The framework covers management of all the different type of waste hazardous or non hazardous covering any item biological, chemical, physical and radiological which has the potential of causing harm to humans, animals or environment. The collection, disposal and recycle of the waste should be done as per the guidelines laid by the respective government bodies. The framework is extended to all the contracted services on the campus including food catering services, canteens, suppliers of stationary, equipment and building contracts and supply chain. All kind of records with respect to waste generations, disposal and recycle of waste shall be properly maintained.

• Examine waste figures and undertake a waste audit such as types of waste generation; preventable measures undertaken to reduce waste generation and adequacy of preventable measures.
• Plastic-free campus by adopting alternative facilities like water units to avoid the use of plastic water bottles and encourage the use of cloth bags, paper bags instead of plastic goods in the campus
• Identification of recyclable waste
• Increase the use of recyclable material
• Improvement in the waste management system for plastics, electronics, and biomedical hazardous waste, solid waste etc.
• Implementation of government guidelines for disposal of biomedical and hazardous waste.
• Training and awareness for the utilization of recyclable materials and waste management.
• Regular awareness drives and sensitization workshops on the harmful impacts of various types of waste and training on waste management

1. Approvals from Government Authorities:

• Specific authorization is obtained under Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2016 from Punjab Pollution Control Board
• Authorization of Punjab Pollution Control Board for discharge of effluent(s) under Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and under Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981 is also obtained.
• Authorization under Hazardous and Other Wastes (Management and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2016 is also obtained from Punjab Pollution Control Board.

2. Collaborations with agencies for Disposal of waste:

LPU recognizes the expertise and resources that outsourced waste management partners can bring to its sustainability efforts. The university partners with reputable waste management companies to provide services such as waste collection, recycling, composting, and hazardous waste disposal. Collaboration with government authorized agencies for the lifting, recycling and disposal of biomedical waste, solid waste, E-waste and hazardous waste is in place.

• Biomedical waste is lifted by Bio Medical Waste Treatment Plant Pvt. Ltd. (BMWT), Pathankot, which is authorized by the concerned government authorities as, Common Bio-Medical Waste Treatment Facility.
• Adequate Agreement for lifting of municipal solid waste from the campus and dumping at the municipal corporation sites by the authorized operators as per Municipal Solid Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2016 are also made.
• Agreement with M/S Shivalik Solid Waste Management Limited in respect of lifting and recycling of electronic waste has also been made which has authorization from Pollution Control Board Authorities under E-Waste (Management) Rules, 2016.
• An Agreement has been made with a common hazardous waste treatment facility in Jalandhar, authorized by the relevant government authority, the Punjab Pollution Control Board.

2.1 Measuring Progress towards Sustainability:

LPU has established a comprehensive set of waste management metrics to measure its progress towards sustainability goals. These metrics track the volume of waste generated, the amount of waste diverted from landfills through recycling and composting associated with waste reduction initiatives.

3. Internal System at the campus:

A well-developed system is in place to handle all types of waste, including biomedical waste, solid waste, e-waste, and hazardous waste on basis of which measurements of all types waste is taken and then processed further.

General Guidelines

• A well-developed system is in place to handle all types of waste, including biomedical waste, solid waste, e-waste, and hazardous waste on basis of which measurements of all types waste is taken and then processed further.
• More than 380 Sweepers are deployed in the campus for ensuring cleanliness at all levels in academic, administrative, residential and other areas.
• Waste/garbage generated in University campus collected and measured at regular intervals and emptied at dumping yards provided at various locations all over the university.
• Adequate machinery like vacuum machines, spray pumps, fogging machine, floor scrubbers etc. are also available for efficient cleaning and pest control as and when required.

Bio medical waste management guidelines

• All chemicals are neutralized before disposing them off as effluent. 5 MLD Sewage Treatment Plant is installed and functional on campus for the treatment of waste water as per respective guidelines and treated water is used for irrigation purposes.
• Liquid biomedical waste is treated with sodium hypochlorite and then discharged in Sewage Treatment Plant at the campus.
• Biomedical waste is collected in colour coded dustbins (yellow, red, blue and white) as prescribed in Bio Medical Waste (Management & Handling) Rules, 2016.
• Apart from this, the University has well-organized eco-friendly framework for maintaining cleanliness at the campus. The housekeeping staff is deployed under concerned hostel wardens and administrative officers (AOs) to ensure proper cleanliness at campus. Besides, there are sector in-charges and supervisors for ensuring and maintaining proper cleanliness in the campus.
• Waste is collected in colour coded dustbins, green for wet waste and blue for dry recyclable wastes, which are managed appropriately and periodically by housekeeping staff.

Hazardous waste management guidelines

• Waste oil, batteries and chemicals which cannot be reused is disposed off centrally through Government authorized vendors.
• An agreement has been made with the common hazardous waste treatment facility authorized by the government authority, the Punjab Pollution Control Board.
• The records are maintained at Central store of the University for compliance.

Food waste management guidelines

• All food waste generated from hostels, canteens, and food courts is collected separately in green color-coded bins to prevent contamination with other waste types.
• Collected food waste is processed through on-campus composting facilities to produce organic manure, which is used for landscaping and gardening on campus.
• The University exclusively uses stainless steel and biodegradable cutlery in its canteens and does not permit food packaging, minimizing non-recyclable waste.
• Surplus food from cafeterias is distributed to those in need through food banks or community initiatives before it becomes waste.
• Awareness programs and posters are placed around food courts to encourage students and staff to minimize food wastage.

E-waste management guidelines

• The e-waste, including CFLs, Printers, Cartidges, motherboards, keyboards, computers, monitors etc. which cannot be reused is disposed off centrally through Government authorized vendors. Agreement M/S Shivalik Solid Waste Management Limited in respect of lifting and recycling of electronic waste also been made which has authorization from Pollution Control Board authorities under E-waste (Management) rules, 2016.

Plastic waste management guidelines

• University prohibits the use of plastic plasticware such as glasses, spoons etc. in the campus. Instead, wooden spoons and hard paper plates etc. are used. Single use plastic is banned in the campus. Awareness signages are also provided at various locations of the campus.

4. Waste minimization, Reuse and Recycling:

In order to successfully implement waste management waste avoidance and minimization at source is very important and should be a continual process.

• Training and workshops are conducted at regular intervals for creating awareness.
• Vermicomposting is done to produce compost from the waste leaf litter and various species of earthworms. Composting pit can is supplemented with cooked and raw kitchen waste being produced from various hostel messes. The compost produced is be used to supply nutrients to plantation in the University.
• The bins of left over foods are transported to nearby piggeries and cow sheds to fed to animals.
• A biogas plant based on “Deenbandhu model” is constructed to produce biogas from cattle dung. The capacity of the plant is around 6m3 which requires excreta of around 10-12 cattle (150 kg excreta) and this can produce sufficient biogas for cooking food for 15 people daily. Apart from the cattle dung, sewer waste is also fed in to the plant to produce biogas.

5. Ban on single use plastic and waste management of disposable item

University has strict compliance towards the single-use plastics use which is completely prohibition on campus. To ensure the implementation of the policy, University officials must conduct frequent inspections and raise tickets for the defaulters. Moreover, the use of disposable items must be prohibited to be used on campus and instead alternate must be provided like use of paper cutlery, steel utensils etc.
To further facilitate the promotion of environmentally friendly substitutes, University must incentivise and raise awareness by taking pro-active initiatives towards its users and stakeholders. University can have functional and collaborative waste management system for effective recycling, sorting, and collection, that can be out-sources.
These guidelines will ensure effective management of disposable waste in University.