Environment and sustainability

Composting

Organic waste compost bins can be found in each Hall’s veggie garden. These are tumbler-style composting bins, which keep the bins off the ground and enable easy aeration to provide the ideal environment for organic waste to break down.

Dried pea straw, stored next to the compost bins, is provided by Monash University Accommodation Operations, and can be used to even out the ratio of green and brown organic matter.

Using the compost bin:

  1. Fill up one side of the tumbler bin first, using a 1:1 ratio of food waste to pea straw
  2. Tumble the bin after each use to aerate the mixture and assist organic breakdown
  3. When one side is full, begin using the second side (switch the lids over so the ‘clock symbol’ indicates the full side is breaking down)
  4. Continuously monitor the compost mixture on the full side. Once it’s ready, use the carts provided to transport your compost mixture to your garden beds
  5. If your pea straw bin gets low, let your Hall Enviro RA know, so they can organise a top up

Accepted: fruit and vegetables including peels, loose tea leaves and coffee grounds, egg shells.

Not accepted: meat/fish waste including bones, dairy products, processed food scraps including bread and pizza crust, non-food waste such as tea bags, packaging, or paper towels.

Important information:

Organic waste bins are not permitted in Hall kitchens. Organic waste is not cleared away by the cleaners, and exposed food scraps create risks of hygiene or pest issues. Therefore, if you would like to compost, please ensure you take your organic waste to the outdoor compost bin straight away.

Mixed recycling and landfill

Commingled (mixed) recycling bins (yellow lid) can be located in your Hall’s waste station. When placing waste in mixed recycling bins, ensure items are loose and free from plastic bags.

All items put into the recycling bins must be free of food waste. It is not necessary to clean your container thoroughly, but there should be little to no solids or obvious food residue before any item goes in the recycling.

Small quantities of food residue is acceptable in hard plastic, metal and glass containers. Paper and cardboard must be clean and free from food residue.

Accepted: glass bottles and jars, hard plastic containers and bottles, tins, cans, and aerosols, aluminium foil (scrunched into loose ball no smaller than a tennis ball), newspaper, magazines, glossy paper, brochures, books, brown paper, envelopes, clean paper, flattened cardboard.

Must go to Landfill: tea bags, disposable gloves, waxed cardboard, tissues, serviettes, paper towel, wrappers and plastic packets, Australia Post plastic satchels, soft plastics, bubble wrap, cling wrap, broken glass, drinkware, crockery, disposable cups (including all take-away coffee cups), staples, coat hangers, scrap metal pieces, polystyrene, plastic cutlery, straws, chopsticks, coffee foods, non-compostable food scraps, biodegradable food containers include entire BioPak range

Important note:

Contamination of non-accepted items in the commingled recycling bins is a real problem. Only a small percentage (<10% by weight) of contamination is accepted by the waste contractor. Anything over that amount automatically diverts the entire bin to landfill.

eWaste

eWaste (electronic waste) contains potentially hazardous and harmful materials which do not belong in landfill. On 1 July 2019, the Victorian Government banned eWaste from landfill.

eWaste is any electronic device or appliance with a plug, battery or power cord:

  • Batteries
  • Computers
  • Laptops
  • Mobile phones
  • Printers
  • Remote controls
  • Televisions
  • Watches
  • Cookers
  • Microwaves
  • Refrigerators
  • Coffee machines
  • Hair dryers
  • Irons
  • Toasters
  • LEDs
  • Printer cartridges
  • Gaming consoles
  • Hand-held video game controllers
  • Musical instruments
  • Radios
  • Electric toys
  • Speakers

Monash University Accommodation has two dedicated eWaste bins at Clayton Campus, located at Roberts Hall and Holman Hall waste stations. Alternatively, you can take your eWaste directly to Monash Recycling & Waste Centre or Frankston Regional Recycling and Recovery Centre (FRRRC).

Used cooking oil

When cooking oil is poured down the sink, it can block drains and sewer systems, and ends up in our waterways, where it becomes an environmental hazard.

Used cooking oil should be correctly disposed of in the general waste bin (landfill, red lid).

Monash University Accommodation also offers a Collection Station where your used cooking oil is taken away to be refined and recycled. The Used Oil Collection Station is located at the back of Hall’s Cafe, next to the kitchen loading dock off Blackburn Road.

How to correctly dispose of used cooking oil:

  1. After cooking, allow oil to cool down completely, then filter into a sealable jar for storage and future re-use
  2. When oil becomes too old to re-use, take your jar to the Monash University Accommodation Used Cooking Oil Collection Station and pour it into the drum provided
  3. Alternatively, if you would like to dispose of your cooking oil instead of recycling it, then pour your completely cooled oil into a non-recyclable container with a sealable lid and throw it into the landfill bin.