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Solid Waste Management in Higher Educational Institution: An Investigation Using the SWOT Analysis and the Circular Economy Principle Perspective

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Abstract

Solid waste management is essential in every economy and one of the most important by-products of an urban lifestyle, which is growing even faster than the rate of urbanization. The composition of solid wastes varies with income; thus, the low-to-middle-income population generates mainly organic wastes. Solid waste management, which includes recycling, incineration, waste-to-energy conversion, composting, or landfilling, is imperative. The study’s main objective is to assess the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of the implementation program for the management of solid waste from the perspective of the cyclic flow of materials in an institution of higher education. Hence, waste characterization and comparison of circular and linear economy approaches to waste management were used. Using questionnaire responses from the staff of Takoradi Technical University and experts from waste management companies, this study assesses the strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat to examine the circularity of waste management of the University. The strength, weakness, opportunities, and threat and analytical hierarchy process analyses showed that the circular economy approach to managing the identified waste components is more sustainable and environmentally friendly than the linear economy approach. The findings showed that a solid waste management action plan is the best strength. Moreover, no segregation (sorting) of waste emerged as the weakness. Additionally, the economic value of solid waste in the world and the existence of domestic and international markets to buy and sell waste proved to be the best opportunity, whereas managing the high volumes of waste due to increasing waste generation represented the most significant threat. Recommendations and limitations are discussed.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all the experts whose views were used in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil Engineering, Takoradi Technical University, P. O. Box 256, Takoradi, Ghana

    John Bentil & Seth Braimah

  2. Jubilee Technical Training Centre, Takoradi Technical University, P. O. Box 256, Takoradi, Ghana

    Anthony Frank Obeng

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  1. John Bentil
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  2. Seth Braimah
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  3. Anthony Frank Obeng
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Contributions

JB—conceptualization, investigations, methodology, formal analysis, review, and validation.

AFO—conceptualization, investigations, visualization, methodology, data analysis, and validation.

SB—data collection, investigation, and validation.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to John Bentil.

Ethics declarations

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

The authors followed the Ethical Code of Conduct of the American Psychological Association (APA) to conduct this study. A cover letter suggesting the willingness of respondents’/experts’ participation and confidentiality of their responses and provision of material facts were given to respondents after we had taken permission from the board of directors. Participation was voluntary, and respondents were free to quit at any point in time. All respondents willingly partook in the study. Also, the study was in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the participants provided written informed consent. An associate professor from Takoradi Technical University supervised this research work, and the Institutional Review Board of Takoradi Technical University approved the study.

Consent for Publication

Informed consent for publication was obtained from all the respondents/experts whose views were used in the study.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

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Bentil, J., Braimah, S. & Obeng, A.F. Solid Waste Management in Higher Educational Institution: An Investigation Using the SWOT Analysis and the Circular Economy Principle Perspective. Circ.Econ.Sust. (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43615-024-00349-7

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