Composting and Anaerobic Digestion as Biotechnological …
799
Although not included in this research, the university restaurant is a great generator
of organic waste and recently other specific studies involving generation, management, disposal of organic waste, as well as the awareness of visitors are being carried
out in this environment.
Over the years, the researchers have contributed to the strengthening of the
research group, covering the development of new projects and publications that
demonstrate the relevance in the valorization of organic solid wastes in institutional
environments. Currently, about 20 students and two researchers are involved in these
activities, distributed among undergraduate students in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering and Master’s students in the Sustainable Technologies Program. The
creation of the Biotechnology and Sustainability Laboratory in 2015 is another aspect
that contributed in a decisive way to support the practices of different disciplines and
is still used for research and extension actions.
8 Conclusion and Recommendations
The National Solid Waste Policy establishes the importance of reusing organic waste
through other useful processes, rather than sending them to the landfill as a final
disposal. This action is essential to establish treatment practices that use waste as
inputs in processes, promoting the recovery of this type of waste. In this aspect, the
used coffee grounds, due to its properties such as biodegradability and high organic
matter load, make it an important residue to be valued by the use of sustainable
techniques.
The implementation of local actions is a determining factor for the success and the
establishment of measures to build a more sustainable planet. In this context, higher
education institutions play a fundamental role in the construction of sustainable
development, since they can act as living laboratories, supporting the implementation
of sustainable development objectives.
The recycling of coffee grounds coming from the institutional environment and
recycled in its own place of generation, contributes to the objectives of sustainable
development, with the strategy of zero residue and also with the principle of circular
economy, since this residue can serve as raw material to the institution, or to another
place, being used as fertilizer for the gardens or substrate for planting seedlings.
In general, the research showcase how sustainability actions can be stimulated in
higher education environments, also acting as a form of environmental education and
propagating sustainable attitudes to the community. The research group has accumulated experience since 2012 with activities of selective collection of organic waste
and the destination of this waste to processes of biodegradation, achieving positive
results. Those results were published in national and international congresses, initial
scientific projects and course completion work for undergraduates, and more recently
as project proposals for postgraduate students through a master’s degree program in
Sustainable Technologies.
799
Although not included in this research, the university restaurant is a great generator
of organic waste and recently other specific studies involving generation, management, disposal of organic waste, as well as the awareness of visitors are being carried
out in this environment.
Over the years, the researchers have contributed to the strengthening of the
research group, covering the development of new projects and publications that
demonstrate the relevance in the valorization of organic solid wastes in institutional
environments. Currently, about 20 students and two researchers are involved in these
activities, distributed among undergraduate students in Sanitary and Environmental Engineering and Master’s students in the Sustainable Technologies Program. The
creation of the Biotechnology and Sustainability Laboratory in 2015 is another aspect
that contributed in a decisive way to support the practices of different disciplines and
is still used for research and extension actions.
8 Conclusion and Recommendations
The National Solid Waste Policy establishes the importance of reusing organic waste
through other useful processes, rather than sending them to the landfill as a final
disposal. This action is essential to establish treatment practices that use waste as
inputs in processes, promoting the recovery of this type of waste. In this aspect, the
used coffee grounds, due to its properties such as biodegradability and high organic
matter load, make it an important residue to be valued by the use of sustainable
techniques.
The implementation of local actions is a determining factor for the success and the
establishment of measures to build a more sustainable planet. In this context, higher
education institutions play a fundamental role in the construction of sustainable
development, since they can act as living laboratories, supporting the implementation
of sustainable development objectives.
The recycling of coffee grounds coming from the institutional environment and
recycled in its own place of generation, contributes to the objectives of sustainable
development, with the strategy of zero residue and also with the principle of circular
economy, since this residue can serve as raw material to the institution, or to another
place, being used as fertilizer for the gardens or substrate for planting seedlings.
In general, the research showcase how sustainability actions can be stimulated in
higher education environments, also acting as a form of environmental education and
propagating sustainable attitudes to the community. The research group has accumulated experience since 2012 with activities of selective collection of organic waste
and the destination of this waste to processes of biodegradation, achieving positive
results. Those results were published in national and international congresses, initial
scientific projects and course completion work for undergraduates, and more recently
as project proposals for postgraduate students through a master’s degree program in
Sustainable Technologies.