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Unit of Study PLAN3001 - Waste as a Resource (2026)

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Unit Snapshot

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Unit description

Introduces students to the complex issues of waste management and the associated technologies in industry and community settings. The unit focuses on the concept of the circular economy and the conversion of wastes into resources. This unit uses case studies, practical and field experiences and a multidisciplinary approach to explore the expanding range of technologies to manage waste in appropriate and effective ways.

Unit content

1. History of waste and problems associated with waste handling and management

2. Variety of waste streams, solid, liquid, gas and nuclear.

3. Household behaviour and resource recovery, resource recovery from waste, saving dollars and closing loops at the individual level.

4. Solid recovery of resources from waste streams, separation, sorting, closing loops. 

5. Liquid waste module, recovery of nutrients and bringing water back to A grade recycled water for reuse or responsible discharge

6. Governance and economic drivers of waste sector, frontier of change, eventual circular economy outcomes.

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore
Term1
Term1
Online
Term1
Term1

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

evaluate and assess the types of waste and their impacts on the environment

understand complex waste management technologies and waste minimisation strategies.

measure the impact of newly manufactured versus recycled material on the behaviour of produced products

critically evaluate the concept of the circular economy

Prescribed learning resources

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Prescribed Resources/Equipment
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Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.