Impact of COVID-19 on the Solid Waste Management of a University

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, university communities aptly and quickly implemented many calculated precautionary and proactive measures to control the spread while keeping the institution functioning. However, these actions have increased water use, wastewater production, and solid and hazardous waste. In the case of solid waste pertinent to a university, an institution with residential infrastructure, installation of new features and modification of existing components, use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), and increased frequency of cleaning operations have elevated the solid waste generation. This increase in solid waste is mainly related to the increased plastic and paper use and resulted in the increased disposal volume in landfills. This study looks into the changes in the solid waste management issues faced in the wake of COVID-19 in a small state university during 2019-2021. The parameters that are looked at include the solid waste composition, cost, the university community’s thinking and approach, and the actions taken. This study data is collected from the documented university management and the survey distributed to the stakeholders such as university leadership, faculty, staff, students, and facility management. The study also focuses on the changes in different units of the institution and their impacts on their respective units.