emma Lundaahl at emma@circularaustralia.com.au.
