Waste Measurement [Statistics] (12.3.2)

Measurement and reporting of total waste generated, recycled, and sent to landfill across the university.

Introduction:

Al-Ahliyya Amman University (AAU) maintains a fully digital Waste Measurement and Reporting System that quantifies and analyzes the total amount of waste generated, recycled, and sent to landfill across all facilities.

The system provides transparent, verifiable data to support responsible resource management in line with SDG 12.5 (Reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling, and reuse).

Monthly data collection, verification, and publication are coordinated by the Sustainability and International Ranking Center (SIRC), which integrates information from academic buildings, laboratories, dormitories, and administrative offices.

These statistics are presented annually in the AAU Sustainability Report and published on the university’s digital dashboard, ensuring data transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Centers and Departments:

January
01

1. Sustainability and International Ranking Center (SIRC)

Verifies and consolidates waste-measurement statistics, prepares public sustainability dashboards, and reports progress annually.

January
01

2. General Supplies and Services Department

Collects physical waste data, operates recycling stations, and performs landfill-weight verification through certified contractors.

January
01

3. Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research (HCASR)

Conducts analytical studies on waste trends, recycling efficiency, and environmental impact reduction.

January
01

4. Computer Center (CC)

Manages the data systems that store, visualize, and analyze waste statistics through the Smart Sustainability Dashboard

January
01

5. Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE)

Encourages students to develop data-driven waste-tracking technologies and sustainability metrics.

Activities:

January
01

1. Annual Waste Statistics Report 2024–2025

Compiled and verified by SIRC, presenting total waste generated, recycled, and disposed to landfill with year-to-year comparisons.

January
01

2. AAU Participation in “Future of Smart Food Conference”

Presented research on waste metrics in sustainable food production and the reduction of biodegradable waste.

January
01

3. AAU Participation in “Biodiversity and Food Security Workshop” – University of Anbar, Iraq

Shared the university’s methodology for calculating and reducing waste in agricultural and food-processing labs.

January
01

4. Scientific Visit – Sharahbil Bin Hassneh and Deir Alla Stations

Faculty of Agricultural Technology students learned to apply waste quantification and recycling techniques in environmental research.

January
01

5. Smart Agricultural Greenhouse Integration

Collected quantitative data on organic waste and compostable outputs, integrated into SIRC’s waste-measurement reports.

Impact Evaluation & Development Plan

A . Performance Evaluation

100 % of campus buildings are included in digital waste
Paper waste reduced by 43 % after digitalization of administrative
Plastic waste decreased by 58 % due to “Zero Plastic” cafeteria
Annual reporting verified by SIRC and published publicly on the Sustainability

B. Development Actions

Action 1: Full Automation of Waste Data Collection, Expand smart-bin sensors to all campus buildings, 100 % coverage by 2026.

Action 2: Real-Time Waste Analytics Dashboard (2025 – 2028) Integrate AI forecasting for monthly waste trends, System live 2027.

Action 3: Landfill-Free Campus Program (2025 – 2028) Achieve <10 % landfill contribution through recycling and reuse, 2028 Target.

Action 4: Student Data Fellowship Program (2025 – 2028) Train students to analyze and report sustainability data, 50 fellows annually.

Action 5: Annual Public Waste Report (2025 – 2028), Publish open-access waste reports validated by SIRC and Facilities, Every March.

C. Benchmarking & Best Practice

AAU’s Waste Measurement and Reporting framework is benchmarked against:

University of Melbourne (Comprehensive circular-waste reporting model)
KAUST, Saudi Arabia (IoT-integrated waste tracking)
University of Twente, Netherlands (Public data dashboard for SDG transparency)

AAU’s system follows ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 standards, aligning with Jordan’s National Waste Management Strategy (2020–2030).

Future Goal (2028):

Establish the AAU Environmental Data Analytics Center, hosting annual regional workshops on waste-measurement innovation.

Institutional Integration Summary

The waste-measurement data governance is managed centrally by SIRC, which coordinates data input from the Facilities Department, HCASR, and Computer Center.

Monthly measurements are verified, analyzed, and published in the AAU Annual Sustainability Report and on the AAU Sustainability Portal, ensuring transparent public communication.

This evidence-based system enables AI-auditable sustainability performance, showcasing AAU’s leadership in quantitative waste tracking, responsible consumption, and circular- economy integration.

Through precise measurement, advanced analytics, and international reporting, AAU advances SDG 12, while also supporting SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).