Introduction of a new waste sorting and collection system at a university

Abstract

Nowadays the usage of source separation waste collection system is essential for all organisations. This paper describes a case of introduction of such a system at a university of applied sciences (UAS) in Tallinn. The project started in September 2015. The main goals of the project were to reduce the number of garbage cans in the UAS, reduce the amount of unsorted household waste and inform the school community about the significance of waste sorting and relevant environmental matters. The first step of the project was to execute a full waste audit in UAS to identify precise waste quantities which occurred on daily basis. During the week the environmental technology students weighed and sorted all the waste in all premises of the UAS. Based on the collected data, the new system comprised of 19 waste collection points with sorting instructions and adequate volume. The total number of garbage cans was reduced by 46% and mixed household garbage cans by 72%. The final step was to analyse the efficiency of the new waste collection arrangements. Results showed that the new system was well accepted and 80–85% of waste was sorted and collected in the new waste collection points.