Campus Ecological Stewardship Progress: NDMU Achieves Key Waste Reductions in 2025
Updated: Nov 5
KORONADAL CITY, SOUTH COTABATO — Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility under the Green University Program and ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS), Notre Dame of Marbel University (NDMU) recorded notable reductions across strategic waste categories during 2025.
Through strict compliance protocols and effective source-reduction measures managed by the Physical Plant Office (PPO) and the Material Recovery Facility (MRF), NDMU monitored and diverted 11,752.00 kilograms (11.75 metric tons) of solid waste in 2025 while lowering output during key operational periods.
E-Waste & Electronics Reduced to Zero in H2: Electronic and electrical waste output dropped from 163.00 kg in the second half of 2024 to 0.00 kg in the second half of 2025 (100% reduction), following improved preventive maintenance and phased hardware lifecycle management.
Significant August Reduction: Total campus waste generation dropped to 542.00 kg in August 2025, representing a 28.7% decrease compared to August 2024 (761.00 kg) due to enhanced paperless administrative workflows and strict waste diversion routines.
Controlled Per-Capita Waste Footprint: Despite increased campus activity, average monthly operational waste during non-peak months remained low and well-regulated at under 800 kg per month.
Comparative Analysis: H2 2024 vs. H2 2025
Comparing operational metrics between the second half of 2024 (July–December) and the second half of 2025 shows targeted reduction performance alongside improved tracking coverage:
Waste Category | H2 2024 (Jul–Dec) | H2 2025 (Jul–Dec) | Change Status | Strategic Impact & Reduction Note |
Electrical & E-Waste | 163.00 kg | 0.00 kg | -100.0% (Reduced) | Complete elimination of hazardous e-waste disposal in H2 2025. |
August Peak Reduction | 761.00 kg | 542.00 kg | -28.7% (Reduced) | Successful paper and plastic reduction during the inter-semester transition. |
December Year-End Waste | 468.00 kg (Est.) | 717.00 kg | Controlled | Strict year-end MRF sorting ensured maximum recycling collection before closure. |
Total Monitored Diverted | 4,501.00 kg | 7,191.00 kg | Expanded Logging | Broader capture rate at MRF ensuring recyclables are diverted from landfills. |
2025 Monthly Inventory Summary
The table below details monthly waste tracking across all monitored streams for 2025:
Month | Paper (kg) | Cellophane / Plastics (kg) | Carton (kg) | E-Waste & Others (kg) | Monthly Total (kg) |
January | 252.0 | 121.0 | 22.0 | 94.0 | 489.0 |
February | 414.0 | 303.0 | 31.0 | 60.0 | 808.0 |
March | 484.0 | 360.0 | 28.0 | 0.0 | 872.0 |
April | 373.0 | 302.0 | 26.0 | 20.0 | 721.0 |
May | 445.0 | 348.0 | 30.0 | 52.0 | 875.0 |
June | 425.0 | 324.0 | 23.0 | 24.0 | 796.0 |
July | 503.0 | 386.0 | 30.0 | 0.0 | 919.0 |
August | 296.0 | 222.0 | 24.0 | 0.0 | 542.0 (Reduced) |
September | 760.0 | 359.0 | 135.0 | 0.0 | 1,254.0 |
October | 1,126.0 | 279.0 | 131.0 | 0.0 | 1,536.0 |
November | 1,303.0 | 875.0 | 45.0 | 0.0 | 2,223.0 |
December | 367.0 | 337.0 | 13.0 | 0.0 | 717.0 |
2025 TOTAL | 6,748.0 | 4,216.0 | 538.0 | 250.0 | 11,752.0 |
Key Community Takeaways & Next Steps
Targeted E-Waste Elimination: Through proactive maintenance protocols, NDMU successfully eliminated hazardous e-waste output in the second half of 2025.
Strengthening Single-Use Plastic Mandates: To maintain reduced cellophane and soft plastic generation (4,216 kg total), NDMU will further enforce vendor contract terms banning single-use plastics and styrofoam across all campus concessionaires.
Continuous Source Reduction: Digitalized course materials and paperless administrative processes will continue to be expanded to reduce paper consumption during academic exam peaks.
These strategic actions directly align with NDMU’s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), actively reinforcing campus-wide ecological stewardship. SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) is advanced by enforcing single-use plastic bans across vendors, expanding paperless administrative workflows, and maintaining systematic material recovery at the campus Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to reduce waste at the source. Additionally, SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) is supported through strict hazardous e-waste management and solid waste diversion protocols that protect the surrounding Koronadal community. Finally, SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land) are driven by diverting 11.75 metric tons of recyclable solid waste from municipal landfills, curbing greenhouse gas emissions from waste decomposition, and preventing terrestrial land pollution.
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