News & Events
Home > News & Events > ANFF-Victoria’s MCN makes an impact on sustainability
The Melbourne Centre for Nanofabrication’s (MCN) ‘Toxic Apple’ sustainability team achieved Platinum Level in the 2022 Monash Green Impact Program.

Green Impact is a sustainability change and engagement program for people wanting to make a difference. Developed through the UK organisation Students Organising for Sustainability and delivered regionally in Australasia by Australasian Campuses Toward Sustainability (ACTS), the Green Impact program embeds sustainable practises and social responsibility into the workplace.

The Monash Green Impact program is a team-driven challenge for over 40 staff and student teams, helping to ensure that Monash University achieves its sustainability goals. The MCN ‘Toxic Apple’ team has been participating in the program for each of the last 4 years.

In 2022, the MCN Toxic Apple team won not one, but three, amazing recognitions at the Monash Green Impact 2022 awards ceremony:

  • Platinum Level – the highest tier of achievement in the Green Impact program
  • Overall Winner – most sustainability actions completed among Monash University Green Impact teams
  • Labs Toolkit Winner – most laboratory sustainability actions completed among the Monash Green Impact teams

The Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF) congratulates the MCN Toxic Apple team on receiving these commendations in the Monash Green Impact program.

Dr Sean Langelier, ANFF-Vic and MCN General Manager, salutes the Toxic Apple team and applauds the work of team leader Tatiana Pinedo Rivera, ‘We are very supportive of the efforts of Toxic Apple to introduce sustainable practises into our operations. We’re quite proud of Tatiana’s efforts and leadership in this space.’

In 2023, the MCN Toxic Apple team will be liaising with ACTS to work towards organising our very own tailor-made ANFF Green Impact toolkit. In addition, MCN will release a list of sustainability actions geared to micro and nanofabrication facilities that can be employed in other ANFF hubs.

A new Environmental ANFF expert working group (EWG) kicked off its activities at the 2022 ANFF National Retreat to increase awareness of sustainable laboratory practises and to coordinate action throughout the ANFF network. Consisting of both staff members and Hub and Node managers, this dedicated group is planning several initiatives in 2023 such as providing Sustainability 101 education to network members and introducing Green Cleanrooms actions.

ANFF gladly supports the efforts of the Environmental ANFF EWG to raise awareness of and to take action towards sustainable laboratory operations.

For more information on the MCN Toxic Apple team or ANFF’s Environmental EWG, contact team leader Tatiana Pinedo Rivera at tatiana.pinedo@nanomelbourne.com.