SUSTAINABILITY TRANSFORMATION IN TEACHING ORGANIC CHEMISTRY LABORATORY AT UNIVERSITY OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

In order to deepen the problem of hazardous organic waste, we performed an exhaustive analysis of the waste generated in the teaching laboratories of the Organic Chemical II Department. Likewise, all the students involved in those practices have answered a questionnaire in order to know their prior knowledge in the subject and the awareness of the correct separate organic waste. The results have been analyzed with a Statistical Analysis Software making a cheminformatics model to be able to make the best decisions for the prevention, reduction and reuse of waste. This is a good way to promote the circular economy within the university, involving the different groups such as students or teachers.

The conclusions of this analysis can be applied to other laboratories in different areas of the Faculty of Science and Technology and / or to research laboratories. After that, they can also be implemented in other campuses and centers of the University of the Basque Country. The ultimate goal would be to reduce the amount of hazardous waste generated in the organic teaching laboratories of the Faculty of Science and their directly related economic cost.