News

On this International Day of Women and Girls in Science, we celebrate the remarkable women leading groundbreaking research in the Sustainable Communities and Waste (SCa

The Hub took part in Blacktown City’s Australia Day celebrations to further our goal of supporting strong and engaged sustainable communities. 

The Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub is excited to celebrate the recognition of our Hub Leader, Scientia Professor Veena Sahajwalla, as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2025 Australia Day Honours.

As we begin a new year, the Sustainable Communities and Waste (SCaW) Hub is reflecting on another year of impactful research, collaboration and progress.

With profound sadness, we share the heartbreaking news of the loss of Hub researcher Associate Professor Mohammad Swapan. 

IP5 co-lead and CSIRO Senior Science co-lead, Heinz Schandl, provides analysis on DCCEEW's new Australian Circular Economy Framework. 

The Hub held a stakeholder webinar to highlight the progress made in Impact Priority 2 (IP2): Reduced Impact of Plastics and Other Materials. 

Festive presents and decorations can release microplastics into the environment. 

In 2023, the CSIRO joined forces with the Djurali Centre, NESP's Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub, HEAL Network and Asthma Australia to deliver a groundbreaking Key Thinkers Forum (KTF) on Air Quality, Asthma & Indigenous Health.

Hub research is translated to a local scale at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) annual conference in Tamworth. 

Dr Emily Flies, Hub researcher and Co-lead of the Sustainable People-Environment Interactions project, has been awarded the Green Gown Award Australasia's Staff Champion for Sustainability.

The Productivity Commission has published the Hub leader UNSW SMaRT Centre's detailed submission for its inquiry into “opportunities in the circular economy”.

The Hub has contributed an artwork made from waste materials to an auction raising funds for the National Youth Science Forum. 

Hub leader Prof Veena Sahajwalla delivers the Ann Moyal Lecture, discussing opportunities for creating sustainable materials from waste and champions a circular economy. 

Hub leader, Prof Veena Sahajwalla, has spoken about new technologies that enable green manufacturing by “reforming” waste into new products. 

The Hub’s Air Quality team held a mid-point workshop to showcase their research and discuss their work with stakeholders. 

The National Youth Science Forum (NYSF) invited Hub staff to connect with young people as part of the 2024 NYSF Explore UNSW Science Day.

Researchers from CSIRO and Curtin University analysed case studies to provide recommendations to support better waste management and value recovery outcomes for tyres and conveyor belts in Australia.