(Left to right: Paul Riley, Founder and Vanessa Vongsouthi, Research Founder)
Queanbeyan region to become home to a world-class leader in infinite recycling and decarbonised plastic management
Australian enviro-tech startup, Samsara Eco, is creating Australia’s first infinite recycling Research & Development (R&D) facility. Positioned within the Poplars Innovation Precinct at Jerrabomberra, Queanbeyan in Regional NSW, the new R&D facility will provide a new home base for Samsara Eco to scale its patented enzymatic capabilities and will serve as a key milestone for the company as it moves towards recycling 1.5 million tonnes of plastic per annum by 2030.
Since launching in 2021, Samsara Eco’s R&D has been based at the research laboratories at the Australian National University (ANU). Samsara Eco will continue to partner with the ANU as it works to scale up its world-leading technology ready for commercialisation.
“You can’t solve the climate crisis unless you solve the plastics crisis. Plastic is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century and provides enormous utility because of its durability, flexibility and strength. Yet, it’s also an environmental disaster with almost every piece of the 9 billion tonnes ever made still on the planet” says Paul Riley, CEO and Founder of Samsara Eco.
The R&D facility will be solely focused on accelerating Samsara Eco’s scientific research, ready for commercialisation in future facilities. Samsara Eco is working with Poplars, the Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council and the local community to develop Australia’s first infinite recycling R&D facility, which is expected to be operational by late 2024.
“We’ve had fantastic growth out of our ANU lab so far, but the plastic problem is growing fast. As we gear up towards commercialisation, access to our first R&D facility will enable us to accelerate the capabilities of infinite recycling and scale our solution which breaks down plastics in minutes, not centuries,” adds Riley.
Samsara Eco delivers a solution to the problem. Instead of mining for fossil fuels to create new plastic or relying on current recycling methods — which result in less than 10% of plastic waste actually being recycled — Samsara Eco takes plastic that already exists and infinitely recycles it.
Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council Mayor, Cr Kenrick Winchester said that securing Samsara Eco as a key anchor tenant of the Poplars Innovation Precinct was a great step toward achieving the vision for the precinct.
Council shares Poplars Developments’ vision that focuses on attracting defence, space, cyber-security, information technology and scientific research sectors to the new precinct.
“Samsara Eco’s innovative technology has the potential to put Queanbeyan and Jerrabomberra on the international stage as countries all over the world look for ways to reduce waste and work toward net-zero carbon emissions. We hope that securing Samsara Eco is the first of many new and exciting initiatives for the precinct and we look forward to the employment opportunities the precinct will provide,” the Mayor concluded.
“Poplars Innovation Precinct is located in Queanbeyan on the doorstep of the Australian Capital Territory which will support employment and investment opportunities. With an expanding network of connections to a range of Universities and growth in the scientific research and high-technology industries, the precinct will be uniquely positioned to accelerate Samsara Eco’s next phase of growth,” says David Maxwell, Director Poplars Developments.
Samsara Eco’s infinite recycling technology returns plastic to its core molecules, which can then be used to recreate brand-new plastic, again and again. Currently, Samsara Eco’s enzymatic library can tackle challenging plastics including coloured, multi-layered, mixed plastics and textiles like polyester and nylon 6,6. The R&D facility will be pivotal to expanding its enzymatic library.
About Samsara Eco
Samsara Eco is creating infinite recycling to end plastic pollution. With breakthrough science, Samsara Eco has developed a new way to break plastic down to its core molecules, which can then be used to recreate brand-new plastic, again and again. Its patented process is carbon-neutral, environmentally friendly and requires nothing more from our planet or everyday consumers (time, energy, resources, money).
In partnership with the Australian National University (ANU), Samsara Eco launched in 2020 and is backed by the brightest minds at Main Sequence, Woolworths Group, W23, CEFC, Wildcard Ventures. Samsara Eco’s list of supporters expanded further following its $56 million Series A last year, with new investors such as Temasek, Breakthrough VIC and DCVC.
Samsara Eco’s community is united by the shared mission to divert plastic from our landfills and oceans, and remove the need for humanity to create plastic from fossil fuels ever again, (whether it’s for the bottles we drink from or the clothes we wear) for a cleaner and more sustainable future.
About the Poplars Innovation Precinct
Poplars Innovation Precinct is located at Jerrabomberra in Queanbeyan adjacent to the ACT/NSW border. The business park is focused on the nation’s leading companies where innovation is the cornerstone of their success such as our anchor tenant Samsara Eco.
Poplars will deliver a bespoke facility for Samsara including offices, laboratories and R&D workshop. The building will be constructed within Stage 1 of the Innovation Precinct which incorporates a campus style streetscape supported by diverse communication networks and a major electrical upgrade.
The 30Ha Innovation Precinct is complemented by a 10Ha Retail + Services Precinct with Stage 1 now home to an Aldi supermarket, 7-Eleven, KFC and McDonalds. The estate also includes an Education Precinct, the home of the new Jerrabomberra High School and proposed QPRC Innovation Hub.
