SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production

Goal 12 aims to ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

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96%

plastic free dining

in 2023, campus retailers were awarded gold, silver or bronze status.

World 1st

SMaRT Centre

to reduce landfill and reimagine waste.

New

UNSW supply chain assessment

The study is one of the first to be completed by a university globally.

Report

In this video, Professor Sami Kara from the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, UNSW, breaks down some of the key challenges behind SDG #12.

Our work

Ghost Nets Study

The UNSW SMaRT Centre and not-for-profit partner TierraMar completed a study for the Australian Government on improved removal and processing of abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (or ghost nets) from Australia’s northern waters.

Degrowth event

"Degrowth is about that reduction in the use of resources, both on the production and the consumption side for the purpose of actually preserving the thing that is most foundational to our collective lives together." Bronwen Morgan

How is UNSW addressing modern slavery?

In 2023, we established a Modern Slavery Strategy to strengthen our approach and continue delivering positive human rights outcomes.

Trailblazer for Recycling and Clean Energy (TRaCE)

In 2023, UNSW and its partners launched the TRaCE program, which seeks to advance solar panels, sustainable fuels, recycling factories, energy storage and green steel technology over the next five years.

Recyclable food packaging

Food packaging is mostly petroleum-based and cannot be recycled. UNSW is working with industry and the UNSW-based Future Food Systems Cooperative Research Centre to produce sustainable food and beverage packaging that can be recycled.

Photo of UNSW Professor Veena Sahajwalla

World first SMaRT Centre

Professor Veena Sahajwalla opened the world’s first e-waste MICROfactorie^TMin 2018 at UNSW’s Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology (SMaRT Centre). The core aims of the SMaRT Centre are to develop novel research for sustainable materials and manufacturing processes, build industry partnerships to activate research for real world impact, and to disseminate green materials and manufacturing technologies that benefit industries, local communities, and enhance sustainable economic growth internationally.

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New microrecycling hub

An estimated 18,600 tonnes of batteries are discarded in landfills in Australia annually. The new UNSW-based Microrecycling Hub – a collaboration between six universities and industry – seeks to develop technologies to recover valuable materials from batteries and other complex wastes that are not currently being recycled.

Recycling solar panels

Approximately 90% of solar panel systems end up in landfills, despite up to 95% of panel materials being recyclable. To improve recycling outcomes, UNSW researchers developed a patented sieving process that separates 99% of cell particles and recovers important materials, like silver.

TEDI-London e-waste course

UNSW students participated in TEDI’s course on reducing e-waste for an improved circular economy, creating a community repair initiative that could be run by TEDI-London and continually benefit its local Canada Water community.

Circular economy course

As part of its commitment to creating circular economies, UNSW offered a course to students on the social and environmental impact of circular economy models in Australia and India.

UNSW Research Group

The UNSW Sustainable Manufacturing and Life Cycle Engineering Research Group was established in 1998 within the UNSW School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering and partnered with ARC and Baxter Australia to investigate how energy and water flow in manufacturing environments in order to identify the hot spots for reduction or reclamation of energy and water usage.

Breaking the chain of modern slavery

How much do you know about modern slavery? And what can we do to eradicate it?

ABC Australian Story

Watch this episode of Australian Story where UNSW scientist Veena Sahajwalla is profiled for her incredible work in recycling, helping to reduce landfill and reimagine waste.

Increased recycling and waste sorting on campus

In 2021 general waste per equivalent Full-Time Student Load reduced by 43% compared to the 2018 baseline. The reduction was supported by waste reduction initiatives, but the majority of the reduction resulted from reduced campus activity. 83% recycling of general waste was achieved in 2021, a significant improvement on the 2019 rate of 49%, and was supported by the successful roll-out of new recycling systems.

UNSW has also achieved a minimum 90% recycling of construction and demolition waste for capital projects since 2019 and a Construction and Demolition Waste Management Guideline was completed and rolled out to support project teams and their contractors to achieve the target.

UNSW Sustainable Procurement Framework

UNSW launched its Sustainable Procurement Vision 2018-2025, aimed at delivering outstanding environmental, social and economic benefits to UNSW students, staff and community through understanding and strengthening UNSW supply chains.

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UNSW Environmental Sustainability Plan

UNSW has a history of environmental stewardship across research, learning & teaching and campus operations across several decades. The Environmental Sustainability Plan (ESP) will build on past achievements while raising our ambition levels to meet the environmental challenges of today.

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UNSW Sustainable Development Goals 2023 Report

This report outlines UNSW's performance against the SDGs in 2023.

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SDG 12: Responsible Consumption & Production