Composition of Solid Waste in a University Campus and its Potential for Composting

Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the solid waste generation at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM). The study areas were divided to four categories; offices, dormitories, faculties, and student affairs. This study is to quantify waste generation and composition, which was separated into organics, papers, plastics, glass, metals, e-waste and others. Waste characteristics studies were done to estimate the moisture content, density, pH and carbon/nitrogen ratio (C/N ratio). The average solid waste generation (on monthly basis) at UKM is 137.57 ton. The compositions of solid waste generated are paper (15.9%), glass (0.7%), plastic (12.2%), metal (1.2%), organic (54.8%), e-waste (0.2%) and others waste (15.0%). From the laboratory results, the average moisture content, density, pH and C/N ratio values from the solid waste generated are  43.16%, 273.5 kg/m3, 5.76, and 7:1 respectively. Composting methods would be one most sustainable method to convert organic waste into valuable compounds and reduce the waste  to be disposed into landfills.