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Currently, Mauritius is adopting landfilling as the main waste management method, which makes the waste sector the second biggest emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) in the country. This presents a challenge for the island to attain its commitments to reduce its GHG emissions to 30% by 2030 to cater for SDG 13 (Climate Action). Moreover, issues like eyesores caused by littering and overflowing of bins and low recycling rates due to low levels of waste segregation are adding to the obstacles for Mauritius to attain other SDGs like SDG 11 (Make Cities & Human Settlements Inclusive, Safe, Resilient & Sustainable) and SDG 12 (Guarantee Sustainable Consumption & Production Patterns). Therefore, together with an optimisation of waste collection, transportation and sorting processes, it is important to establish a solid waste characterisation to determine more sustainable waste management options for Mauritius to divert waste from the landfill. However, traditional waste characterisation is time consuming and costly. Thus, this chapter consists of looking at the feasibility of adopting machine learning to forecast the solid waste characteristics and to improve the solid waste management processes as per the concept of smart waste management for the island of Mauritius in line with reducing the current challenges being faced to attain SDGs 11, 12 and 13.

This paper examined the current status of municipal solid waste management across Nigeria. The core aspects covered are generation, characterization, collection, scavenging, open dumping, disposal and environmental implications of poor solid waste management. The purpose of this paper is to present a comprehensive overview of the current state of municipal solid waste management in Nigeria.

This study was executed by a combination of an extensive literature search and field study. Solid waste generation rates for 31 Nigerian cities were obtained from literature. In addition, characteristics of municipal solid waste from 26 Nigerian cities were also obtained from literature. Other aspects such as characterization of solid waste obtained from final dumpsite and heavy metals accumulation in solid waste dumpsites were undertaken first hand.

Solid waste generation rate was found to vary from 0.13 kg/capita/day in Ogbomosho to 0.71 kg/capita/day in Ado-Ekiti. Factors affecting solid waste generation rates were identified. Typically, food waste was found to constitute close to 50 percent of overall municipal solid waste in Nigerian cities. This study shows that the rate of generation of plastics, water proof materials and diapers has assumed an upward trend. Due to the dysfunctional state of many municipal waste management authorities, many cities have been overrun by open dumps. For instance, more than 50 percent of residents of Maiduguri in northern Nigeria and Ughelli in southern Nigeria dispose of their waste in open dumps. Indiscriminate disposal of waste has also resulted in the preponderance of toxic heavy metals in agricultural soils and consequent bioaccumulation in plants as well as groundwater contamination.

The main limitation of this research is municipal waste management authorities do not have relevant data. Hence, there was heavy reliance on published materials. The status of waste management in Nigeria is very deplorable and therefore poses serious threats to public and environmental health. There is urgent need for both government and individuals to adopt holistic and sustainable waste management strategies in order to safeguard public/environmental health.

Findings from this paper can form a veritable resource for the formulation and implementation of sustainable municipal solid waste management framework and strategies in Nigeria.

While most studies on municipal solid waste management in Nigeria are focussed on selected cities of interest, this particular study cuts across most cities of Nigeria in order to present a broader and holistic view of municipal solid waste management in Nigeria. The paper has also unraveled core municipal solid waste management challenges facing Nigerian cities.

Universities are an example of institutions that aggregate people around work/study who consume water, energy and produce waste daily in their activities, generating an impact on the environment. The purpose of this study is to determine the quantity, composition and recycling potential of waste generated at the Faculdade UnB Planaltina (FUP) campus, of the University of Brasilia in the Federal District, Brazil, to develop a waste management strategy compatible with national legislation and sustainable global practices.

This study was based on conducting on-site visits to identify the sources of generation, hazardousness, management and gravimetric characteristics of residual waste from 2015 to 2016. In 2016, a selective collection was implemented on the FUP campus, and since then, actions to raise awareness for the selective disposal and monitoring of waste were conducted with the academic community.

The results showed that the campus generates 148 kg of waste/day, whereas the per capita generation is 92 g/day. The production of hazardous waste is related to campus laboratories which manage it under a specific program. The campus restaurant is the place that generates the most waste, of which organic waste is the most representative. When categorizing the waste generated on campus, the authors found that the majority are recyclables at 67% of the total. This category includes material composed of cardboard, paper and plastic, all able to be recycled in the Federal District.

