Impact Awards: Renew IT turns today’s ewaste into tomorrow materials

Renew IT was the winner of the ESG Award at the 2025 techpartner.news Impact Awards for the creation of a novel method of recycling plastic from e-waste into filament for 3D printers.

Based in Sydney, Renew IT is an IT asset management specialist that also provides managed IT services and e-waste recycling.

In partnership with the University of New South Wales (UNSW), the company funded the research and development of the Microfactorie, a small-footprint facility that converts acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastics into high-value 3D printer filament and injection moulding feedstock.

The initiative was first piloted in 2023 after 18 months of research and development with the UNSW SmartLab, led by sustainable materials expert Professor Veena Sahajwalla. 

Production was expanded in 2024 to operate 7 days a week, producing over 200 spools of filament a day. 

Renew IT claims that the Microfactorie diverts 4.2 tonnes of plastic waste from landfill each month, estimating that this also prevented over 34 tonnes of CO₂ emissions, based on lifecycle assessments of virgin plastic production versus recycled output.

It produces 210 spools of filament a day, which are quality-tested and independently verified to meet industry-standards, which it sells at a profit, making it a more sustainable endeavour and demonstrating how environmental and commercial goals can align. 

The Microfactories are overseen with robust ESG frameworks that include traceability of recovered materials, reporting on environmental outcomes, and compliance with ISO standards ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) and ISO 45001 (Occupational Health & Safety), as well as recycling certifications.

All recovered plastics are traced from collection through processing and sale, with independent audits and lifecycle assessments conducted by university researchers and sustainability consultants.

Reports on these ESG metrics also allow corporate clients to support their sustainability disclosures and Scope 3 emissions tracking.

The company said it has had interest from schools, universities, manufacturers, and government agencies seeking low-carbon, locally made alternatives to virgin plastic.

The Microfactorie also offered new skilled jobs in waste recovery and materials reprocessing and Renew IT is working with community groups to deploy Microfactories in under-served areas to support job creation.

Renew IT has also launched an outreach programme that offers students hands-on workshops about the circular economy and sustainability, delivered in partnership with UNSW and schools local to its operations in Lane Cove; it's engaged more than 300 students already.

The company plans to deploy two additional Microfactories each year in key metro and regional locations, ensuring the expansions suit local needs and that the company is working with schools and councils.

Renew IT has also begun early discussions about deploying a pilot in Europe.

Renew IT chief executive James Lancaster said the Microfactorie perfectly fits with the company’s national IT asset disposition (ITAD) service.

“It's a scalable model for responsible manufacturing, proving that sustainability and profitability can go hand in hand," he said.

"We’re not just disposing of yesterday’s technology — we’re shaping tomorrow’s materials economy."