Monash University researchers have found that manufacturing businesses who adopt circular economy (CE) strategies and practices can reduce manufacturing waste by 65 per cent.
Australia's manufacturing sector contributes significantly to waste generation, producing nearly 13 million tonnes of waste nationwide.
In Victoria, the industry is responsible for 39 per cent of the state's total waste. In particular, the manufacturing sector generates an average of 4,350 kilograms of waste per full-time-equivalent (FTE) employee annually, resulting in almost 500,000 tonnes of waste per year in the southeast Melbourne region alone.
To tackle this issue, Victoria's manufacturing industry has been working with Monash Business School's Department of Management to develop strategies to enhance resource efficiency, minimise waste, and mitigate the negative effects of production and consumption by adopting CE principles and practices.
As part of a three-year project, a team of researchers, led by Primary Chief Investigator Professor Amrik Sohal from the Department of Management, worked with Victorian manufacturers in plastics, textiles, general engineering and food, as well as industry associations and local government representatives, to raise awareness, build capability and support their transition to a CE.
