42
A U T H O R S Kirstin Linnenkoper, Martijn Reintjes
Veena
Sahawjalla
(Australia)
Professor Sahawjalla believes
in the power of ‘big ideas’,
which she developed in the
SMART Centre at the
University of North South
Wales in Australia. Her com-
mercialised electric arc fur-
nace ‘green’ steelmaking pro-
cess utilises millions of waste
tyres, otherwise destined for
landfill, as a partial replace-
ment for coke. Sahajwalla
launched the world’s first
‘e-waste micro-factory’ in
2018 and established a similar
facility dedicated to plastic
scrap in 2019. She was award-
ed the prestigious 2022 NSW
Australian of the Year.
Bartosz Kubicki
(Poland)
Barely a month goes by with-
out the owner of Elektrorecykling
announcing a new project or solution to
tackle complex materials or to boost his
business. The company reports ‘double
digits annual growth in volumes in all
streams between 15 to 20%’ only two
years after volumes shrank 50% in the
pandemic. During these hard times, the
entrepreneur found time to think of oth-
ers and he became involved in a project
to provide laptops for schoolchildren.
Kubicki has recently invested EUR 5 mil-
lion in smart tech for granulating plas-
tics and another EUR 7 million will be
pumped into a second new line next
year. He is sees great opportunity in
polymers and solar panel recycling and
has announced expansion of a new
branch in Poland.
4 5
Daniela La Porta (Italy)
Second generation to lead Elle-Elle, an Italian recycling business
company built on solid family entrepreneurship. Based near
Cesena on Italy’s Adriatic Coast, Elle-Elle is
a modern, medium-size recycler handling electric motors, copper and alu-
minium.
In the next five to ten years recyclers in general, and Elle-Elle in particular,
will have to continue to invest in sustainable operations and smarter tech-
nology. ‘It’s the only logical path to follow if we want this sector to survive,’
Daniela stresses.
Asked what is the main lesson she has learned from her father and company
founder, she replies: ‘His work ethic and his passion for the job: always give
your best. Scrap is in my blood and I love it, probably thanks to him.’
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