Green manufacturing gets a boost with VCSCM opening

The opening of the $24.9 million Victorian Centre for Sustainable Chemical Manufacturing (VCSCM) is expected to boost green manufacturing in the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

The VCSCM was designed to foster closer ties between manufacturers and researchers through access to practical scientific outcomes and innovative solutions to key issues faced by the industries, hands-on outreach and skills training activities, and a green chemistry web portal.

By assisting industry, the centre aims to evaluate and deploy more sustainable manufacturing processes and capture the benefits of green chemistry for the production of existing and new products.

The centre is led by Monash University in partnership with the CSIRO, the Plastics and Chemicals Industries Association and the Environmental Protection Authority. It was launched by Richard Dalla-Riva, the Victorian Minister for Manufacturing, Exports and Trade. The centre builds on work done over the last decade at the Centre for Green Chemistry at Monash.

The director of the VCSCM, Professor Milton Hearn from Monash, said the centre represents an important step in the creation of more effective partnerships between industry and research institutions.

“This new centre provides a major opportunity to support Victorian and Australian manufacturing industries and other companies to become globally more competitive with skilled workforces,” Hearn said.

“The centre leverages the university’s already strong capabilities and international partnerships in green and sustainable chemistry.”

The Victorian Government contributed $5.85 million to establish VCSCM; the remainder of the funding was provided by partner institutions and organisations.