IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v9y2017i8p1415-d107897.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cutting GHG Emissions at Student Housing in Central Mexico through Solid Waste Management

Author

Listed:
  • Quetzalli Aguilar-Virgen

    (Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Calzada Universidad No. 14418, Mesa de Otay, Tijuana 22390, Mexico
    Sociedad Mexicana de Ciencia y Tecnologia Aplicada a Residuos Sólidos, Calimaya 52227, Mexico)

  • Paul Taboada-González

    (Facultad de Ciencias Químicas e Ingeniería, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Calzada Universidad No. 14418, Mesa de Otay, Tijuana 22390, Mexico
    Sociedad Mexicana de Ciencia y Tecnologia Aplicada a Residuos Sólidos, Calimaya 52227, Mexico)

  • Eduardo Baltierra-Trejo

    (Centro de Investigación en Sustentabilidad Energética y Ambiental del Noreste, Universidad Autónoma del Noreste, Av. Constituyentes 1002, Las Rusias, Matamoros 87560, Mexico)

  • Liliana Marquez-Benavides

    (Sociedad Mexicana de Ciencia y Tecnologia Aplicada a Residuos Sólidos, Calimaya 52227, Mexico
    Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, Av. San Juanito Itzícuaro S/N, Colonia San Juanito Itzícuaro, Morelia 58240, Mexico)

Abstract

Solid waste characterisation studies have been conducted at the household or municipal level, but fewer studies have assessed the composition of solid waste within institutions of higher education or university student residences. Studies carried out in universities usually refer to the academic buildings, yet, reports of waste characterisation from student housing and the associated greenhouse gas emissions are scarce. The goal of this work was to present a study case where both equivalent carbon dioxide (CO 2 eq) emissions and waste reductions were successfully attained in student housing after implementation of a solid waste management strategy. Two waste characterisation studies were carried out, before and after a waste management program was implemented to reduce waste generation. The waste generation per capita (GPC) per day was estimated at 1.5 kg for the first study (2014) and 1.1 kg for the second (2015); in addition, 87% of the waste stream was diverted from the landfill through vermicomposting and recycling. The percentage of food waste used for vermicomposting was 2.83%. The CO 2 eq emissions in 2014 were estimated at 12,624 kg CO 2 eq (0.43 kg/capita/day) and 761 kg for 2015 (0.03 kg/capita/day). Appropriate solid waste management was revealed to have a fundamental role in cutting indirect CO 2 eq emissions.

