WASTE MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS : A CASE STUDY ON PLANT LEAVES

Abstract

There is a high density of people in a university campus at any time along with students, faculty members and other individuals living there. So, a very good opportunity arises to properly manage various organic and inorganic waste generated. The end goal is to effectively implement the 3 R‟s (Reuse, Reduce and Recycle) so that utilization of various resources can be reduced and the amount of waste generated can be reduced. Different types of waste require their corresponding appropriate strategies to properly manage them. In this experimental study, effects of organic and inorganic wastes on the environment are studied and proper solutions to the various problems are suggested. After that, survey of various sites is done to understand how the waste management is done at a large scale. The survey of DTU campus is done to estimate the amount of waste generated in the campus and to understand various problems associated with waste management. Long-term analysis of the campus biogas plant is done to see how effectively it is being utilized and finding ways to increase its utilization. Usage of fallen leaves as a potential raw material for biogas production is studied and the effect of leaves on the overall biogas production is studied. Initiatives are taken to utilize the kitchen waste from the faculty apartments as a raw material for biogas production. Some unconventional ways of optimizing and improving the biogas production are looked into and their effect is estimated. Some simple ways for a sustainable living were suggested which are easy to implement in our daily lives. The tree leaves proved to be a very good raw material for the production of biogas. Fallen leaves which are a breeding ground for snakes, insects, fungi and other reptiles and may act as a fire hazard when used as a raw material for biogas production provided many benefits. Using leaves in biogas plant will drastically reduce the waste especially during autumn season when as much as two trolleys of leaves are transported daily from the university campus. Utilization of faculty kitchen waste will act as a very big source of biomass for biogas production.