Innovative plastics recycling project receives funding

Thursday, 06 April, 2006

The Australian consortium participating in the international IMS PROMISE (Product Embedded Information System for Service and End of Life) project has received over $470,000 in funding in the first round of the Australian federal government's $25 million ICIP (Industry Cooperative Innovation Program) competitive funding scheme.

The international IMS PROMISE Project will change the way society recycles consumer products. The project tracks all parts of a product, such as computers, through all phases of its lifecycle to enable the re-use, recycling and safe disposal of components at the end.

Australian project partners MRI (Aust), IRIS (Industrial Research Institute Swinburne), and AEEMA (the Australian Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers' Association), will be working with an extensive international consortium including Fiat, Toyota, Caterpillar, Cambridge University, SAP AG, Bombardier, and Tokyo University.

The Australian project partners will develop technology to blend engineering plastics found in technological products and vehicles; new blends and uses of engineering plastics; and a database, which will be accessible via the internet, so that recyclers and manufacturers can benefit from the PROMISE Project.

The Australian component of the project was among the first 15 collaborative business projects to receive grants totalling $4.9 million in funding under the Australian Government's $25 million Industry Cooperative Innovation Program's, announced by Australian Industry Minister, Ian Macfarlane.

"Grants ranging from $50,000 to $1.49 million have been offered to projects which involve business-to-business cooperation, drawing together expertise from different corners of an industry to come up with an Australian response, product or solution."

"These projects aren't the work of any one particular company or business, they are important industry and business collaborations providing an industry-wide response while also growing jobs, productivity and export opportunities," said Mr Macfarlane.

MRI managing director Will Le Messurier said "I am over the moon about this grant which will enable us and Australia to be innovators in emerging technology - the introductions and spin offs from the project will result in many opportunities for ourselves and our Australian and international partners."

John Bishop, business development manager for IRIS, commented "This project is an example of how manufacturers can and should adopt sustainable approaches to making their products, and thereby to stay globally competitive. IRIS is delighted that the funding has been made available and to have the opportunity to make a significant R&D contribution."

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