Environmental and financial assessment of phosphorus loss from food waste in the academic institutions
Issued Date
2025-09-01
Resource Type
ISSN
23833572
eISSN
23833866
Scopus ID
2-s2.0-105024844051
Journal Title
Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management
Volume
11
Issue
4
Start Page
1655
End Page
1670
Rights Holder(s)
SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management Vol.11 No.4 (2025) , 1655-1670
Suggested Citation
Mokjatturas S., Polprasert S., Patthanaissaranukool W., Dereli R.K., Chinwetkitvanich S. Environmental and financial assessment of phosphorus loss from food waste in the academic institutions. Global Journal of Environmental Science and Management Vol.11 No.4 (2025) , 1655-1670. 1670. doi:10.22034/gjesm.2025.04.16 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/113631
Title
Environmental and financial assessment of phosphorus loss from food waste in the academic institutions
Author's Affiliation
Corresponding Author(s)
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Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Food waste is a global issue as it has an environmental impact by releasing large amounts of carbon dioxide equivalent throughout their biodegradation. Academic institutions are significant sources of food waste, as students spend over 15 years of their lives living and learning in these environments. Considering the intake of two to three meals daily, a significant quantity of food waste may be produced. Regrettably, a significant amount of food waste usually finds its way to landfills; as a result, the valuable phosphorus it held is lost during disposal. The study objectives were to investigate the practical management of food waste in academic institutions, especially in the part related to phosphorus recovery. METHODS: Three academic institutions in the Bangkok area were chosen, i.e. a primary school, a technological college, and a public university. For three consecutive weekdays, sampling was performed at each institution. Solid waste generated from the kitchen and canteen in this study was categorized into food waste, general waste, and recyclable waste. Waste weights were recorded and their physical and chemical characteristics were analyzed. The phosphorus mass flow was determined according to mass balance concept. FINDINGS: The study indicated that the quantity of food waste generated by three institutions varied between 20 and 206 kilograms daily. In comparison to their total solid waste (41–229 kilograms per day), food waste accounted for 40–90 percent of the total waste generated by three academic institutions. This study categorized food waste into two distinct types: uncooked food waste and cooked food waste. The phosphorus content of uncooked food waste ranged from 0.09 to 0.29 milligrams phosphorus per gram, whereas those of cooked food waste ranged from 0.53 to 0.76 milligrams phosphorus per gram. From mass balance calculation, the total phosphorus mass entering the waste management system possibly ranged from 7.9 to 141.3 grams’ phosphorus per day, while phosphorus loss ranged from 2.3 to 13.5 grams per day. According to the composting scenario analyzed in this study, the projected yield of fertilizer-like products varied from 0.3 to 19 tons annually. The utilization of food waste could reduce waste collection and disposal costs by up to 1,395–1,870 United States Dollar per year. Furthermore, extracting phosphorus from food waste may contribute to mitigating the challenge posed by restricted global phosphorus reserves. CONCLUSION: Academic institutions in this study generated substantial amount of food wastes, with notably high levels observed at the primary school implementing a centralized food preparation approach. Analysis of the food waste characteristics showed considerable nitrogen and phosphorus content, indicating its potential for nutrient recovery. Composting this waste could facilitate phosphorus reclamation, offering both environmental and economic benefits. This study firmly suggested for the efficient segregation of food waste to improve the evaluation of phosphorus flow and recovery. It is vital to prioritize phosphorus recovery for agricultural purposes.