Sustainable AASTMT

[3.11]Total volume inorganic waste treated this year

	Amount (ton)
	Produced		Reduced (ton)	Treated
Type of Waste	Last Year (ton)	This Year (ton)		Reused/Recycled (ton)	Down-cycled (ton)	Up-cycled (ton)
Inorganic non-toxic (TOTAL)	307	282	25	198
Paper & Cardboard	135	124	11	96
Soft & Hard Plastic	134	126	8	89
Miscellaneous Glass Metals Electronic Waste Printer Cartridges & Toners Packaging Materials	38	32	6	13

Description:

This year, the Academy successfully treated 198 metric tons of inorganic nontoxic waste through reuse and recycling pathways. This represents a 70.2% treatment rate for inorganic waste generated (282 tons), demonstrating AASTMT's strong commitment to circular economy principles and sustainable resource management.

Treatment Breakdown by Waste Stream:

Waste Stream	Produced (tons)	Treated (tons)	Treatment Rate	Primary Treatment Method
Paper & Cardboard	124	96	77.4%	Recycling
Soft & Hard Plastic	126	89	70.6%	Recycling & Reprocessing
Miscellaneous	32	13	40.6%	Segregation & Specialized Recycling
Total	282	198	70.2%	Integrated Recycling System

Treatment of Paper and Cardboard Waste (96 Tons – 77.4% Treatment Rate)

• Recycling Infrastructure:

The Academy's comprehensive recycling program targets paper and cardboard across all campuses. Recycling bins are installed throughout campuses to facilitate the segregation and collection of paper materials at source. The collected paper and cardboard waste is then processed through established recycling channels.

• Sustainable Procurement Support:

The Sustainable Procurement Policy promotes the utilization of economically viable products that incorporate recycled materials, further supporting paper recycling efforts. This creates a closedloop system where recycled paper products are preferentially procured, driving demand for recycled content.

• Digital Transformation Contribution:

While digital transformation initiatives have significantly reduced paper consumption (11ton reduction this year), the remaining paper waste is systematically collected and recycled, ensuring that paper materials continue to serve as valuable resources rather than landfill waste.

Treatment of Soft and Hard Plastic Waste (89 Tons – 70.6% Treatment Rate)

• Policy Framework:

AASTMT has implemented a comprehensive policy framework to align its practices with Egyptian environmental laws, specifically targeting the reduction of nonbiodegradable plastic products on campus. The Policy for Minimization of Plastic Use and Policy on Plastic Waste Reduction promote the adoption of sustainable, ecofriendly alternatives while establishing robust recycling systems for plastic waste.

• Recycling Integration:

The Consumption and Recycling Policy places strong emphasis on recycling to lessen negative environmental effects, looking to foresee, reuse, recycle, repurpose, and decrease waste. Recycling is integrated at every stage of the waste management process—beginning with proper segregation and collection, followed by safe processing and reuse wherever feasible.

• Campus Smart Recycling System (CSRS):

Project 2068, the Campus Smart Recycling System (CSRS) , specifically targets plastic tableware for recycling. The system includes:

• Plastic washing and disinfection units to recycle plastic tableware, ensuring that plastic materials are properly cleaned and prepared for reprocessing.
• Plastic injection machine to produce disposable plastic tableware/products using AASTMTowned equipment located at ISC, creating value from recycled plastics.
• Two moulds for the AASTMT plastic injection machine, enabling efficient production of campus plastic items from recycled materials.
• Student Innovation and Research:

• "Recycling Plastic Waste into 3D Printing Filaments" graduation project, selected among the top 28 university projects nationwide as part of the "Egypt Makes" Initiative, funded by the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology for the 2023/2024 academic year.
• Research on polypropylene waste recycling presented at ICaTAS 2023 Conference, contributing to academic knowledge on plastic waste valorization.

Treatment of Miscellaneous Inorganic Waste (13 Tons – 40.6% Treatment Rate)

• Glass Waste Treatment:

Recycling bins are installed across campuses to facilitate the segregation and recycling of glass materials. The Academy's comprehensive recycling program includes glass as a target material, ensuring that glass containers and bottles are properly recycled rather than sent to landfill.