The recyclable waste generated at the FUP campus is being diverted from the city’s landfill because they are donated to a recycling cooperative. These actions promote income generation, social inclusion of waste pickers and a circular economy, all in compliance with the National Solid Waste Policy. As a result, the FUP campus is more in line with Brazilian legislation and the global context of adopting sustainable waste management amongst higher education institutions.

This paper contributes to the literature on sustainability in higher education by reporting the process of implementation of a waste management strategy in a university campus. Further, it presents tools and methods that can be used to achieve sustainability in waste management. The study also identifies that the crucial factor for the success of such actions is the mobilization and participation of the academic community in the process. It does so by presenting findings demonstrating how the University of Brasilia has been concerned with adopting pro-environmental measures for sustainable development.

This study sought to assess the process of initiating a sustainable recycling program at the University of Jordan. It illustrates the potentials of recycling, perceived awareness of recycling by the students and staff, as well as challenges to a sustainable waste recycling program. This study aims to identify the barriers and challenges that face a sustainable waste recycling program at the University of Jordan.

The study consisted of investigating waste recycling potential on campus, inspecting general environmental awareness toward recycling and running an experimental recycling study on part of the campus. A waste characterization study was conducted to assess the current waste status and recycling extent. A questionnaire survey was carried out to obtain information on the students’ and staffs’ awareness of waste recycling and management on campus. In the experimental recycling study, seventy units of waste segregation bins were distributed on campus. The recycling efficiency was evaluated at two schools; the School of Engineering and the School of Medicine. The administrative support and collaboration while running the recycling program were also observed.

Overall, waste recycling at the University of Jordan has an appreciable opportunity and potential. A substantial amount of waste can be diverted from going to the landfill. Data showed general positive recycling rates except for plastic. Also, the recycling rates show great potential for enhancing. The recycling at the University of Jordan faces several barriers and obstacles. The greatest barrier was identified as the lack of cooperation of the administrative system on campus. The administrative support for the recycling program was strong only at the initiation of the recycling program. Administrative support has a vital influence on the recycling program. It has the potential of boosting it or bringing it to halt. Future studies should focus on investigating recycling efficiency for the entire campus and focus more on increasing pro-environmental behavior among students and staff in higher education institutions.

The value of this research lies in it being conducted in a large campus university in a developing country. Also, the study used a diagnostic approach that is based on evaluating an environmental sustainability program as it evolves inside a higher education institution. The study illustrates the challenges that face universities in developing countries while adopting green campus initiatives.

Municipal solid waste (MSW) consists mainly of several recyclable materials such as paper and cardboard. Inside the educational institutes, especially universities, MSW is generated from several facilities including offices and cafeterias. Without an effective management program, solid waste can have detrimental impacts on the environment. This paper aims to assess the solid waste management practices followed at the main campus of Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University (IAU), Dammam – Saudi Arabia.

The MSW samples were collected from different sources inside the IAU campus such as the college buildings (such as the teaching rooms and staff offices), the administrative buildings and services buildings (e.g. the main library, the photocopying center, the restaurant and cafeteria) at least one time per week during a full academic term (January–May) of the academic year 2017–2018. The collected MSW samples were segregated into seven categories, and the net amount of each category and the overall weight of the MSW were determined once every week. The MSW samples were characterized for physical and chemical properties including moisture, carbon and ash contents. Food product waste (FPW) of the main university restaurant was studied separately.

Data on the composition of MSW samples revealed that 80% of wastes were recyclable, 19% as compostable materials, while only 1% of the materials were a non-recyclable waste. More than 73% of the recyclable materials include paper and plastic warranting dire need of an effective solid waste management program. The highest value of FPW was recorded for the breakfast meal.

Most of the waste generated from the university campus was recyclable type that needs to be handled carefully to avoid its mixing with other types of the waste stream. Waste characterization is an important tool that helps in understanding the amount and pattern of waste generation. It can be used as a decision-making tool for implementing sustainable waste management programs for universities.

This study aims to discuss to what extent are WMPs practical tools for circular and sustainable waste management in universities, presenting, therefore, a case study of the usage of WMP in the Brazilian public universities and comparing this scenario with the international context.

The WMPs were identified by online search and analyzed according to qualitative indicators (spatial-temporal distribution, year, extent and virtual availability), and through circularity and sustainability criteria, using a proposed checklist.

