Abstract
This study was undertaken to characterize the solid waste generation at educational facilities in Hue, Vietnam. The authors surveyed 35 educational
facilities within six categories of schools for seven consecutive days. The waste generation rates by facility, student, classroom, staff member, and floor area
were assessed by school category using the following three waste categories: general waste (GW), separated recyclables (SR), and separated food residue
(SFR). To determine the potential for composting and recycling from the disposal amount, GW was classified and measured by 10 physical categories and 77
sub-categories. Plastic, paper, and food waste were dominant in most of the school categories. The total waste generated from educational facilities in Hue
was determined by extrapolating the total number of facility/student in Hue and the waste generation rate by facility/student. The total waste generated was
estimated to be 5.76 tons/day, of which 3.29 tons/day (57.2%) was GW, 0.15 tons/day (2.6%) was SR, and 2.33 tons/day (40.5%) was SFR. The authors also
revealed a considerable potential to recycle and compost remaining in GW, at rates of 1.11 tons/day (19.3%) and 1.29 tons/day (22.4%), respectively. The
total amount sent to a landfill could be reduced from 3.29 tons/day (57.2%) to 0.89 tons/day (15.5%). A detailed breakdown of the recycling and composting
potential is also analyzed and discussed for use in policy making decisions. Through the Monte Carlo simulation, the 95% confidence interval of the total
waste amount was estimated to be 4.85-7.71 tons/day.
facilities within six categories of schools for seven consecutive days. The waste generation rates by facility, student, classroom, staff member, and floor area
were assessed by school category using the following three waste categories: general waste (GW), separated recyclables (SR), and separated food residue
(SFR). To determine the potential for composting and recycling from the disposal amount, GW was classified and measured by 10 physical categories and 77
sub-categories. Plastic, paper, and food waste were dominant in most of the school categories. The total waste generated from educational facilities in Hue
was determined by extrapolating the total number of facility/student in Hue and the waste generation rate by facility/student. The total waste generated was
estimated to be 5.76 tons/day, of which 3.29 tons/day (57.2%) was GW, 0.15 tons/day (2.6%) was SR, and 2.33 tons/day (40.5%) was SFR. The authors also
revealed a considerable potential to recycle and compost remaining in GW, at rates of 1.11 tons/day (19.3%) and 1.29 tons/day (22.4%), respectively. The
total amount sent to a landfill could be reduced from 3.29 tons/day (57.2%) to 0.89 tons/day (15.5%). A detailed breakdown of the recycling and composting
potential is also analyzed and discussed for use in policy making decisions. Through the Monte Carlo simulation, the 95% confidence interval of the total
waste amount was estimated to be 4.85-7.71 tons/day.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 121 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Environmental and Social Sciences |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| Publication status | Published - Jan 2016 |
Keywords
- School waste
- Recycling potential
- Composting potential
- Interval estimation