Assessing Solid Waste Management Strategy In Higher Education Institutions Of Indonesia: A Case Study Of Ipb University Dramaga-Bogor City

Abstract

Globally Solid waste management is a tragedy in developing countries. Currently, the World Bank reported that the Urban cities generated 1.3 billion tons of solid waste per year, amounting to a footprint of 1.2 kilograms per person per day. Population growth, and urbanization result in a higher amount of solid waste produced with rapid economic prosperity, Solid waste generation is expected to rise to 2.2 billion tons by 2025. As the volume and difficulty of solid waste increase, the environmental risk caused by waste materials, including human health risks and environmental degradation, also increases. The solid waste management sector is facing numerous challenges in Indonesia. The increasing population, urbanization, and human activities have resulted in increased wastes production. The objective of this study was to assess the level of awareness and respective practices' in solid waste management among IPB University students, to analyze the relationship between awareness and practices, green campus and practices, awareness and practices in terms of segregation, reduce, reuse, recycling, and disposal in solid waste management and also to find the waste generated at IPB university dormitories. The study employed a descriptive research design with (n=108) randomly selected students. Data were analyzed and interpreted by using descriptive and inferential statistics. The study revealed that the students are highly aware of solid waste management, and also the students have good practices in terms of proper reducing and reusing, but moderately proper segregation, recycling, and disposal practices. The study found a correlation between awareness and practices, which was statistically significant (r value=0.372, n=108, P value=0.000). Also, there was a weak positive correlation between the Green campus program and practices, which was statistically significant (r value=0.283, n=108, P value=0.003) and the level of awareness of the students are influenced by their practices in waste segregation, reduction, reuse, and recycling but not influenced by their practices in terms of disposal. The study also revealed that the most waste generated in University dormitories was plastic bags, leftovers food, tissue papers, and cans waste.