Research group: Waste 2 Resource Innovation Network

About our research

We are a network of specialist environmental researchers and business advisers helping employers, regulators and public bodies operate more sustainably.

Moving towards a circular economy - sustainably producing and consuming resources by cutting waste and improving recycling and reuse - is an international priority. It involves fundamental changes to business models, policy and regulatory frameworks and consumer behaviours around the world.

Through our multidisciplinary research and wide-ranging collaborations with industry, we’re helping organisations prepare for and start making those changes.

As well as experts in the underpinning science and technology, we also have specialists in policy development, business modelling and consumer behaviour insight.

Our work encompasses the social, behavioural, cultural, ethical, environmental, economic, legal and regulatory know-how to support transition to a true circular economy.

Previous work includes:

• scientific services for plastic waste transformation and the development of bioplastics

• carbon management and accounting, both training and advisory services

• analysis of waste management policies and strategies

• training and consultancy services, including stakeholder engagement, corporate responsibility and sustainability reporting

• regulatory enforcement of contaminated land, recycling and waste education

• investigating technology failures at waste treatment plants

• design of anaerobic digestion systems to produce high quality biomethane from crops, marine biomass and biowaste

• development of sustainable waste management services and leadership of waste authority bodies

• organisational change through formal, informal and non-formal networks

Our clients include the Scottish Government, local authorities, housing associations, national and regional business support agencies, environmental consultancies, charities, smaller firms and large, multinational organisations.

Our expertise

Coordination

We bring together expertise from across the University to support circular economy initiatives across the North West, working closely with local authorities. Examples include ShaRepair, which is helping reduce electrical waste by encouraging local repair businesses.

Innovation

Applying our research expertise helps us to find new solutions to the challenges faced by our partners, including by developing new materials and products from recovered waste. We’re partners in the Bioplastics Europe project, which is looking at making plastics from plants rather than oils, and Transform CE, which is finding new ways to recycle single use plastics.

Technology

We review waste and recycling infrastructure to solve problems with industrial processes and machinery. Packaging manufacturer Bobst developed new products to reduce food waste with our help.

Skills

Through our MSc Industrial Digitalisation we’re equipping students with the skills to promote material conservation by incorporating novel additive manufacturing techniques. Through Foodchains4EU, we’re sharing our expertise in sustainable food networks across Europe.

Tools

We help organisations use environmental management tools such as lifecycle assessments, mass balance and carbon accounting to generate less waste and improve how they use their resources. We’re working with Oldham council on the REDUCES project, to evaluate the different tools available.

Behaviours

We support individual and corporate behaviour change initiatives to help consumers play their part in reducing environmental damage by reducing waste and increasing recycling and reuse. We’re part of the Waste Education Initiative, which is improving the teaching of recycling and the circular economy in schools.