Decentralized municipal solid waste management system (DMSWMS) as an alternative to centralized MSWMS (CMSWMS) for...

Like other parts of the world, the source-specific generation of MSW in higher education institutes (HEIs) of Pakistan contain ≥ 70% compostables being managed through CMSWMS, a resource exhaustive environmental degradation approach. CMSWMS in the University of the Punjab, Lahore- 54590, a mother HEI in Pakistan, includes MSW containing over 2/3rd compostables (with ≥ 85% moisture contents) carrying poor collection efficiency and disposal at distantly located open dumps with linear economy. Here, DMSWMS effectiveness compared to CMSWMS was based on composting compostables at source-level to observe variations in the composition and characteristics of the MSW components, collection efficiency, cost, and combustibles' earlier separation-driven impacts on its drying duration and calorific value for refuse-derived fuel (RDF), and assessing LCA-based acidification potential of carriage and disposal. Compared to CMSWMS, composting-based DMSWMS significantly improved characteristics of the compostables, combustibles, and recyclables. The DMSWMS resulted ≥ 97% collection efficiency, 89% reduction in collection and disposal cost, significant reduction in acidification potential through ≥ 94% GHGEs reduction, and rendered upfront availability of combustibles as RDF with 86% greater GCV. Cumulatively, all the DMSWMS-driven improvisations led the selected HEI in achieving 100% weighing score of MSWM component of the UI Green Metric World University Campus Ranking system. However, for prompting composting-based sustainable DMSWMS at broader scale in a city, multiple studies are required with stakeholders on board from union councils (smallest administrative units analogic to counties), which would streamline DMSWMS integration into MSW sanitation policy framework of municipalities.