• Metal Waste Treatment:

The Campus Smart Recycling System (CSRS) includes an electrical furnace to melt aluminum cans into raw bars, transforming recyclables into valuable products with economic value. This initiative:

• Reduces the campus budget for purchasing aluminum raw materials for student graduation projects
• Creates a closedloop system where aluminum waste is converted into useful raw materials
• Demonstrates the economic viability of metal recycling

• Electronic Waste Treatment:

AASTMT introduced an electronic waste recycling program, ensuring that all obsolete electronic equipment is disposed of sustainably, further contributing to its zerowaste goals. The comprehensive recycling program implemented across all campuses targets electronic waste, ensuring that:

• Obsolete computers, monitors, and electronic devices are properly dismantled and recycled
• Hazardous components are safely handled in compliance with environmental regulations
• Valuable materials are recovered and reintroduced into the production cycle

• Printer Cartridges and Toners:

The Academy's comprehensive recycling program extends to printer cartridges and toners, ensuring proper recycling and disposal in compliance with environmental regulations. These materials are collected and processed through specialized recycling channels.

• Packaging Materials:

The Sustainable Procurement Policy implements measures aimed at reducing the amount of packaging used and establishing takeback programs. Packaging materials are segregated and recycled through the Academy's integrated waste management system.

Treatment Methods and Infrastructure

1. Waste Segregation System

AASTMT has implemented a waste segregation system with labelled bins across campuses, as demonstrated at the AbuQir Campus. This system ensures that waste is properly sorted at source, facilitating efficient recycling and reducing contamination.

2. Recycling Infrastructure

• Recycling Bins: Strategically placed across all campuses for paper, plastic, glass, and metal waste segregation.
• Collection and Transport: Segregated waste is collected and transported to designated recycling facilities.
• Processing Facilities: The CSRS project provides specialized equipment for plastic and metal recycling.

3. Digital Waste Tracking System

AASTMT will implement a digital waste tracking and reporting system to monitor waste generation, recycling rates, and disposal activities across all campuses, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in sustainability performance.

4. AI Integration

AASTMT will integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies into its waste management systems to optimize waste sorting, enhancing operational efficiency and recycling rates.

Policy Framework Supporting Inorganic Waste Treatment

Policy	Relevance to Inorganic Waste Treatment
Consumption and Recycling Policy	Places strong emphasis on recycling; establishes waste hierarchy of prevention, reuse, recycling, recovery, and disposal
Policy for Minimization of Plastic Use	Establishes guidelines to reduce nonbiodegradable plastic products; requires halting singleuse plastics
Policy on Plastic Waste Reduction	Focuses on reducing plastic waste, environmental impact, and sustainable consumption practices
Policy for Minimization of Disposable Items	Promotes reusable, biodegradable, and recyclable alternatives; applies to students, staff, contractors, and suppliers
Sustainable Procurement Policy	Aims at waste reduction with hierarchical approach emphasizing reduction, reuse, and recycling
Policy Waste Disposal – Hazardous Materials	Ensures safe handling and disposal of hazardous waste in compliance with environmental regulations
Landfill and Waste Disposal Policy	Supports recycling and recovery practices; sustainable waste disposal; waste reduction strategy
Electronic Waste Recycling Program	Ensures sustainable disposal of obsolete electronic equipment

Key Policy Provisions:

• Waste Hierarchy: AASTMT receives the 'waste order' of Prevention, reuse, recycling, and other recuperation and removal.
• Measurement and Tracking: AASTMT is committed to measuring and weighing the amount of waste generated to track the waste and to find the best methods to reduce or recycle it. The Academy will implement a digital waste tracking and reporting system to monitor waste generation, recycling rates, and disposal activities across all campuses, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in sustainability performance.
• Integration of Recycling: Recycling must be integrated at every stage of the waste management process—beginning with proper segregation and collection, followed by safe processing and reuse wherever feasible.
• Designated Responsibility: A designated responsible person or unit shall oversee the recycling and disposal of materials to ensure compliance with environmental standards and the adoption of the most sustainable methods available.

Progress Toward ZeroWaste Campus

AASTMT has committed to a ZeroWaste Campus by the Year 2049, with inorganic waste treatment being a central pillar of this strategy.

Key Milestones:

• 50% Waste Diversion Rate Achieved by 2023: A significant milestone in reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.
• 70.2% Inorganic Waste Treatment Rate This Year: Demonstrating continuous progress toward zerowaste goals.
• 15% Reduction Target by 2030: Committed to reducing total trash generation by 15% prior to 2030.

