Waste
Table of contents
3R (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle) Program for the University’s Waste
An example of 3R program for the university’s waste
Overview
The university continues to strengthen its commitment to sustainability through a campus-wide 3R (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) program. The program aims to minimize waste generation, promote efficient resource use, and encourage environmentally responsible practices among staff, students, and all departments.
The current implementation focuses on three main areas: reducing paper consumption through digital systems, encouraging the reuse of materials and resources, and expanding waste-sorting and recycling practices across the university.
Reduce: Minimizing Paper Usage
The university has fully implemented an electronic document management system across all departments, representing 100% implementation in this area.
This system enables staff and students to create, submit, store, and manage documents digitally, reducing dependence on printed documents and supporting more efficient administrative operations. By shifting routine document processes to digital platforms, the university reduces paper consumption and promotes a more environmentally friendly working culture.
Reuse: Promoting Resource Consciousness
Resource-reuse practices are actively encouraged and implemented across all departments, representing 100% implementation.
Departments are encouraged to reuse available materials where appropriate, apply double-sided printing only when printing is necessary, and use reusable plastic or cloth bags instead of single-use alternatives. These practices help promote a culture of resourcefulness and strengthen awareness of responsible consumption within the university community.
Recycle: Sorting and Diverting Waste
Waste-sorting and recycling practices have been implemented in 40% of departments.
The university encourages staff and students to separate recyclable materials such as plastic bottles, paper, and other reusable waste. Collected recyclable materials are sold to local recycling companies, while coordination with municipal recycling facilities helps ensure that waste is handled through appropriate and responsible channels.
Although recycling implementation is still being expanded, the current system provides a practical foundation for reducing landfill waste and supporting circular waste management on campus.
Impact and Ongoing Commitment
The university’s 3R program has contributed to reducing paper use, limiting unnecessary plastic consumption, and improving awareness of waste separation and recycling. The current implementation status is summarized as follows:
Reduce implementation: 100%
Reuse implementation: 100%
Recycle implementation: 40%
Current average 3R implementation rate:
(100% + 100% + 40%) / 3 = 80%
Based on the current implementation level, the university has achieved an overall 3R implementation rate of 80%. This reflects substantial progress in waste reduction and resource management, while also identifying recycling coverage as the key area for further improvement.
The university remains committed to expanding waste-sorting systems to more departments, increasing participation among staff and students, and strengthening collaboration with recycling partners. These ongoing efforts support the university’s long-term goal of building a more sustainable, resource-efficient, and environmentally responsible campus.
Total volume of paper and plastic produced this year
The table presents the total volume of paper and plastic waste generated on campus this year, together with last year’s data for comparison. Paper waste mainly comes from office and classroom activities, including a small portion of packaging and hard paper, while plastic waste is primarily collected from areas outside classrooms and other common campus areas.
This year, the university generated 442 tons of plastic waste and 13.5 tons of paper waste, giving a total of 455.5 tons of paper and plastic waste. Compared with last year’s total of 475.5 tons, the total volume decreased by 20 tons, or approximately 4.21%.
The decrease is broadly consistent with the reduction in campus population, which was approximately 4.32% lower than last year. Therefore, the lower waste volume may be partly associated with the smaller campus population and related activity levels. At the same time, the university’s ongoing waste-management efforts, including digitalization, waste separation, and responsible consumption campaigns, have continued to support better control of paper and plastic waste generation across campus.
Total volume of paper and plastic produced last year
The table also provides last year’s total volume of paper and plastic waste as the baseline for year-to-year comparison. Last year, the university generated 461 tons of plastic waste and 14.5 tons of paper waste, giving a total of 475.5 tons of paper and plastic waste.
These figures serve as the reference data for evaluating changes in campus waste generation this year. When compared with the current-year total of 455.5 tons, the data show a decrease of 20 tons in total paper and plastic waste. This comparison helps the university monitor waste trends while considering changes in campus population, activity levels, and the continued implementation of waste-reduction measures.
Program to Reduce the Use of Paper and Plastic on Campus
University’s Green University Policy
An example of a department's contribution to promoting the university's Green University Policy.
The university recognizes the importance of environmental stewardship and its role in supporting sustainable campus development. As part of its waste-management and resource-efficiency efforts, the university has implemented a program to reduce the use of paper and plastic across campus. The program encourages all departments, personnel, and students to adopt practical measures that reduce unnecessary consumption, promote reuse, and support recycling.
The university’s paper and plastic reduction measures include the following:
- Minimize printed paper usage and print documents only when necessary.
- Promote the use of personal drinking glasses or tumblers to reduce the use of disposable paper and plastic cups.
- Encourage the use of cloth bags instead of single-use plastic bags.
- Promote double-sided printing to conserve paper resources.
- Support the use of electronic document systems for administrative and academic tasks.
- Encourage the reuse of plastic bags and bottles to extend their life cycle.
- Promote the use of electronic media for textbooks, teaching materials, and learning resources.
- Encourage the use of personal food containers instead of disposable paper or plastic plates.
- Reduce paper consumption in administrative activities, meetings, and curriculum development processes.
- Support the design and use of products made from natural or recycled materials.
- Implement waste-sorting practices to facilitate the recycling of reusable materials.
Overall, these measures reflect the university’s continued effort to reduce paper and plastic consumption through digitalization, reusable alternatives, responsible resource use, and recycling practices. The program also helps raise awareness among staff and students and supports the university’s broader commitment to becoming a sustainable Green University.
