Title: Solid waste characterisation and recycling potential for a university campus in a developing nation

Authors: Amit Kumar Jaglan; Hari Bhakta Sharma; Mansi Vinaik; Brajesh Kumar Dubey

Addresses: Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management, Indian Institute of Technology – Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India ' Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology – Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India ' School of Management and Liberal Studies, The NorthCap University, Gurugram 122017, Haryana, India ' Environmental Engineering and Management, Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology-Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302, West Bengal, India

Abstract: The present study aims to estimate the recyclable potential of the solid waste generated from a University Campus in India through detailed characterisation, quantification, and economic analysis. The study found high fraction of organics (36%) followed by plastic (27%) and paper (17%). The overall recycling potential was 78%. With an efficient integrated solid waste management system in place, it was estimated that the net recyclable waste of 216 tons generated from the university campus could generate revenue of 2.6 million INR (USD $36,500) annually. As a part of the waste management framework, plastic, paper, metal, and glass components were found to have immense potential of sale to local scrap dealers. Organic waste can be recycled directly on-site at the campus in the form of compost and/or biogas. The solid waste management framework proposed in this study for university campuses can be simulated for educational campuses, following circular economy (CE) approach.

Keywords: university campus; waste management; waste characterisation; recycling potential; economic valuation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEWM.2025.143500

International Journal of Environment and Waste Management, 2025 Vol.36 No.1, pp.33 - 48

Received: 11 Feb 2021
Accepted: 02 Mar 2022
Published online: 30 Dec 2024 *

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