Suggested Citation

  • Quetzalli Aguilar-Virgen & Paul Taboada-González & Eduardo Baltierra-Trejo & Liliana Marquez-Benavides, 2017. "Cutting GHG Emissions at Student Housing in Central Mexico through Solid Waste Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-12, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:1415-:d:107897
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1415/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/8/1415/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Yi-Tui Chen, 2016. "A Cost Analysis of Food Waste Composting in Taiwan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(11), pages 1-13, November.
    2. Elena Cristina Rada & Chiara Bresciani & Eleonora Girelli & Marco Ragazzi & Marco Schiavon & Vincenzo Torretta, 2016. "Analysis and Measures to Improve Waste Management in Schools," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-12, August.
    3. Xingpeng Chen & Jiaxing Pang & Zilong Zhang & Hengji Li, 2014. "Sustainability Assessment of Solid Waste Management in China: A Decoupling and Decomposition Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(12), pages 1-14, December.
    4. Sudipta Bhawal Mukherji & Makiko Sekiyama & Takashi Mino & Bharati Chaturvedi, 2016. "Resident Knowledge and Willingness to Engage in Waste Management in Delhi, India," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-14, October.
    5. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change IPCC, 2008. "Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: Fourth Assessment Report: Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report," Working Papers id:1325, eSocialSciences.
    6. Seongmin Kang & Seungjin Kim & Jeongwoo Lee & Youngjae Jeon & Ki-Hyun Kim & Eui-chan Jeon, 2017. "A Study on Applying Biomass Fraction for Greenhouse Gases Emission Estimation of a Sewage Sludge Incinerator in Korea: A Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-7, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Daniel A. Salas & Paulina Criollo & Angel D. Ramirez, 2021. "The Role of Higher Education Institutions in the Implementation of Circular Economy in Latin America," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-27, August.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Antonio Jacintos Nieves & Gian Carlo Delgado Ramos, 2023. "Advancing the Application of a Multidimensional Sustainable Urban Waste Management Model in a Circular Economy in Mexico City," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-23, August.
    2. Zarsky, Lyuba, 2010. "Climate-Resilient Industrial Development Paths: Design Principles and Alternative Models," Working Papers 179080, Tufts University, Global Development and Environment Institute.
    3. Chhabra, Vibhuti & Bambery, Keith & Bhattacharya, Sankar & Shastri, Yogendra, 2020. "Thermal and in situ infrared analysis to characterise the slow pyrolysis of mixed municipal solid waste (MSW) and its components," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C), pages 388-401.
    4. Benjamin Jones & Michael Keen & Jon Strand, 2013. "Fiscal implications of climate change," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 20(1), pages 29-70, February.
    5. Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Leonardo Bursztyn & David Hemous, 2012. "The Environment and Directed Technical Change," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(1), pages 131-166, February.
    6. Wen, Shaoting & Buyukada, Musa & Evrendilek, Fatih & Liu, Jingyong, 2020. "Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses of co-combustion/pyrolysis of textile dyeing sludge and incense sticks: Regression and machine-learning models," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 151(C), pages 463-474.
    7. An Thinh Nguyen & Mai Tran & Thuy Nguyen & Quy Khuc, 2023. "Using Contingent Valuation Method to Explore the Households’ Participation and Willingness to Pay for Improved Plastic Waste Management in North Vietnam," Springer Books, in: An Thinh Nguyen & Thu Thuy Pham & Joon Song & Yen-Ling Lin & Manh Cuong Dong (ed.), Contemporary Economic Issues in Asian Countries: Proceeding of CEIAC 2022, Volume 2, pages 219-237, Springer.
    8. Seongmin Kang & Joonyoung Roh & Eui-chan Jeon, 2020. "Seasonal Variation Analysis Method of GHG at Municipal Solid Waste Incinerator," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-10, September.
    9. Wen-Tien Tsai, 2020. "Turning Food Waste into Value-Added Resources: Current Status and Regulatory Promotion in Taiwan," Resources, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-11, April.
    10. Seongmin Kang & Changsang Cho & Ki-Hyun Kim & Eui-chan Jeon, 2018. "Fossil Carbon Fraction and Measuring Cycle for Sewage Sludge Waste Incineration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(8), pages 1-8, August.
    11. Leslier Valenzuela-Fernández & Manuel Escobar-Farfán, 2022. "Zero-Waste Management and Sustainable Consumption: A Comprehensive Bibliometric Mapping Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-24, December.
    12. Moonju Kim & Befekadu Chemere & Kyungil Sung, 2019. "Effect of Heavy Rainfall Events on the Dry Matter Yield Trend of Whole Crop Maize ( Zea mays L.)," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-11, April.
    13. Tatàno, Fabio & Acerbi, Nadia & Monterubbiano, Chiara & Pretelli, Silvia & Tombari, Lucia & Mangani, Filippo, 2012. "Shoe manufacturing wastes: Characterisation of properties and recovery options," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 66-75.
    14. Seeberg-Elverfeldt, Christina & Schwarze, Stefan & Zeller, Manfred, 2008. "Payments for environmental services : incentives through carbon sequestration compensation for cocoa-based agroforestry systems in Central Sulawesi, Indonesia," Research in Development Economics and Policy (Discussion Paper Series) 92827, Universitaet Hohenheim, Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences in the Tropics and Subtropics.
    15. Aune, Finn Roar & Grimsrud, Kristine & Lindholt, Lars & Rosendahl, Knut Einar & Storrøsten, Halvor Briseid, 2017. "Oil consumption subsidy removal in OPEC and other Non-OECD countries: Oil market impacts and welfare effects," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 395-409.
    16. Bing Xue & Mario Tobias, 2015. "Sustainability in China: Bridging Global Knowledge with Local Action," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(4), pages 1-7, March.
    17. Doreen Fedrigo-Fazio & Jean-Pierre Schweitzer & Patrick Ten Brink & Leonardo Mazza & Alison Ratliff & Emma Watkins, 2016. "Evidence of Absolute Decoupling from Real World Policy Mixes in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(6), pages 1-22, May.
    18. Andrew, Jane & Kaidonis, Mary A. & Andrew, Brian, 2010. "Carbon tax: Challenging neoliberal solutions to climate change," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 21(7), pages 611-618.
    19. Chuanhui Liao & Hui Li, 2019. "Environmental Education, Knowledge, and High School Students’ Intention toward Separation of Solid Waste on Campus," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-15, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:8:p:1415-:d:107897. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.