Date: 4 December 2025 Australia’s growing carbon waste problem is both an environmental challenge and a missed economic opportunity – to drive innovation, create jobs and strengthen our circular economy. Attendees gather around a table during the Research Hub's project showcase. Supplied. Across Australia, carbon-based waste is stockpiled, exported or sent to landfill. These materials represent untapped potential for new products and industries. The newly launched Australian Research Council (ARC) Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Carbon Waste is set to change that – turning waste into valuable products and supporting emerging industries. Driving innovation and sovereign capability This Hub seeks to advance upcycling technologies and strengthen the regulatory and social frameworks needed to process these materials onshore. Its goals are clear: Convert under-utilised carbon waste into value-added products Lift technology readiness Build the foundations for future-scale commercialisation. Workforce capability is central to this vision. The Hub will train a highly skilled, interdisciplinary cohort equipped with the technical, regulatory, and entrepreneurial expertise to bring these innovations to market. This is a direct investment in Australia’s sovereign capability, particularly in regional areas where new industries can create new jobs. Event organisers welcoming guests to the launch. Supplied. Working together for impact The Hub brings together leading universities and 16 industry partners, backed by $5 million in ARC funding and $13.9 million in partner contributions. This depth of collaboration creates the conditions for transformative innovation. ARC Acting Branch Manager, Executive and Communications Ms Bonnie Johnson noted Australia’s future prosperity depends on our capacity to innovate. ‘Australia’s carbon waste challenge is also an economic opportunity. This Hub is about turning that potential into real outcomes for industry and the environment,’ Ms Johnson said. The bigger picture Ultimately, this work contributes to Australia’s National Waste Action Plan goal for 2030 and moves our nation closer to a circular economy that delivers economic, social, and environmental dividends. ‘The benefits will be felt across the country, through reduced waste and improved environmental outcomes, as well as through the emergence of new regional industries, new export pathways, and strengthened national resilience,’ Ms Johnson said. Unveiling the plaque to officially launch the Research Hub. From left to right are Professor Katya Pas, Prof Lian Zhang, Ms Helen Partridge, Ms Bonnie Johnson, Prof Dongke Zhang, Mr Bert Huys, Prof Geoff Wang and Professor Yiannis Ventikos. Supplied. Shaping tomorrow At the Australian Research Council (ARC), we are proud to support research that is bold in ambition, rich in collaboration, and focused on solving complex challenges. The benefits of this Research Hub will extend nationwide, through reduced waste, improved environmental outcomes, and the emergence of new industries. Learn more about the work of the ARC Research Hub for Value-Added Processing of Carbon Waste.