Waste Diversion Summary:

Metric	Value
Total Inorganic Waste Generated	282 tons
Total Inorganic Waste Treated	198 tons
Treatment Rate	70.2%
Waste Sent to Landfill	~0.5 tons (mainly hazardous medical waste)

Environmental and Economic Impact

Environmental Benefits:

• Landfill Diversion: 198 tons of inorganic waste diverted from landfill, reducing land use and environmental contamination.
• Resource Conservation: Paper and cardboard recycling conserves trees, water, and energy; plastic recycling decreases reliance on fossil fuels; metal recycling conserves mineral resources.
• Marine Environment Protection: Plastic recycling initiatives contribute to protecting marine environments from plastic pollution.
• Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Recycling significantly lowers greenhouse gas emissions compared to virgin material production and landfill disposal.

Economic Benefits:

• Cost Savings: Reduced waste disposal costs and landfill fees.
• Value Creation: The Campus Smart Recycling System transforms recyclables into valuable products, reducing campus running expenses.
• Procurement Savings: Recycled products reduce procurement costs for campus materials.
• Student Innovation: Research and graduation projects on waste recycling contribute to economic value creation.

Institutional Commitment and Recognition

Sustainability Reporting:

• AASTMT publishes annual sustainability reports, with thirdparty audits conducted every two years.
• Carbon footprint measurements confirm the effectiveness of measures to reduce environmental impact.

Carbon Reduction Targets:

• Aims to achieve a 50% reduction in carbon emissions by 2040.
• In 2024, AASTMT achieved a −3.0% reduction in total emissions from 2023 and −32.8% relative to the 2019 baseline.

International Collaboration:

• AASTMT organised a workshop on waste management in cooperation with Alexandria Governorate, Nahdet Misr Company, and the German Retech Foundation, covering contemporary waste management concerns and best practices.

Student Engagement:

• Integration of waste management projects into academic curricula and graduation projects.
• Research on polypropylene waste recycling presented at ICaTAS 2023 Conference.

Conclusion

This year's inorganic waste treatment data demonstrates AASTMT's strong performance in sustainable resource management. The Academy successfully treated 198 metric tons (70.2%) of inorganic waste through reuse and recycling pathways, achieving:

• 96 tons of paper and cardboard treated (77.4% treatment rate)
• 89 tons of soft and hard plastic treated (70.6% treatment rate)
• 13 tons of miscellaneous waste treated (40.6% treatment rate)

These achievements reflect the success of comprehensive recycling programs, the Campus Smart Recycling System, electronic waste recycling, sustainable procurement practices, and institutional commitment to sustainability. The Academy's progress positions AASTMT as a leader in sustainable resource management within the higher education sector in Egypt and the broader Mediterranean region, contributing to climate action, circular economy, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

Additional Evidence Links

• Consumption and Recycling Policy:

https://aast.edu/en/sdg/contenttemp.php?page_id=121200012

• Policy for Minimization of Plastic Use:

https://www.aast.edu/en/sdg/goals.php?unit_item=1212&unit_item=1212&unit_item=1212&page_id=121200028

• Policy on Plastic Waste Reduction:

https://aast.edu/en/sdg/contenttemp.php?page_id=121500034

• Policy for Minimization of Disposable Items:

https://aast.edu/en/sdg/contenttemp.php?lnselect=1&page_id=121200029

• Sustainable Procurement Policy:

https://aast.edu/en/sdg/contenttemp.php?page_id=121200019

• Waste Tracking – Responsible Consumption and Production:

https://aast.edu/en/sdg/goals.php?unit_item=1212&unit_item=1212&page_id=121200032

• Campus Smart Recycling System (CSRS) – Project 2068:

https://aast.edu/en/complexes/is-complex/contenttemp.php?page_id=40700107

• CSRS Project Details:

https://aast.edu/en/scientific-research/projects/project.php?uid=16&proj_id=29

• AASTMT Carbon Emissions Reduction and Sustainability Progress Report (2024):

https://aast.edu/en/sdg/contenttemp.php?page_id=121300029

• SDG12 Report – Responsible Consumption and Production:

https://www.aast.edu/en/sdg/contenttemp.php?page_id=121700096

• AASTMT Vitally Contributes to Egypt's Implementation Roadmap on Solid Waste Management:

https://highlights.aast.edu/aast/aastmt-vitally-contributes-to-egypts-implementation-roadmap-on-solid-waste-management/

This comprehensive inorganic waste reduction framework demonstrates AASTMT's leadership in sustainable resource management within the higher education sector in Egypt, contributing to climate action, circular economy, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.