Minimising waste and maximising resource recovery opportunities are core activities at UNSW. In principle, the UNSW strategy is to work “towards zero waste”. To turn this principle into reality we have to consider the entire supply chain to find new ways of transforming waste into resources.

In terms of resource recovery on campus, UNSW actively manages materials ranging from hazardous substances, paper, toner cartridges, food waste and garden vegetation, containers, computers and other electronic equipment, stationery, furniture, laboratory equipment, hard waste, batteries and plastics.

Bottles, cans and general waste are collected from public areas and delivered to WSN Environmental Solutions. Under a unique arrangement which minimises greenhouse gas emissions, waste material goes into the GRL UR-3R system at Eastern Creek in western Sydney where more than 70 percent of waste materials are recovered. This innovative process replaces individual can and bottle recycling bins, which have historically achieved low-level recovery rates at UNSW. The result is that the University has increased recycling rates to the stage where it has already surpassed the New South Wales Government's 2014 waste reduction and resource recovery targets. For more information on this process please visit the WSN Environmental Solutions website.

The University has a well-established Towards Zero Waste program that positions UNSW as a leader in the tertiary sector in resource recovery and waste minimisation. Details of all the UNSW services available to the University community are provided are from the website link above.

Every Australian is estimated to produce 1.1 tonnes of the garbage going into landfills a year. This makes Australia second to the US among all OECD countries in waste generation (OECD 1999). Source: Australia State of the Environment Report 2006.