Higher Education Institution’s Solid Waste Management: Practices, Needs, and Opportunities
Cecilia A. Geronimo1, Audie L. Geronimo2
1Cecilia A. Geronimo, College of Engineering, Bulacan State University, City of Malolos (Bulacan), Philippines.
2Audie L. Geronimo, College of Engineering, Bulacan State University, City of Malolos (Bulacan), Philippines.
Manuscript received on 10 June 2019 | Revised Manuscript received on 17 June 2019 | Manuscript Published on 22 June 2019 | PP: 655-664 | Volume-8 Issue-8S2 June 2019 | Retrieval Number: H11100688S219/19©BEIESP
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© The Authors. Blue Eyes Intelligence Engineering and Sciences Publication (BEIESP). This is an open-access article under the CC-BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Abstract: Solid waste management is everybody’s concern. Every individual is a producer of waste that is why in the University all contributors of waste were involved in the study. Production of wastes is one thing, the type of waste produced is another, especially, solid waste and yet the produced waste is managed is another issue. The study used mixed methods through questionnaire and interviews to gather data on status, practices, needs, and opportunities of solid waste management. The findings revealed that the status of solid waste in the University in terms of its types are biodegradable, non-biodegradable and recyclable; with regards to the quantity of waste produced every day, during weekdays an average of 50 bags, where bag has a dimension of 100 square centimeters, Saturdays an average of 20 bags and Sundays about 10 bags. There is a disposal area, where all the waste bags are dumped, with a total area of 200 sq. meters, tools such as shovel, spade, cart, and rake are used and segregation of waste is being enforced; participation in trash to cash program is encouraged to lessen the waste to be disposed and collected by the waste collector or hauler, and allotted budget of approximately six thousand pesos per dump truck load per week. The students and non-teaching personnel agreed on most of the items which described needs and opportunities of solid waste management while the faculty members agreed on practices and strongly agreed on the needs and opportunities on solid waste management in the University. There are needs to be addressed and plans to improve the current practices on solid waste management and optimize the identified opportunities to be recognized as a Clean and Green University.
Keywords: Biodegradable, Non-Biodegradable, Practices, Needs, Opportunities.
Scope of the Article: Network Operations & Management