Solid Wastes Generation in Amazon State University's, Puyo, Ecuador

Higher education institutions in developing countries increasingly focus on sustainability. One of the main problems in these approaches is waste management. Urban populations of students, professors, and administrative workers generate waste volumes in coffee shops, canteens, photocopying centers, offices, among others. It is necessary to create plans that promote measures of prevention, recovery of waste and minimize the environmental impacts associated with generation. The present work analyzes the quantity and composition of waste generated at the Amazon State University's (Campus Puyo) as an important step in the initial diagnosis of integrated waste management plans. The estimated average daily solid waste generation was estimated around 71 kilograms. There is a high recycling potential composed mainly of: paper 10%, glass 5%, plastic 18%, metals 1%, and organic 46%. The information generated in this study can contribute to the establishment of alternative solutions in waste management and disposal.