Modelo de gestão e gerenciamento de resíduos sólidos para Instituições de Ensino Superior da Amazônia

Abstract

Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) play a fundamental role in promoting sustainable practices and in shaping environmentally conscious citizens. However, they still face significant challenges in solid waste management, especially in Amazonian contexts such as Boa Vista, Roraima. This study aimed to propose a solid waste management model for HEIs. The specific objectives were: a) to analyze the management practices and handling of solid waste at HEIs; b) to characterize the gravimetric composition of solid waste at the Paricarana, Cauamé, and Murupu campuses of the Federal University of Roraima; and c) to develop a solid waste management model tailored for HEIs. The research was conducted in three phases, employing a mixed-methods approach. In the first phase, waste management practices were assessed at three HEIs, two public and one private, through in-person interviews addressing five domains: recycling, organic waste treatment, reduction of paper and plastic use, inorganic waste management, and hazardous waste treatment. The HEI 2 achieved the highest overall performance (p=0.012), particularly excelling in recycling as the only institution to implement a selective collection program (score=150, p<0.001). None of the HEIs treated organic waste, and only the public institutions undertook administrative dematerialization. In the domains of inorganic and hazardous waste, HEI 2 and HEI 3 exhibited similar behaviors (score = 300), and all institutions outsourced hazardous waste collection. In the second phase, the quartering technique was applied to analyze waste composition. At the Paricarana Campus, organic matter predominated, especially in the university restaurant (median: 65.63%). The Cauamé Campus demonstrated proper segregation and disposal of organic waste from the restaurant, a practice not observed in other centers. Hazardous waste was found mixed with common waste at both Paricarana and Cauamé campi. At the Murupu Campus, pruning waste and organic matter prevailed, with composting potential yet to be explored. Per capita waste generation (~0.022 kg/person.day) and specific weight were homogeneous across campuses, with no statistically significant differences. All three campuses showed substantial amounts of recyclable waste being sent to landfills, despite their potential for selective collection. In the third phase, based on the diagnostic assessment, current legislation, and literature, the GERESI was developed. This is—a scalable model integrating environmental education, circular economy, source segregation, selective collection, and indicator-based evaluation. Statistical analysis employed k-means clustering and ANOVA to identify institutional patterns and support differentiated management strategies. Processes were modeled using BPMN 2.0, ensuring standardization and best practices. The findings reveal that the main weaknesses in solid waste management at the analyzed HEIs are linked to insufficient professional training and a lack of environmental education initiatives, as reflected in low institutional knowledge levels. There was a predominance of residual waste, low efficiency in recyclable segregation, and inadequate handling of hazardous waste, compromising legal compliance. The proposed model offers feasible, low-cost workflows and relevant indicators to enhance solid waste management at HEIs.