Circular Economy Markets Fund: Materials – Funded projects

Last updated: 3 May 2024
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Number of recipients to date: 14 in Stream 1; 6 in Stream 2
Total funding awarded to date: $4,960,494
All projects to be completed by: 30 April 2024
Prior to 1 July 2022, this fund was named Recycling Victoria Markets Acceleration Fund – Materials

The Circular Economy Markets Fund supports research institutes, industry and business to develop and commercialise new uses for recycled materials.

The Fund is distributed through 2 funding streams:

  • Stream 1: Research, Development and Demonstration projects that develop, demonstrate and validate new innovative uses for recycled materials.
  • Stream 2: Commercialisation Support activities directly related to the commercialisation of a novel product or process containing recycled materials.

For background, view the grant guidelines:

Fund recipients

Announcement date: 19 October 2022

Stream 1

Baron Rubber Pty Ltd

Create a new recycled rubber train station coping that is made from tyre derived product. The project will seek product approval by V-line.

Funding: $308,249

Deakin University

Produce particles from textile waste and investigate a range of applications including pigments for printing/colouring textiles, vegan leather, and to create art.

Funding: $284,553

Deakin University

Demonstrate how post-consumer polypropylene paint containers (a difficult to recycle waste stream) can be recycled into functional and economically viable products.

Funding: $202,000

La Trobe University

Undertake research on Rtec technology, a novel low-cost and low-capital plastic processing technology. The project includes product design and performance trials of prototyped products. The data generated will support the business case for end market use.

Funding: $145,000

Monash Institute of Railway Technology

Develop modular pavement blocks using waste plastic, for use in transport infrastructure as well as in commercial and residential construction.

Funding: $360,000

PV Industries Pty Ltd

Demonstrate a new solar panel recycling process enabling the recovery of solar panel glass in a suitable form for reuse in end markets. The glass will be tested and analysed to inform process design and ensure it meets required specifications for use by industry in construction projects.

Funding: $400,000

RMIT University

Develop technology to transform unsorted plastic wastes into high-value graphene electronic paste to be painted over the surface of commercial silicon solar cells and performance assessed as a light-harvesting booster.

Funding: $330,000

RMIT University

Create concrete roof tiles, precast acoustic barrier panels and concrete bricks made using upcycled textile, paper-cardboard, and waste glass.

Funding: $289,983

Sequence Digital Pty Ltd

Create a proof-of-concept, scalable lithium-ion battery management system to chain together used cells with custom supporting electronics and demonstrate this system to power industrial outdoor temperature monitors.

Funding: $46,200

Swinburne University of Technology

Create a technology to use ground tyre rubbers in manufacturing ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)-based road safety roller barriers.

Funding: $380,000

University of Melbourne

Investigate the mechanical and hydrological performance of waste tyre permeable kerb and channel systems.

Funding: $277,886

University of Melbourne

Develop an advanced low-energy catalytic microwave pyrolysis process to recover styrene monomer from Expanded Polystyrene and Polystyrene, the precursor material for producing polystyrene.

Funding: $255,336

University of Melbourne

Investigate and demonstrate a process to enable Victorian educational institutions to recycle their onsite post-consumer food and beverage packaging into filament and pellets suitable for their onsite 3D printing.

Funding: $100,000

Victoria University

Develop research-grade fibre-reinforced concrete beams from used synthetic textile and pre-treated cardboard fibres in accordance with Australian Standards, for use in residential and commercial building construction.

Funding: $220,354

Stream 2

Kebet Packaging Services Pty Ltd

Commercialise the use of recycled cardboard for temporary event/installation fit outs, including sets for stage, tv and movies and temporary store fit outs.

Funding: $193,640

OmniGrip Direct Pty Ltd

Prepare and register an Environmental Product Declaration and Social Procurement Plan for a new high-friction surface product containing recycled glass, and its installation on public roads.

Funding: $74,500

Polymeric Powders Company Pty Ltd

Plan an upgrade to its pilot manufacturing plant in order to produce plastic-rubber composite material pellets, which will then be manufactured into car speed humps by a key supplier and field tested to establish commercial viability.

Funding: $34,032

Porous Lane Pty Ltd

Deliver financial and economic assessment, market analysis and market growth strategy to commercialise a permeable pavement product that uses local recycled rubber for use in local government applications, as well as developing product environmental information to support entry into larger-scale infrastructure and development projects.

Funding: $60,000

RCALLAN Pty Ltd

Finalise development, test and identify potential users for a non-destructive, continuous measure of paper strength to control quality of paper produced, to enable increased use of recycled content for existing paper products while still meeting quality and performance requirements.

Funding: $99,000

Robovoid Pty Ltd

Progress a patented 100% recycled plastic solution for concrete structures to market and develop a sustainable commercial business model by demonstration and marketing the system in commercial applications.

Funding: $300,000

More information

This grant program is closed, but you can email us if you have any queries.