Resilience and Transformation of University Waste Management During COVID-19: A Case Study of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd

Parvin  Zamani; Masoomeh  Bagheri; Mehdi  Mokhtari; Ehsan Abouee  Mehrizi; Mehdi  Sarlak; Masoume  Javaheri; Mehran  Yazdandoust

doi:10.18502/jehsd.v10i3.19790

Parvin Zamani Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Masoomeh Bagheri Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mehdi Mokhtari Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Ehsan Abouee Mehrizi Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Mehdi Sarlak Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
Masoume Javaheri Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Ilam University of Medical sciences, Ilam, Iran.
Mehran Yazdandoust Environmental Science and Technology Research Center, Department of Environmental Health Engineering, School of Public Health, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/jehsd.v10i3.19790

Keywords: COVID-19, Pandemics, Waste Management, Universities, Resilience

Abstract

Introduction: Universities are concentrated hubs of waste generation, and the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly reshaped waste management dynamics. This study investigated the resilience and transformation of campus waste streams at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran, in 2020.

Materials and Methods: Monthly physical waste analyses were conducted across seven campus zones (dormitories, faculties, cafeterias, sports halls, and faculty clubs). Waste was manually sorted, weighed, and characterized according to ASTM D5231-92, and key physicochemical parameters (moisture, density, calorific value, and C/N ratio) were measured. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (SPSS) to compare the pre-pandemic, peak-pandemic, and post-peak periods.

Results: The results revealed an 81.6% reduction in total waste generation during the lockdown, alongside a major spatial shift. Waste output from academic and commercial areas (cafeteria: 90.8% decrease) collapsed, whereas dormitories became the primary source (49.3% decrease). Compositionally, organic waste increased sharply from 38.7% to 58.9%, whereas recyclables such as paper and cardboard declined drastically from 25.1% to 6.2%. These shifts reduced the calorific value by 25% and increased the moisture content, undermining the thermal treatment potential but enhancing the suitability for biological processing.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates how the pandemic acted as both a disruptive shock and a catalyst for transformation. This underscores the vulnerabilities of centralized waste management models while highlighting opportunities for adaptive and decentralized solutions, such as dormitory-level composting, that strengthen resilience and foster a more flexible and crisis-responsive system.