Plastic presents an ever-growing challenge to our society and our planet. While improving the lives of many, rising plastic consumption is a growing threat to our global environment. Each year, the average Australian uses 130kg of plastic, with over 130,000 tonnes of this ending up in our waterways and oceans. This plastic may take hundreds of years to break down, without ever biodegrading. Microplastic particles remain in the environment, found inside plants, animals and people, with widespread negative consequences for biodiversity and health.

The Plastic Free logo draws inspiration from the University’s emblem and an endangered marine species - the White’s Seahorse (Hippocampus whitei), which is predominantly found in coastal waters off Sydney and Port Stephens. Although White’s Seahorse has the remarkable ability to change colour and camouflage with its environment, one thing it cannot hide from is plastic pollution. Many of the plastic products we throw away wash into our oceans, wreaking havoc on marine life through ingestion and entanglement. By reducing our reliance on plastic, we can help to protect and regenerate these vital ecosystems.

A key component of plastic over-consumption is single-use items. These items are generally thrown away after one use, made from fossil fuels and produced in offshore locations. Some common single-use items include:

• Plastic shopping bags
• Plastic cutlery and straws
• Plastic packaging
• Plastic bottles
• Plastic takeaway food and drink containers

Plastic Free is an ongoing campaign designed to support our staff, students and community in a shift away from single-use plastic to more sustainable alternatives. Our goal is to remove single-use plastic products from key areas on campuses by the end of 2025. We are working with our partners and community through staged education and collaborative initiatives on campus, including:

• Introduction of reusable container schemes and compostable takeaway food packaging at food outlets
• Transition to plastic-free products and compostable stationery at retail stores
• Removal of single-use plastic at University-catered events
• Participation in circular economy schemes that minimise new plastic consumption

On-campus retailers can download the  Plastic Free guide for more information.

The University is aware, supportive and encourages the ban of certain single use plastics as of 1 November 2022. This includes the additional single use plastics that will be banned from 1 January 2025.

We encourage all vendors and retailers to comply with the Plastic Reduction and Circular Economy Act 2021,

Further guidance can be found here - Plastics bans guidance (nsw.gov.au)

Waste and recycling

Plastic and waste products present an ever-growing challenge to our society and our planet.

As outlined within our Environmental Sustainability Plan (2019-2025), the University has a soft plastics recycling program in partnership with Plastic Police, which turns plastic bags into benches providing added outdoor seating across campus. The program has collected and recycled over 362,500 pieces of soft plastic to date.

Plastic Free is an ongoing campaign designed to support our staff, students and community in a shift away from single-use plastic to more sustainable alternatives. Our goal is to remove single-use plastic products from key areas on campuses by the end of 2025. We are working with our partners and community through staged education and collaborative initiatives on campus, including:

• Introduction of reusable container schemes and compostable takeaway food packaging at food outlets
• Transition to plastic-free products and compostable stationery at retail stores
• Removal of single-use plastic at University-catered events
• Participation in circular economy schemes that minimise new plastic consumption.

See our Plastic Free Guide for tips and tricks.