Our progress to date
- Implemented a range of energy and water efficiency initiatives including smart building systems, optimising controls and settings to improve user comfort and energy efficiency.
- Developed and launched a plan to phase out single-use plastics from campus retail dining services.
- Installed water refill stations at Kensington and Paddington campuses to increase access to potable water on campus and reduce single use water bottles.
- Launched a furniture reuse program to ensure that office furniture is reused wherever possible.
2025: Updated waste systems for improved recycling
To make recycling easier and reduce contamination, UNSW has updated waste bins and signage in offices and outdoor areas.
Why this change?
In 2024, Estate Management updated UNSW’s Waste Management Plan to improve waste sorting, reduce contamination, increase landfill diversion, and comply with NSW EPA regulations for food organics recycling.
Two key updates prompted these changes:
- NSW EPA food organics restrictions: compostable packaging and paper towels are no longer allowed in food organics bins.
- 2024 Waste audit results showed high contamination rates in recycling bins, highlighting a need for clearer instructions to recover more resources and keep waste out of landfill.
What is changing indoors?
- New food waste (green) bins: 7-litre food caddies replace the larger 60-litre burgundy bins for collecting food scraps, coffee grounds, and unpackaged food (Kensington and Paddington campuses).
- General waste (red) bins: food packaging, including compostable, and napkins should now go in red general waste bins.
- Updated bin labels: new signage on red, yellow, green, and blue bins makes it easier to sort waste correctly. (If your office hasn’t received updated signage, contact sustainability@unsw.edu.au)
What is changing outdoors?
Due to changes in food organics regulations, outdoor bins now follow a two-bin system:
- Drink container (white) smart bins: For uncrushed plastic bottles, drink cans, glass bottles or juice boxes with barcodes. These items are recycled through the Return and Earn program.
- General waste (red) bins: For all other waste, including compostable packaging. The bin contents is sorted at a material recovery facility.
- Food organics bins are also available at select dish washing stations available to students. Find them on the UNSW Sustainability Map.