Waste Measurement Report 2024
In alignment with An-Najah National University’s mission to foster sustainability, environmental responsibility, and community awareness, the University—through the Office of Sustainability—has launched a comprehensive Waste Management and Measurement Program. This initiative reflects ANNU’s commitment to reducing environmental impact, promoting a circular economy, and ensuring that waste across its campuses is properly measured, sorted, recycled, reused, or safely disposed of.
The program is built on the three fundamental principles of reduce, reuse, and recycle, and integrates innovative practices, data-driven monitoring, and student and staff engagement to transform waste into valuable resources. The ultimate goal is to create a zero-waste campus, where materials are continuously repurposed and landfill dependency is minimized.
To achieve this, the University has implemented:
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A systematic waste measurement plan, using quantitative data to track waste generation and recycling rates across all campuses.
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Color-coded waste segregation systems for plastics, paper, organic matter, metals, glass, and hazardous materials.
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Recycling and composting facilities that convert organic and inorganic waste into usable products, such as compost or recycled materials for construction and student projects.
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Awareness campaigns and behavioral initiatives that encourage responsible waste management among students, faculty, and staff.
This report presents the results of the 2024 waste measurement assessment, detailing the composition and volume of waste generated across the campus. It also highlights the University’s ongoing efforts to minimize waste production, strengthen recycling practices, and advance reuse initiatives.
In 2024, An-Najah National University conducted a comprehensive assessment of campus waste, collecting, measuring, and sorting all waste generated throughout the year. The total waste amounted to approximately 58 tons, of which nearly 93% was successfully recycled or repurposed through upcycling and downcycling processes.
The tables present a detailed quantitative breakdown of waste generated across ANNU campuses in 2024.
The exceptionally high recycling rate is mainly due to the University’s composting operations and reuse of agricultural and food waste in the Faculty of Agriculture. Nearly all garden, food, and animal waste is repurposed for composting or bioenergy production.
Paper and plastics dominate the inorganic waste stream. Active recycling contracts and student recycling drives have significantly reduced landfill disposal, while partnerships with local recycling companies ensure efficient material recovery.
Though toxic waste represents a small fraction of total waste, it is strictly managed under safety protocols. All chemical, electronic, and medical waste is either neutralized, recycled through certified contractors, or safely disposed of according to environmental regulations.
Organic Waste
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Composting Facility: Handles ≈67 tons/year of food waste, landscaping residues, manure, and biodegradable lab materials. Produces high-quality compost used on campus and in the Faculty of Agriculture.
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Research Programs: Link organic waste recycling with biogas production and renewable energy initiatives.
Inorganic Waste
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Color-Coded Recycling Stations: Installed across all campuses for paper, plastic, glass, and metals.
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Recycling Partnerships: Contracts with local recycling companies ensure >75% of inorganic waste is recycled.
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Annual Recycling Drives: Student clubs organize paper and plastic collection campaigns, turning proceeds into scholarships or charity contributions.
Toxic Waste
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Electronics: Batteries, cables, and computers collected in e-waste bins and sent to specialized recyclers.
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Chemicals: Neutralized or treated in university labs; highly hazardous wastes are collected by certified contractors.
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Medical Waste: Teaching hospital segregates waste in red-coded bins, followed by sterilization and disposal by licensed companies.
ANNU emphasizes extending the lifecycle of materials before disposal.
Organic Waste
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Manure & Agricultural Waste: Reused as organic fertilizer in campus farms and agricultural experiments.
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Food & Beverage Residues: Piloted in bioenergy and composting research projects.
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Biodegradable Paper: Used for drafts, note-taking, and in training workshops.
Inorganic Waste
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Furniture & Equipment: Old furniture is refurbished and redistributed to other departments or donated to schools.
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Wood & Metals: Repurposed in student workshops for carpentry and engineering projects.
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Glass: Cleaned and reused in laboratories or for storage.
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Plastic: Durable rigid plastics repurposed for construction models and student projects.
Toxic Waste
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E-Waste: Computers refurbished by IT students and donated to local schools.
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Expired Equipment: Non-hazardous lab items reused as demonstration tools for teaching.
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Medical Training: Anatomical models and safe teaching materials reused across multiple semesters.
ANNU prioritizes reducing waste at the source through policies, infrastructure, and behavioral change.
Organic Waste
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Food Waste: Cafeterias adopt smart portioning and provide “take what you need” campaigns to reduce leftovers.
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Agricultural Waste & Manure: Farms apply precision agriculture techniques to minimize input waste. Livestock manure is monitored to avoid excess.
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Garden & Landscaping Waste: Efficient landscaping reduces over-pruning and waste from green areas.
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Biodegradable Lab Waste: Labs shift from disposable plastics to durable glassware and introduce virtual experiments to minimize real lab waste.
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Biodegradable Paper: Double-sided printing, central printers, and electronic exams reduce waste by thousands of sheets annually.
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Beverage Residues: Awareness campaigns reduce bottled drink consumption; refill stations are installed across campuses.
Inorganic Waste
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Paper: Reduced by electronic services, cutting annual paper waste by more than half.
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Soft & Rigid Plastics: Banned in events; staff and students encouraged to use cloth bags and refillable bottles.
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Metals, Glass, Wood: Durable procurement policies limit excessive use of disposable materials.
Toxic Waste
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Lab Chemicals: Micro-scale experiments introduced in chemistry labs reduce chemical waste by up to 40%.
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Electronics: Computers and IT equipment upgraded rather than replaced, lowering e-waste.