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Resource recovery is the activity of separating materials from waste that can be recycled into new products or used as an energy alternative to fossil fuels and is actioned with the goal of diverting as much waste from landfill as possible. It’s a part of an important goal being adopted worldwide which is to secure a waste-free and more sustainable future.

Since the industrial revolution, fossil fuels have been the greatest provider of energy in the developed world. Fossil fuels are hydrocarbon containing materials that when burned produce energy used for electricity, heating and powering vehicles. Materials that consist of hydrocarbon that is burned for energy include organic matter such as dead plants and animals that have been buried for millions of years that over time formed large quantities of fuels. Fossil Fuels however, is a non-renewable resource and a major contributor to greenhouse gases. Major strides are being made in the area of renewable sources of energy and this includes alternatives to fossil fuel, one of which that is increasing in favor is Process Engineered Fuels (PEF).

Food waste is a global challenge that has a 19huge economic, social and environmental impact. It costs the Australian economy approximately $20 billion a year. In 2016, the Government of Australia convened a food waste summit to develop a national waste strategy.

The construction industry produces a lot of waste, especially demolition operations. According to Australia’s State of Waste in 2016, the construction and demolition industry accounted for 40 per cent of Australia’s total waste generation; this included waste such as bricks, concrete and timber. Additionally, a study in 2016 found that material wastage was the cause of an average of 20-30 per cent of cost overruns in construction projects.