Chiang Mai University recognizes that food waste is one of the world’s most pressing sustainability problems: food that is produced and then discarded wastes land, water, energy and labour and adds to greenhouse gas emissions, while hunger persists elsewhere. As a community where thousands of students and staff eat every day, the university responds by separating waste at source, measuring the amount of food waste generated, and sending organic waste and food scraps to the Biomass Technology Center to be converted into energy and bio-fertilizer, in line with its Zero Waste Campus commitment and Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).
Chiang Mai University’s Zero Waste Campus: Waste Separation at Source Enabling Campus Food Waste Measurement
Chiang Mai University is moving toward becoming a Zero Waste Campus through a comprehensive waste management system that begins with waste separation at source and turns waste back into resources. Waste is separated into six categories, each with its own management pathway:
General waste: collected by Chiang Mai City Municipality and sent to the full-cycle Biomass Management Center.
Recyclable waste: sent to the waste bank or sold directly, supporting the circular economy.
Organic waste, including food scraps: collected from the source and processed at the Biomass Technology Center, where it is converted into renewable energy and bio-fertilizer.
Biomass waste (e.g. branches): processed at the same center for renewable energy, reducing open burning and air pollution.
Hazardous waste: sent to the infectious waste incinerator of the Faculty of Medicine for safe disposal.
Construction waste and foam: handled by licensed companies or agencies to prevent environmental contamination.
By separating waste correctly at source, Chiang Mai University reduces the amount of waste sent to landfill, lowers greenhouse gas emissions, recovers resources and builds an efficient resource cycle. Separating organic waste and food scraps at source also makes food waste measurement and tracking possible.
ENIS: A Real-Time Monitoring Center Supporting Campus Food Waste Measurement and Tracking
ENIS (CMU Smart City Energy Information System) is the database and real-time monitoring center for smart energy management and a key part of the CMU Smart City – Clean Energy strategy of Chiang Mai University. It is developed and maintained by the Energy Research and Development Institute – Nakornping (ERDI-CMU) and operated together with the Smart Campus Management Center (SCMC). The system exists to collect, monitor and track resource data in real time, so that the university can measure its environmental performance, support data-driven decision-making, and reduce waste and resource consumption in pursuit of the Carbon Neutral University goal. To achieve this, ENIS integrates smart meter data, waste and biogas (CBG) management data and utilities data. The following section presents the Biomass Technology Center data log within this system, which measures and tracks food waste from Chiang Mai University through daily reports and annual summaries, so that food waste generation can be monitored and reduced over time.
Chiang Mai University Waste and CBG Database: Annual Food Waste Records
The Chiang Mai University waste and CBG database is the annual data summary dashboard of the system. It exists to give the university a consolidated yearly record of waste by category, so that food waste can be measured, compared year by year and used for planning. Each year, food scraps and fat waste from Chiang Mai University are recorded as a separate item in metric tons, alongside waste from Chiang Mai University, sorted recyclables and landfill waste records. This supports systematic food waste measurement and monitoring and shows how much waste is diverted from landfill.
Chiang Mai University Waste Sorting Process: Food Waste Share by Source
The waste sorting process chart is the dashboard that shows where waste comes from and how food waste compares with other waste in the sorting process. It was built so that the university can identify the sources of food waste, compare them and set priorities for reduction. Each source is recorded in kilograms and displayed as a share of the total, with food waste from Chiang Mai University shown as its own category. The chart can be viewed by year, allowing food waste data to be tracked over time.
Biomass Technology Center: Daily Food Waste Data Log
The Biomass Technology Center data log is the daily operational record of the waste sorting and biogas production process. It exists to measure and record food waste every day and to follow it from collection through sorting to conversion into energy. Each daily report, selectable by date and available in Thai and English, records the weight of food waste from Chiang Mai University in kilograms, together with sorted organic waste, sorted recyclables, biogas production, biogas utilization and other biomass processes. This daily record gives the university detailed, up-to-date evidence of how much food waste is generated and how it is managed.
Water Use in the Waste Sorting Process: 30-Day Monitoring Graph
The water use graph is the dashboard that monitors the water consumed in the waste sorting process, including the handling of food waste. It was created to track resource consumption while waste is processed, so that the university can manage operations efficiently and reduce resource use. The graph displays daily water use in cubic metres over the last 30 days, and a yearly view is also available, supporting continuous monitoring alongside the daily data log.
Through waste sorting at source and the ENIS system, Chiang Mai University measures the food waste generated on campus and tracks it continuously through annual records, daily reports and real-time monitoring. This systematic food waste measurement and tracking supports data-driven decision-making and food waste reduction, and it advances the Zero Waste Campus goal and Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger). It also contributes to Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) through waste reduction and resource recovery, Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) by reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, and Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy)
Source : ENIS system
มช กับการแยกขยะก่อนทิ้ง สู่มหาวิทยาลัยปลอดขยะ (Zero Waste Campus)