Waste management strategies and challenges: a global view from university rankings

Authors

  • Trinidad Esmeralda Vilchis-Pérez Instituto de Ecología, A. C.
  • Nancy Merary Jiménez-Martínez Centro Regional de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias UNAM, México
  • Ricardo Herrera-Navarrete Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, México

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46380/rias.v8.e479

Keywords:

environment, higher education, management, pollution, sustainability

Abstract

Universities have an important role in generating and transmitting knowledge to advance sustainability; this research addressed university contributions in the area of “waste” based on university rankings. The objective was to compile, analyze and compare strategies and results in the area of waste through the analysis of two highly recognized rankings. To this end, a descriptive cross-sectional design was carried out in three phases. The UI GreenMetric and THE-IR rankings were chosen, the 40 best evaluated universities in waste management in 2022 were studied. The results revealed that universities established in countries with a high Human Development Index (HDI) have better waste management, 80% were located in Europe and 20% in the Americas. A similar trend was found in Mexico, where the north and center have better development and management conditions. Minimization campaigns, separation categories, collection, disposal, research and publications on the subject were identified and compared. It was concluded that there is a need to promote in Mexico projects that design, apply and manage waste transformation processes to achieve maximum utilization and a reduction in final disposal.

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Published

2025-05-26

How to Cite

Vilchis-Pérez, T. E., Jiménez-Martínez, N. M., & Herrera-Navarrete, R. (2025). Waste management strategies and challenges: a global view from university rankings. Iberoamerican Environment & Sustainability Journal, 8, e479. https://doi.org/10.46380/rias.v8.e479

Issue

Section

Sustainable management of urban solid waste