2021 Publications Performance
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Mean Field Weighted Citation Impact of Monash Outputs: 1.74
Number of Monash Research Outputs: 125
Sustainable Communities and Waste (SCaW) Hub
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The Sustainable Communities and Waste (SCaW) Hub is part of the second phase of the Australian Government’s National Environmental Science Program (NESP), a ground breaking program that has delivered practical environment outcomes through almost 400 successful science projects and helped to shape the nation’s environmental science agenda.
The Hub has been tasked to research ways to reduce the effects of plastic, support sustainable people-environment interactions and offer options to minimise impacts of hazardous substances and pollutants, using its cutting edge technical capabilities, particularly in the fields of waste and materials processing.
The Hub is hosted by UNSW and is a consortium comprising five world-class research institutions: UNSW Sydney, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), Monash University (MU), Curtin University (CU), and the University of Tasmania (UTas), and various industry, government and community partners.
Unit statistics and highlights
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In 2021, 111 units directly related to SDG12 were offered across Monash University, with a total enrolment of 6,136 students.
The units highlighted below are a small sample of the units at Monash relating to responsible consumption and production:
MGF5691 - Sustainable Operations and Supply Chain Management
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This unit integrates concepts from both operations and supply chain management toward strategic goals of more sustainable production systems. By focusing on different local and global businesses, students are encouraged to have an open discussion/debate about the challenges businesses face and the opportunities available in the industry to support these businesses to become sustainable. Second, through different case studies and articles, students generate knowledge about the role of different stakeholders in making businesses sustainable. Finally, students also learn to evaluate the impact of being sustainable on the businesses triple bottom line performance.
Monash Association of Sustainability
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The Monash Association of Sustainability (MAS) is a student-led association committed to leading and inspiring the Monash student community to learn more about sustainability, and to explore how sustainability principles and practices can be embedded into their behaviour both on and off campus.
Precious Plastics Monash
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Precious Plastic Monash is a multidisciplinary group of students, a chapter of a world wide community, Precious Plastic, that aims to tackle and provide solutions to the ever growing presence of plastic pollution. Their main focus areas are education, community and design, including demonstrating the value of plastic by designing innovative solutions to repurpose plastic and create plastic alternatives.
Master of Green and Sustainable Technologies
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The new Master of Green Chemistry and Sustainable Technologies recognises the increasing demand for graduates with expertise in green chemistry to lead the transformation of chemical and other industries where chemistry and chemical engineering play a crucial role, in delivering the products coming from those industries. The program provides students with the principles of green technologies and a deep understanding of sustainability issues that will lead to the reduction or elimination of hazardous substances involved in the design, manufacture and application of chemical products. The course will also examine the environmental, economic and social benefits arising from the transformation of the chemical industries of the future.
Circular Textile Economy
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The Circular Textile Economy team is examining what can be done to transition the Australian fashion and textiles industry to a circular mode of production and consumption – a model where there is no waste. In is working with fashion designers, manufacturers, retailers, recyclers and governments to identify and help make a series of changes to the system.
In 2021, the team helped shape Victorian Government recycling policy to include textiles waste, a significant contributor to landfill. The team consulted with eleven fashion industry groups to collect perspectives and experiences on the textile circular economy, then published their findings – bringing visibility to circular textiles in the public eye and generating public dialogue. They also launched their first Circular Fashion guide, focused on the story of a circular t-shirt.
ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing
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In 2021, Monash Science established the Australian Research Council (ARC) training centre to advance green chemistry in manufacturing. The ARC Training Centre for Green Chemistry in Manufacturing is an interdisciplinary research and training environment centred on green and sustainable chemistry. The Centre, comprising of university, industry, government authorities and key industry bodies, aims to transform and revitalise Australian Manufacturing through the adoption of green and sustainable chemical technologies.
A Lens on plastic waste
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Monash Lens aims to bring into sharp focus the work being undertaken by our research and academic communities and the impact that work is having on a global scale. Through articles, podcasts, and documentaries, Monash Lens is tackling what it will take to address the plastic waste crisis through circular economy approaches.
Monash Green Impact
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In 2021, the Green Impact program engaged more than 4159 staff via 40 teams and implemented more than 2,068 actions across multiple campuses and sites. Teams worked to drive positive environmental change within their local areas through a range of activities focused on climate action, circular econoly, transport, health and wellbeing, engagement and change, and urban ecosystems. This year saw the successful expansion of the program to Monash residential students and the MSA's Clubs and Societies to ensure not just staff but also students could engage with campus sustainability programs.
Circular Economy Strategy
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Monash University has committed to; establish a five-year circular economy plan to minimise waste to landfill and transition from co-mingled recycling to 'close the loop' on valuable materials through a range of better business practices and infrastructure investment; Eliminate single-use retail plastics across all its Australian campuses by 2023; and implement a food organic waste program to divert organic waste from landfill.
Reuse Centre
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The Monash University Reuse Centre furniture reuse store was established in 2010 and since 2012 has resued over 18,000 items diverting 500+ tonnes of furniture and equipment from landfill. Monash faculties and departments are encouraged to donate surplus furniture to the centre rather than storing or throwing away. In turn the program also offers departments, staff, students and the public quality furniture at savings of between 60-90 percent off the recommended retail price.
Waste and recycling
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The University produced 1,321 tonnes of waste in 2020-21, a 62.7 per cent decrease on 2019-20. A total of 477 tonnes of waste was recycled. The reduced staff and student load on campus due to COVID-19 resulted in a significant reduction in waste generation from the campuses. The amount of waste recycled increased from 33 per cent in 2019-20 to 36 per cent of total waste generated in 2020-21.
Waste and circular economy collaboration
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Monash University’s BehaviourWorks Australia team, together with its consortium partners, have been working to help fix Australia’s ongoing waste crisis by engaging with industry and government to explore how behaviour change science can help Australians reduce waste, recycle more and accelerate the transition to a circular economy. In 2021, it wrapped and shared the results of three streams of behaviour change research: (1) Kerbside Recycling Contamination, (2) Effectiveness of product labelling schemes, and (3) Business Barriers to a Circular Economy