Total volume of Organic Waste produced this year
Organic waste (Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon)
The table shows the total volume of organic waste generated across the university’s five campuses this year. The total amount of organic waste was 101.3 tons, compared with 98.75 tons last year, representing an increase of 2.55 tons, or approximately 2.58%.
Among the five campuses, Phra Nakhon Commercial Campus generated the highest amount of organic waste at 42.8 tons, followed by North Bangkok Campus at 30.25 tons. Thewet Campus generated 11.35 tons, Chotiwet Campus generated 11.2 tons, and Chom Thong Campus generated 5.7 tons.
This year’s organic waste mainly consisted of food waste from cafeterias, amounting to 68.4 tons, and organic waste from study activities and related operations, amounting to 32.9 tons. Food waste from cafeterias increased by 2.6 tons compared with last year, while organic waste from study activities and related operations decreased slightly by 0.25 tons.
Overall, the data show a slight increase in total organic waste this year. This may be related to higher cafeteria activity and food consumption on campus. The university will continue to strengthen organic-waste separation, improve waste monitoring, and promote responsible food consumption to reduce avoidable organic waste in future years.
Total volume of Organic Waste produced last year
The table above presents the total volume of organic waste generated across the five campuses of Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon during the previous year. The organic waste includes waste produced from cafeteria operations, study activities, and other related campus activities involving staff and students.
The university generated a total of 98.75 tons of organic waste last year. Among the five campuses, Phra Nakhon Commercial Campus produced the highest amount of organic waste at 41.2 tons, followed by North Bangkok Campus at 29.35 tons. Thewet Campus generated 11.3 tons, Chotiwet Campus generated 10.9 tons, and Chom Thong Campus generated 6 tons. Differences in organic waste generation among campuses may be influenced by campus size, student and staff population, cafeteria availability, and the nature of academic and operational activities.
The data are divided into two main categories: food waste from cafeteria operations and organic waste from study activities and other related activities. Food waste from cafeterias accounted for the largest portion, totaling 65.6 tons. Phra Nakhon Commercial Campus generated the highest amount of cafeteria food waste at 31.2 tons, followed by North Bangkok Campus at 25.5 tons and Thewet Campus at 8.9 tons. Chotiwet Campus and Chom Thong Campus reported no cafeteria food waste in this category.
Organic waste from study activities and other related activities totaled 33.15 tons. Chotiwet Campus generated the highest amount in this category at 10.9 tons, followed by Phra Nakhon Commercial Campus at 10 tons, Chom Thong Campus at 6 tons, North Bangkok Campus at 3.85 tons, and Thewet Campus at 2.4 tons.
Overall, the data show that cafeteria food waste was the main source of organic waste last year, while study activities and other campus operations also contributed to the total organic waste volume. These figures serve as the baseline for monitoring changes in organic waste generation and improving future waste-separation and organic-waste management practices across the university.
Total volume of organic waste treated this year
| Types of Waste | Amount (tons) | |
| Total | Recycled | |
| – food waste from cafeteria | 68.4 | 26.8 (North Bangkok Campus) |
| – study activities, etc. | 32.9 | – |
| Total organic waste | 101.3 | 26.8 |
Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon recognizes the environmental impact of organic waste generated from cafeteria operations, study activities, and other campus activities. To address this issue, the university continues to implement organic-waste separation and treatment practices to reduce the amount of waste sent for general disposal.
According to the table, the university generated a total of 101.3 tons of organic waste this year. This consisted of 68.4 tons of food waste from cafeterias and 32.9 tons of organic waste from study activities and other related operations.
Of the total organic waste generated, 26.8 tons of cafeteria food waste from the North Bangkok Campus were recycled or treated through reuse as animal feed. This represents approximately 26.5% of the total organic waste generated across the university, or approximately 39.2% of total cafeteria food waste.
No recycled amount was reported for organic waste from study activities and other related operations in this year’s data. Therefore, the current organic-waste treatment practice mainly focuses on cafeteria food waste, particularly at the North Bangkok Campus.
This initiative helps reduce the environmental burden of organic waste and supports the university’s commitment to sustainable resource management, waste reduction, and circular waste practices. The university will continue to strengthen organic-waste separation and explore opportunities to expand organic-waste treatment to other campuses and waste categories in future years.
Organic Waste Treatment
As outlined in Section 3.7, Rajamangala University of Technology Phra Nakhon generated a total of 101.3 tons of organic waste this year, consisting mainly of food waste from cafeterias and organic waste from study activities and related campus operations. To manage this waste, the university applies both municipal waste collection and organic-waste reuse practices.
Figure (a) shows organic waste placed in dumpsters while waiting for pickup service from the city. This represents the portion of organic waste that is handled through the regular municipal waste-management system. Figure (b) shows leftover food collected for use as animal feed, which is part of the university’s organic-waste treatment practice at the North Bangkok Campus.
This year, 26.8 tons of cafeteria food waste from the North Bangkok Campus were recycled or treated by being repurposed as animal feed. This amount represents approximately 26.5% of the total organic waste generated across the university, or approximately 39.2% of the total cafeteria food waste.
This practice helps reduce the amount of organic waste sent to general disposal, supports local agricultural activities, and promotes circular use of resources. The initiative demonstrates the university’s commitment to sustainable organic-waste management and provides a practical model for expanding food-waste treatment practices to other campuses in the future.