Alternatives for Solid Waste Management at the Catholic University of El Salvador

Abstract

This article represents an important contribution to the social, human, and environmental development of the Catholic University of El Salvador, as it helps address an environmental issue that requires urgent attention: the inadequate management of university solid waste.

To achieve this, a perception study was conducted through a survey administered to students and staff of the institution. Likewise, the university’s solid waste was characterized by determining per capita generation, total daily generation, waste-generating areas, production rates, and waste composition.

The per capita generation of solid waste at the university was found to be 60 grams per day, while the total amount of waste generated in one week was 1,750.56 kg, with an average daily generation of 291.76 kg/day. Through sampling, it was determined that 46.15% of the total waste generated at the institution is suitable for composting processes (yard waste and food waste), 47.1% is recyclable material, and only 6.75% corresponds to waste that would be disposed of in a sanitary landfill.

All these findings served as the basis for proposing alternatives from both technical and environmental perspectives.