Even being mandatory instruments, only 17% of the 103 public universities in Brazil had a WMP identified, and, among these plans, 55% were restricted to healthcare services waste, only 15% covered all university campuses. Although most of the available plans indicate measures for more sustainable waste management (e.g., recyclable waste collection on campus), they lack specific deadlines for presented goals on waste management, treating waste management at a more emergency pace than in well-structured long-term planning.

Numerous studies have discussed waste management strategies for universities worldwide, but few have addressed the usage and structure of WMPs. A case study of the Brazilian situation in light of the international scenario is of great value in understanding the differences between universities in terms of waste management, and with strong potential to support the structuring of more solid environmental policies in universities, especially in developing countries.

The paper aims to examine the healthcare waste management practices of selected hospitals in Ghana.

The study adopted a multiple case approach, using two public and two private hospitals.

Findings indicate that both public hospitals and one private hospital have a waste management policy. Public and private hospitals have waste management plans and waste management teams. Public hospitals were found to generate more waste than the private hospitals. One private hospital and the public hospitals segregate their waste into different categories. This is done by first identifying the waste type and then separating non-infectious or general waste from infectious waste. Both public and private hospitals have internal storage facilities for temporarily storing the waste before they are finally disposed off-site. On-site transportation in the public hospitals is done by using wheelbarrows, while covered bins with wheels are used to transport waste on-site in the private hospitals. In public and private hospitals, off-site transportation of the hospital waste is undertaken by Municipal Assemblies with the use of trucks. Both public and private hospitals employ standard methods for disposing of healthcare waste.

The article provides insights into healthcare waste management from a Ghanaian perspective.

The purpose of this paper is to assess the waste characteristics and separation efficiency of source separation of household waste in low- and middle-income communities in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

A sample of 60 households participated in the household survey, education on source separation and pilot source separation exercise. The solid waste was sorted into six fractions and three recycling categories (biodegradable; paper and plastic; residue).

The mean generation rate of solid waste was 0.52±0.26 kg/per capita/day for the low-income community and 0.65±0.27 kg/per capita/day for the middle-income community. The waste fractions in the communities (low, middle income) were biodegradable organics (59.15, 65.68 per cent), plastics (11.01, 10.68 per cent), papers (3.15, 4.51 per cent), glass (0.89, 2.57 per cent), metals (0.96, 4.63 per cent) and miscellaneous (24.84, 11.93 per cent), respectively. The separation efficiency for organic category was 70 per cent, inorganic and residue was over 69 per cent and the paper and plastics was over 60 per cent.

The study suggests that the success of source separation programme hinges on education and economic incentives. It was noted that the sample size could be increased to enhance the accuracy of the data for prediction purpose.

The findings showed there is potential for recycling through source separation programme in low-and middle-income communities. Public education and economic incentives are necessary for successful source separation programme.

The paper provides insight into source separation to contribute to better understanding of how city authorities in developing countries could take advantage of economic incentives to scale-up recycling.

The purpose of this paper is to review the present municipal solid wastes (MSWs) management system, from an engineering management (EM) perspective, for the City of Kitwe while proposing a levers-driven sustainable municipal solid waste management (MSWM) model focussing on improving waste management (WM).

The research work involves four stages. First, a comprehensive review of literature is conducted on MSWM. Second, structured interviews are conducted with key experts in solid waste management in the City of Kitwe in order to enhance the knowledge inputs. Third, direct observations and an interview with a WM driver are conducted in order to understand; the collection, disposal and treatment options for MSWs. Lastly, a sustainable model for managing MSWs is proposed

The research findings indicate that the existing MSW system for the city is highly unsustainable and lacks EM methodologies. There are still a number of challenges in the management of MSWs which include: lack of proper collection and storage of MSWs; lack of an engineered landfill; lack of waste recovery and treatment systems; and lack of public education aimed at reducing and separating MSWs.

A correct and detailed database for waste generation, collection, treatment and disposal is needed for the City of Kitwe. The system is necessary for WM resources allocation as well as for planning sustainable WM projects. The proposed model has been developed based on the actual observations, data collection and analysis.

The research identifies a gap in the management of MSWs for the City of Kitwe. This work is original as no similar MSW model has been proposed globally and specific for a developing economy such as Africa.