Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) launched an Integrated Waste Management Site (TPST) to process waste more effectively to support a clean lifestyle in the campus environment. This TPST is fully supported by the North Sumatra Provincial Government (Pemprov) and was attended by the Governor of North Sumatra, Muhammad Bobby Afif Nasution. The launch was carried out at the TPST at Pintu IV, USU Campus on Tuesday (06/05/2025).
 

This TPST is managed directly by the USU Circularity Center, which focuses on processing waste in an integrated manner. It is not only a place for waste processing but also for research that collaborates with five faculties. This is also part of the steps to support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
 

The Governor of North Sumatra said that this TPST has been echoed for a long time to realize a zero-waste campus. He assessed that this effort needs to be a movement that directly involves the community.
 

“It remains to be implemented so that it becomes an economical movement,” said the governor after inaugurating the TPST at USU.

He emphasized that waste management is not only the task of the campus or government, but requires active participation from the community. According to him, people will be motivated to participate in sorting and collecting waste if they see the economic value of these activities.

USU Rector, Prof. Dr. Muryanto Amin, S.Sos, M.Si. said that he wanted to show a place for waste management on a micro scale that the community could provide. A lab to research waste and examine human behavior patterns related to waste management. Educating the public to sort out the types of waste.
 

“Seeing how to change the community's mindset at the household level to sort the waste produced immediately,” he said when met at the TPST inauguration event.
 

Furthermore, the rector added that this supports the zero waste program launched previously. This processing site will be a solution and an economic value that can be achieved.
 

"This is still a lab. It's still a trial. We are still financing it. Later, after it can produce its economic aspects, it can reduce management costs," he added.

Head of TPST USU, Zaid Perdana Nasution ST. MT. Ph.D., said that one of the waste processing methods is using maggots, which are a type of fly larva. Maggot can eat organic waste. The function of maggot is not only to eat waste, but it can also be used as fertilizer. The developed maggot will later be sold and get its economic value.

"The inorganics can become oil and diesel. So things like this are the economic value that can actually be the innovation," he said.

The USU Circularity Center has been formed since 2023 and will continue to innovate in processing waste. One innovation involves electric cars that transport waste and can access small alleys. Other technologies include creating a website about this TPST so that waste data collection can be managed regularly.

Meanwhile, Head of USU Public Relations Amalia Meutia, M.Psi, added that currently, Universitas Sumatera Utara, through the TPST managed by the USU Circularity Center, has not specifically implemented a savings-based or nominal waste bank system that we usually encounter in the community. However, the direction and spirit of waste management developed is very much in line with the principle of circular economy, where waste is not only processed as waste, but also as a resource with economic value.

In the future, USU is exploring the possibility of presenting an incentive model or exchange system to motivate the campus community and surrounding residents to be more active in sorting and submitting their waste.