Abstract:
The study presents a comprehensive assessment of waste management practices at NUST,
using a Bin-to-Cradle approach. The functional unit considered is the treatment of 1 metric
ton of organic waste, encompassing resource recovery, highlighting the environmental
implications of various scenarios. Sampling had been carried out in different sections of the
campus, with waste audits completed both in the summer and winter. Five waste management
scenarios were considered: open dumping, sanitary landfill, composting with landfill,
anaerobic digestion with landfill and combination of composting, anaerobic digestion with
landfill. SimaPro software and the ReCiPe 2016 approach were used to assess environmental
liabilities and benefits. Results reveal that sanitary and open dumping are the least sustainable
options due to adverse impacts like methane emissions and water pollution. Composting and
anaerobic digestion emerge as more environmentally friendly alternatives, Anaerobic
digestion with landfill (Scenario 3) has the lowest global warming potential while providing
considerable benefits in terms of nutrient retention and renewable energy generation. The
study emphasizes the importance of considering long-term emissions and specific organic
waste management activities in assessing environmental performance. Anaerobic digestion
is identified as the most advantageous option for managing organic waste, supported by
evidence from previous research. These findings underscore the need for sustainable organic
waste management practices to mitigate environmental impacts effectively.
