University of Wollongong

Putting sustainability on the table

At the University of Wollongong’s food court, the sustainable plate initiative introduced branded reusable plates, bowls and cutlery as a dine-in option. The EPA and the university worked together to help achieve the university’s sustainability goals which included cutting down on the use ofsingle-use plastics across their campuses. The university installed customised wash stations in the food court so that used plates could be collected by cleaning staff to be washed and redistributed to food outlets for re-use. Students are encouraged to choose the sustainable plate option when dining in rather than using single use plastics like cutlery and takeaway containers.

This initiative needed a large-scale behaviour change education program across the Wollongong campus. By providing branded reusable items, putting in place a loyalty card program, and conducting waste audits, the initiative aimed to encourage students to adopt sustainable practices, develop new habits, and actively contribute to reducing waste and promoting sustainability.

Some retailers and students were hesitant at first, but consistent messaging and the presence of the wash stations has helped make the system the new normal. Paired with education facts about the problems single-use plastics can cause, the university made a significant dent in their plastic consumption:

• 13,000 take-away containers diverted from landfill within one year in the food court
• 9,000 take-away containers diverted from landfill in the Unibar within three months
• 400 take-away containers diverted from landfill at the university’s Moonlit Markets.