OVERVIEW

Circular Economy Data Portal

A Circular Economy is about valuing and adding value to our resources by getting as much use out of products and materials as possible, and reducing how much waste we generate.

This data portal uses an advanced data prediction model to provide insights into precinct-level waste production and opportunities for circular economy programs. The predictive model builds on a dataset containing actual waste and resources data from thousands of businesses around the world, enriched local data points and targets businesses, Councils and State Government agencies. Analytics from the portal can support development of waste policies and programs, identify infrastructure investment opportunities, and connect waste generator outputs with waste taker inputs to grow the local circular economy.

Industrial Symbiosis as the solution

Industrial Symbiosis is the key to embracing a circular economy

Industrial symbiosis is the process by which wastes or by products of an industry or industrial process become the raw materials for another.

Developing the Circular Economy

Moving to a circular economy will provide long-term economic, social, and environmental benefits for Australia. The circular economy maximises the use of our valuable resources, and by contributing to innovation, growth and job creation.

Targeting Waste and Sustainable Materials

Australia is targeting to reduce total waste generated by 10% per person by 2030 and have an 80% average recovery rate from all waste streams by 2030.

Reducing emissions

According to the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the transportation, production, consumption and disposal of materials and products accounts to up to two thirds of global Greenhouse Gas emissions. Reducing these emissions contributes to Australian states, towns and cities achieving their emissions targets.

Industrial symbiosis creates an interconnected network which strives to mimic the functioning of ecological systems, within which energy and materials cycle continually with no waste products produced.

This process serves to reduce the environmental footprint of the industries involved. Virgin raw materials are required to a lesser degree, and the need for landfill waste disposal is reduced. It also allows value to be created from materials that would otherwise be discarded and so the materials remain economically valuable for longer than in traditional industrial systems.

Our data portal

Predictive Analytics Platform

Limited data exists on commercial and industrial waste, and how material flows through a precinct. To plug this gap, Peclet developed a predictive analysis model and data portal, funded by the NSW Government Circular Economy Innovation Challenge.

Explore the platform

Platform Goals

Predict waste generated by local businesses on one
hand and potential waste takers on the other hand.

Facilitate the identification of potential local
material exchange networks, and identify the need
for new waste transformation infrastructure.

How can we use the data

Council, region or state
government use

Councils and regions can use the data to inform:

Future planning for resource recovery and landfill sites.
Identify requirement and location for local recycling, reuse or other circular economy infrastructure.
Increase support for recycling organisations by identifying material sources.
Provide evidence to support investment attraction opportunities.
Policy design to meet sustainability and circular economy targets.
Business engagement to promote circular economy activities and waste reduction.

Business use

Businesses can use this data to identify potential producers or takers of residual material to:

Reduce the cost of waste collection and recycling processed through traditional streams.
Identify and secure additional income streams from waste as part of the local circular economy.
Improve environmental performance.