Resumo

RUIZ MORALES, Mariana. Solid waste characterization at the Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City. Rev. Int. Contam. Ambient [online]. 2012, vol.28, n.1, pp.93-97. ISSN 0188-4999.

This paper is part of an ongoing research on solid waste generation, management and disposal at Universidad Iberoamericana, Mexico City (IBERO). The paper covers a study on waste quantification and characterization that was conducted between the years of 2008 and 2009 in order to present proposals that contribute to sustainable development at the institution. Results show a daily waste generation of around 3.3 metric tons (0.33 kg/per person, 0.017 kg / m²). It was found that 52 % of solid waste at the university can be processed through composting; 27 % can be recycled, and only 21 % should go to a landfill. However, the actual percentage of total waste recovered by IBERO is 26.23 %, since the university recycles 100 % of yard waste, 1 % of food waste, 23 % of paper, 16.5 % of cardboard, and 1.8 % of PET bottles. Recommendations are presented in order to recover a larger amount of materials by implementing a more efficient collection system.

Palavras-chave : characterization; recycling; solid waste; Universidad Iberoamericana.