Podcast on SMaRT materials circularity

UNSW SMaRT Centre Director, Prof Veena has been interviewed about her views on materials circularity and sustainability in a new podcast.

Produced by Communications group Green Horizons, Veena in this episode of Conversations in Sustainability series talks about the importance of using waste as a resource using recycling innovations such as UNSW SMaRT Centre's MICROfactorie^TM Technologies and its Green Steel^TM Polymer Injection Technology that recover valuable materials and reform them into new manufacturing feedstock and products to help achieve the sustainability needed for the future.

Podcast webpage

Green Horizons says:

In this episode of Conversation in Sustainability, we speak with Professor Veena Sahajwalla, SMaRT Centre, UNSW, explores how innovative recycling technologies are transforming the way society thinks about waste. Rather than viewing discarded materials as useless, Professor Sahajwalla emphasises that waste should be understood as a valuable resource that can be reprocessed into new, high-quality products. The discussion highlights the work of the UNSW SMaRT Centre in pioneering “green tiles” and MICROfactories, which break down complex waste streams, such as electronic waste, into their core components and remake them into useful materials like advanced manufacturing inputs. 

The episode underscores the importance of collaboration between scientists, engineers, and industry partners to scale these solutions and create sustainable supply chains. Positioning Australia as a leader in the transition toward a circular economy, where materials are continuously reused and repurposed rather than discarded. Through this lens, recycling becomes not just an environmental necessity, but an opportunity for innovation, economic growth, and global impact.