Recycling and waste
Every year, La Trobe generates enough landfill waste to fill 10 Olympic size swimming pools!
Understanding our waste and recycling streams
- General waste - this waste goes into an open hole in the ground where trash is buried, organic matter discomposes but without oxygen, causing it to leak out as methane which has 25 times greater impact on the environment
- Recycling - these items are broken down, close to their original form and then remade into similar items and can include commingled recycling, secure paper, cardboard, steel, and e-waste
- Reuse - these items, such as furniture, are repurposed to give them a new life and reducing the need for new items
- Recovery - chemical waste from our labs is recovered and used for other purposes
- Incineration - chemical waste from our labs is burnt to reduce its environmental impact
Recycling program
Explore the recycling services available at each of our campuses below.
For every tonne of paper recycled, thirteen large trees are saved. Recycled paper also uses half the energy and water in production compared to paper made from virgin fibres.
All La Trobe workstations have a cardboard recycling bin for paper recycling that are emptied weekly by cleaning staff. For larger items, all office areas have a 240 litre bin located centrally.
Paper towels are not able to be recycled and should be disposed of via the green organics/food waste bins if available or via the red general waste bins if food waste bins are not available.
Commingled recycling bins with yellow lids are located throughout La Trobe's campuses. Use these bins to dispose of glass bottles, aluminum and steel cans, hard plastic containers (No.1-7) and plastic disposable coffee cup lids. Paper towels such as those available in many staff/student kitchens cannot be recycled and should be disposed via the green organics/food waste bins if available or via the red general waste bins if food waste bins are not available. Material doesn't need to be spotlessly clean but all solid food scraps should be removed before disposing to the recycling bin.
Recycle your old mobile phone and donate to charity at the same time.
Phone Cycle donate a portion of their proceeds to The Jane Goodall Institute that works on projects to protect primates and gorillas in Africa.
Why do they need protection? A key component of mobile phones and most electronic equipment is Tantalum, which is extracted from a raw material known as Coltan, which is mined illegally at some locations across Africa, destroying animal habitat.
By recycling your phone, you will be reducing the demand for Coltan mining and preventing habitat destruction.
Recycle your phone at various collection points on the Melbourne Campus:
- Library foyer (near stairs)
- Student Union reception area
- Reid Building (ground floor main entry).
or
Send your phone via internal mail to: Environmental Sustainability, Infrastructure and Operations, CS1 - Lvl 2, Melbourne Campus.
We're diverting all organic waste produced on our Melbourne and Bendigo campuses from landfill. Green organic waste bins can be found in and around the Agora at Melbourne, and in LSU at Bendigo, as well as in most staff, student and catering ktichens.
The organic waste is processed with an Eco Guardians Soil Food system which converts the waste into a nutrient-rich organic soil enhancer to be used on the campus gardens.
Coffee grounds, compostable containers, flowers, fruit and vegetables, paper towel and plate scrapings (including meat, fish and leftovers) can all be included in the green organic waste bins.
Food waste is also collected from the Albury-Wodonga campus via a commercial collection and composting service. Benchtop food waste bins are located in staff and student kitchens. Food waste generated by La Moka cafe is also collected for composting.
Explore our on-site composting unit video to delve deeper into our process:
Batteries contain dangerous heavy metals. If sent to landfill, these metals pollute our soil and waterways and poison our plants and animals. To ensure batteries are recycled or at least disposed of properly, use our battery recycling service.
To minimise your impact you can switch to rechargeable batteries.
Send your batteries via internal mail to: Environmental Sustainability Unit, Infrastructure and Operations, CS1 - Lvl 2, Melbourne Campus.
Deposit your batteries at our battery recycling banks:
Melbourne Campus:
- Library (ground floor)
- Student Union Offices
- Reid Building (ground floor main entry)
Bendigo Campus:
- Library and Student Union (LSU)
- Common Room
Please note: Sealed lead acid batteries are NOT to be placed in the hubs, a collection can be arranged via Archibus
Cartridges can be sent via internal mail to: Environmental Sustainability Unit, Infrastructure and Operations, CS1 - Lvl 2, Melbourne Campus or deposited at one of three recycle hubs located across the Campus:
- Library (ground floor)
- Student Union Offices
- Reid Building (ground floor main entry)
Cartridges are currently recycled through 'Close the Loop' and the metals, plastics and inks are recovered from all types of print cartridges.
For every tonne of material collected, 10 tonnes of carbon are saved.
Expanded polystyrene is made by expanding beads of polystyrene plastic (like popcorn) which are then fused together. Expanded polystyrene can be easily identified if the beads of foam can be easily seen when foam is broken. Polystyrene packaging can’t be recycled via standard commingled recycling collections, and when disposed via general waste collections it ends up taking up precious space in landfill, and does not break down.
La Trobe has separate, centralised polystyrene recycling collections at its Melbourne and Bendigo Campuses. Please log an Archibus work request to organise collection of your polystyrene waste by our cleaning service providers.
Try to avoid procuring products that have large amount of polystyrene, insist on a take back policy that can be build it into large contracts.
If you have polystyrene waste at home you can take it to be recycled at the following waste transfer stations:
- Boroondara Recycling and Waste Centre (648 Riversdale Road, Camberwell)
- Brooklyn Transfer Station (12 Old Geelong Road, Brooklyn)
- Monash Waste Transfer Station and Recycling Centre (380 Ferntree Gully Road, Notting Hill)
- Moonee Valley City Council Transfer Station (188 Holmes Road, Aberfeldie)
- Clayton Transfer Station (Cnr Fraser Rd and Deals Rd, Clayton South)
Fluorescent lighting contains mercury. If fluorescent tubes are disposed of improperly, the mercury can enter soil and waterways and harm plant and animal life.
La Trobe recycles the mercury, glass, aluminium and phosphor from all discarded tubes.
Fluorescent tubes and globes must be delivered to the Infrastructure and Operations Group for recycling at: Environmental Sustainability Unit, Infrastructure and Operations, CS1 - Lvl 2, Melbourne Campus.
E-waste is electronic equipment (e.g. computers and photocopiers) nearing the end of its useful life. Some electronic equipment contains dangerous heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium, which can leach into our soil and groundwater in landfill.
It's important that e-waste is disposed of in a responsible manner. Many of the materials in these products can be reused or recycled, and some equipment can be refurbished for a second life.
Recycle your CDs and DVDs by internal mail to: Environmental Sustainability Unit, Infrastructure and Operations, CS1 - Lvl 2, Melbourne Campus.
Small amounts of E-waste can deposited at one of three recycle hubs located across the Campus:
- Library (ground floor)
- Student Union Offices
- Reid Building (ground floor main entry).
For large amounts of E-waste, please submit an Archibus request
If you have any inquiries regarding our disposal and recycling programs for the items mentioned above, please contact: sustainability@latrobe.edu.au.