What University Does with My Waste?

The University Health Centre is responsible for waste management at the University. Separate garbage bins are provided to each building to collect food waste, plastic & polythene, paper, sanitary pads, etc. The garbage is collected according to a schedule and is processed based on the waste type.

Types of Waste Collected at the Campus

• Food waste
• Grass cuttings & leaf litter
• Plastics & polythene (recyclable and non-recyclable)
• Paper (regular paper materials and confidential documents)
• Medical waste
• WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment)
• Construction waste materials

Food waste

All the food waste is sent to a local piggery as animal feed and a part of the food waste is used for compost production at the University farm.

Grass cuttings & leaf litter

All the grass cuttings are either sent to the University farm as animal feed or used in compost production. Leaf litter is also used in compost production.

Plastics & polythene (recyclable)

The collected plastics & polythene waste is taken to a processing center and sorted as recyclable and non-recyclable plastics. The recyclable plastics & polythene are sold to a local recycler.

Plastics & polythene (non-recyclable)

A incinerator has constructed within the University premises, according to the guidelines of Central Environmental Authority, Sri Lanka (CEA). All the non-recyclable waste (plastic, polythene, sanatory pads, medical waste, etc.,) is incinerated.

Paper (regular paper materials and confidential documents)

• All the collected regular paper waste is sold to a local recycler.
• The old confidential documents (official letters, exam papers, agreements, etc., ) are stored until the embargo period is over. Then they are shredded and handed over to the government paper mill for recycling.

Glass

All the recyclable glass produced at the campus is sold to a local recycler.

WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment)

WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) is collected every six months from faculties and units of the University and temporally stored in a warehouse and auctioned to local recyclers who are registered at the Central Environment Authority of Sri Lanka.

Medical waste

All the medical waste produced at the university campus is collected regularly and incinerated.

Construction waste materials

• Recyclable metal waste is sold to local recyclers
• Re-usable materials are used in renovation projects (windows, doors, roofing tiles, bricks, etc.,)
• Non-recyclable materials are sent to a landfill.