Evaluation of the effectiveness of the waste sorting pilot program at Ha Long University dormitory

Abstract

Vietnam's fast urbanization and economic growth have resulted in an approximate annual increase of 10% in the amount of solid waste produced. Most of this waste is disposed of through rudimentary landfill methods, and waste segregation at the source is not regularly implemented, only being piloted in a few areas within a few major cities. Alongside the growth of Ha Long University, over 1700 students living in the dormitory at Site 1 are a significant source of household waste generation on campus. During the course of a two-month waste sorting pilot program at Ha Long University's Dormitory S1, 2,029.6 kg of organic waste, 829.3 kg of recyclables, and 3,906.5 kg of residual waste were collected. The average waste generation rate per student at Dormitory S1 was 0.310 kg/student/day. The model demonstrated its effectiveness in terms of economic, social, and environmental benefits by reducing waste requiring treatment by 41.3% and 43.2%. It also decreased waste management costs by 3.5% for Dormitory S1, while enhancing students’ awareness of waste and waste segregation.