PROSER
PROSER
Waste Separation and Recycling Program (PROSER)
In February 2013, in the rector's tower and the administrative offices located in Ciudad Universitaria, the Waste Separation and Recycling Program (PROSER) of the UANL with the objective of maximizing the use of recyclable waste and preventing or reducing the impacts on the environment. For the process of recycling and transforming the waste obtained, there is support from several local companies with extensive experience in the management of recyclables, thus ensuring the correct management and final disposal of MSW with recyclable characteristics. Currently, the program operates through a network of collaboration and commitment of several UANL departments, where each one segregates its waste in special containers intended for this purpose.
Once the waste is collected at the UANL facilities by local companies, it is incorporated as raw material into their processes and/or those of third parties for the production of new products. Having said that, the MSW with recyclable characteristics generated at the UANL follow a circular economy model as established by the General Law of Circular Economy in Mexico.
In Mexico, the “National Vision towards sustainable management: zero waste” was promulgated in 2019 with the aim of transforming the traditional waste management scheme into a circular economy model, for the rational use of natural resources and favoring sustainable development in the country. In this sense, it is sought that MSW with recyclable characteristics be incorporated as raw material for the production of new products such as cardboard, recycled paper, aluminum cans and PET bottles.
The collection of recyclable material (paper, cardboard, PET and aluminum) is currently carried out systematically in 52 academic departments and 26 central departments (representing a 17% increase in program coverage compared to 2022) from UANL, which are listed below:
- 1. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Educación Bilingüe
- 2. Escuela Industrial y Preparatoria Técnica Pablo Livas
- 3. Escuela Industrial y Preparatoria Técnica Álvaro Obregón
- 4. Escuela y Preparatoria Técnica Médica
- 5. Preparatoria No. 1
- 6. Preparatoria No. 2
- 7. Preparatoria No. 3
- 8. Preparatoria No. 4
- 9. Preparatoria No. 5
- 10. Preparatoria No. 6
- 11. Preparatoria No. 7
- 12. Preparatoria No. 8
- 13. Preparatoria No. 9
- 14. Preparatoria No. 10
- 15. Preparatoria No. 12
- 16. Preparatoria No. 13
- 17. Preparatoria No. 14
- 18. Preparatoria No. 15
- 19. Preparatoria No. 16
- 20. Preparatoria No. 17
- 21. Preparatoria No. 18
- 22. Preparatoria No. 19
- 23. Preparatoria No. 20
- 24. Preparatoria No. 21
- 25. Preparatoria No. 22
- 26. Preparatoria No. 23
- 27. Preparatoria No. 25
- 28. Facultad de Agronomía
- 29. Facultad de Arquitectura
- 30. Facultad de Artes Visuales
- 31. Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas
- 32. Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicación
- 33. Facultad de Ciencias de la Tierra
- 34. Facultad de Ciencias Físico-Matemáticas
- 35. Facultad de Ciencias Forestales
- 36. Facultad de Ciencias Políticas y Relaciones Internacionales
- 37. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas
- 38. Facultad de Contaduría Pública y Administración
- 39. Facultad de Derecho y Criminología
- 40. Facultad de Economía
- 41. Facultad de Enfermería
- 42. Facultad de Filosofía y Letras
- 43. Facultad de Ingeniería Civil e Instituto
- 44. Facultad de Ingeniería Mecánica y Eléctrica
- 45. Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario
- 46. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia
- 47. Facultad de Música
- 48. Facultad de Odontología
- 49. Facultad de Organización Deportiva
- 50. Facultad de Salud Pública y Nutrición
- 51. Facultad de Trabajo Social y Desarrollo Humano
- 52. Biblioteca Universitaria Raúl Rangel Frías
- 53. Biblioteca Especializada en Ciencias Agropecuarias
- 54. Capilla Alfonsina Biblioteca Universitaria
- 55. Teatro Universitario
- 56. Centro Cultural Universitario
- 57. Centro de Incubación de Empresas y Transferencia de Tecnologías
- 58. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Ciencias de la Salud
- 59. Centro Universitario de Salud
- 60. Centro de Educación Digital y Emprendimiento
- 61. Centro Acuático Olímpico Universitario
- 62. Centro de Investigación en Producción Agropecuaria
- 63. Centro de Internacionalización
- 64. Centro de exposiciones Agropecuarias
- 65. Centro de Investigación para el Desarrollo Sustentable
- 66. Imprenta Universitaria
- 67. Almacén General
- 68. World Trade Center
- 69. Sorteos UANL
- 70. Polideportivo Tigres Escobedo
- 71. Unidad Académica Linares
- 72. Dirección de Actividades Estudiantiles
- 73. Departamento de Becas
- 74. Departamento Escolar y de Archivo
- 75. Dirección de Servicio Social y Prácticas Profesionales
- 76. Dirección de Servicios Médicos
- 77. Dirección General de Planeación y Proyectos Estratégicos y Unidad de Seminarios
- 78. Dirección General de Tecnologías y Desarrollo Digital
These facilities continually offer training lectures to students and teachers on the correct handling and disposal of different types of waste, in order to obtain the most benefit from these recycling programs.
Within the period from February 2013 to June 2024, a total of 2,138.36 t of recyclable material as shown in the following graph, with which environmental benefits have been obtained such as: energy savings of 9,554,504 kWh, 64,482,464 L of water not consumed, 30,940 trees not cut down, 7,288 t of CO2 not emitted, 380,539 L of unused oil, 6,096 m3 of unused landfill and 204 t of unused bauxite.
1st. UANL Recycling Day
On June 5, 6 and 7, 2024, the 1st. UANL Recycling Day organized by the Secretariat of Sustainability through the Directorate of Environmental Management and Operational Safety, with the UANL Research Center for Sustainable Development as its headquarters. The event was aimed at the university community and the general public. The purpose of the event was to serve as a means to achieve proper disposal of waste and protect the environment, while at the same time promoting the recycling of materials.
On this occasion, various materials were received such as: PET, aluminum, paper, cardboard, among other materials.
For the organization and logistics, there was the active participation of more than 60 people, including students and teachers from different departments, as well as student associations, volunteers and companies.
During the period from January 2023 to June 2024, the following were collected: 339.71 t of recyclable material, (including what was collected at PROSER and the recycling day) with which important environmental benefits were obtained, including energy savings of 1,483,846 kWh and 9,922,990 L of water.
It is important to mention that the success of the different programs has been thanks to the commitment of the university community to adopt sustainable practices within their daily activities and thus support the care of the environment.
Organic waste
The treatment of organic waste is becoming more important every day given the size of the problem it represents not only due to the increase in volumes generated but also due to the use of chemical fertilizers which, in addition to contaminating the environment and having a higher cost, represent a risk to the health of the people who handle them and to the consumers of the products.
The UANL School of Agronomy is carrying out a project to use and exploit livestock waste (manure) and pruning (garden waste) from the Marín campus. This project consists of treating said waste using worms to obtain humus or fertilizer (vermicompost) and a leachate rich in essential nutrients (fulvic acids), which are used to fertilize the nursery, experimental crops and gardens on the same campus.
On the other hand, the company responsible for collecting MSW at the UANL also carries out a treatment of gardening waste (branches and pruning) from the university campus to obtain compost.
During the year 2023, approximately 208.75 t of organic waste was treated, obtaining a total of 97 t of humus or compost.
Technical guidelines for the handling and management of waste
The UANL Sustainability Secretariat, through the Environmental Management and Operational Safety Directorate, formulated technical guidelines:
These serve as support for the correct handling and management of waste in all departments.
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