Sydney students and TerraCycle partner to solve sustainability challenges

Tackling sustainability challenges can often feel overwhelming, but through an inspiring partnership between the University of Sydney and TerraCycle, students are learning that their creativity and collaboration can make a real difference.

As part of the Industry and Community Project Unit (ICPU), a group of interdisciplinary students worked with TerraCycle, a global leader in recycling programs, to solve a pressing question: How can we encourage younger generations to participate in recycling hard-to-recycle materials?

This project didn’t just stay on paper. Students rolled up their sleeves to design and test solutions that address real-world barriers to sustainability, producing tangible outcomes like community drop-off points and engagement strategies tailored for Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Learning by doing

Bruce Chapman, Lecturer in Interdisciplinary Education and the project supervisor, described the depth of learning students gained through implementing their ideas in real-world settings: 

"A statement like ‘make the recycling box more visually appealing’ takes on a new level of complexity when students must design, test, and refine their ideas in practice. They not only gained problem-solving skills but also tackled challenges like stakeholder engagement, resilience, and data analysis" he shares. 

From pitching ideas to TerraCycle representatives to testing their recycling prototypes on campus, students were challenged to think beyond theory. They created visually striking recycling drop-off points, developed social media campaigns, and collaborated to ensure their solutions were feasible and impactful.

Interdisciplinary teamwork and impact

For TerraCycle, partnering with students offered an invaluable opportunity to innovate their approach to engaging younger generations. 

"We wanted to involve students because their fresh perspectives and creativity align perfectly with our mission to eliminate the idea of waste," says Jeanne-Vida Douglas, Head of Marketing and Communications at TerraCycle Australia & New Zealand. "Their ideas not only inspired us but provided actionable insights on connecting meaningfully with younger demographics."

This partnership reflects the University’s broader commitment to fostering sustainability and providing students with real-world experiences that enhance their employability. Through interdisciplinary teamwork, students develop the skills, confidence, and networks they’ll carry forward in their careers.