MCEC joined forces with students from RMIT University in an effort to eliminate single-use plastics from their events and onsite cafes by 2025.
Using a circular economy approach, the RMIT students designed a closed loop system and developed a proposal to replace MCEC’s disposable coffee cups and drink cups with reusable and sustainable alternatives.
As part of the RMIT Impact Academy program, six students in multi-disciplinary teams, including degrees in marketing, economics, finance and information systems, immersed themselves in the real-world task of tackling environmental challenges through a 10-week program with MCEC’s sustainability manager, Samantha Ferrier.
In an average year, MCEC welcomes 2.67 million visitors, 1 million of these are event attendees.
The venue’s catering has already eliminated plastic straws and plastic water bottles and significantly reduced consumption of plastic takeaway containers and packaging at events by offering reusable alternatives.
Single-use items that remain a challenge to eliminate include drink cups and coffee cups as well as plastic containers and takeaway packaging sold from cafes and retail outlets.
In line with the National Packaging Targets, which will ban the sale of Single-use straws, cutlery, plates, drink-stirrers, expanded polystyrene food and drink containers, and cotton bud sticks in Victoria by February 2023, MCEC has set a goal to eliminate problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by 2025.
The program aimed to help unlock the students’ entrepreneurial talent while they create value and have an impact on real-world MCEC clients. The students provided insights, prototypes and meaningful solutions to social and environmental challenges.
The next step is for MCEC to delve deeper into the recommendations, develop proof of concepts and conduct trials based on the proposed models.
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre is the home of unconventional. As they explain, “At MCEC we do things a little differently. We bring fresh ideas and imagination to every event. We happily turn concepts on their head to make each experience momentous. We welcome events of all shapes and sizes, from meetings and conferences to exhibitions, concerts and galas, whether in-person, virtual or hybrid. And our city is our inspiration. Melbourne is on show at MCEC – in the architecture and design, food and hospitality, location and views. Discover the difference at MCEC.” For more info, visit mcec.com.au