What if a university campus could become a living laboratory for solving one of India’s most persistent sustainability challenges, waste management? At Manav Rachna University, the Manav Rachna Centre for Peace & Sustainability (MRCPS) is demonstrating how waste can be transformed from an operational burden into a resource through Project S.O.R.T.
In this interview with Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Chauhan, Associate Director, MRCPS, TheCSRUniverse explores the thinking, technology and collaborative ecosystem behind the initiative. Project S.O.R.T. goes beyond regulatory compliance by integrating source segregation, aerobic composting, student engagement, research and community participation into a circular campus model. Over seven months, the initiative has produced around 1,150 kg of nutrient-rich manure and 419 litres of compost liquid, while diverting approximately 8.1 tonnes of wet waste and avoiding an estimated 12.5 tonnes of CO₂e emissions over six months.
The conversation also examines the role of Aerobin technology, behavioural change, CSR partnerships and universities as “living laboratories” for sustainability. Dr. Chauhan shares practical lessons for institutions seeking to replicate the model and outlines a future where waste streams can support biomass cultivation, climate innovation and broader circular economy solutions.
Scroll down to read the full interview:
Q. Project S.O.R.T. has emerged as a successful circular economy model for campus waste management. What inspired Manav Rachna University to launch this initiative and what sustainability challenge were you aiming to address?
A. Manav Rachna Center for Peace and Sustainability (MRCPS) wanted to address the need of campus kitchen waste responsibly and to demonstrate that sustainability is not just a concept but a core value we practice in our campus through live, hands-on projects. As a bulk waste generator, it was important for us to recognize the responsibility of managing our own waste on campus rather than relying on external systems. Regulations only required segregation and safe disposal, but our challenge was to go beyond compliance, to divert waste from landfills, reduce methane emissions, and embed sustainability into daily campus practices. Project S.O.R.T. and brand Manav Bhumitra was launched to transform waste into a resource and create a replicable circular economy model that other institutions could adopt in the Global South.
Q. Can you explain how the complete waste value chain functions under Project S.O.R.T. from waste segregation and collection to compost production, branding and reuse? How do you measure the project's impact beyond the recognition it has received?
A. The waste value chain begins with segregation at source in campus canteens. Dry kitchen waste is then mixed with brown waste and placed into six Aerobins for aerobic composting. Over seven months, this process has yielded around 1,150 kg of nutrient rich manure and 419 liters of compost liquid. Once harvested and sieved, the compost is branded as Manav Bhumitra and made ready for use. These outputs enrich campus gardens, reduce reliance on external fertilizers and are also made available to students, faculty and the wider community.
The project also delivered quantifiable climate impact over six months:
· Wet waste diverted: ~8.1 tons, Methane avoided: ~445 kg CH₄, CO₂e avoided (GWP100 = 28): ~12.5 tons CO₂e
Impact is therefore measured not only through quantitative data (waste diverted, fertilizer savings, carbon emissions avoided) but also through qualitative outcomes such as staff empowerment, student research and community outreach.
Q. What prompted the adoption of Australia's patented Aerobin composting technology and how has it performed under Indian climatic and operational conditions? More broadly, how important is technological innovation in making sustainability initiatives scalable and financially viable?
A. We adopted Aerobin technology because it is an effective, well proven aerobic composting method that was propagated by the Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA) for its cleanliness, ease and convenience. Importantly, this was initiated jointly by IPCA and MRCPS as a project, making it a collaborative sustainability effort. The method has been widely supported by IPCA and the Motherson Group across India and it has proven well suited to Indian climatic and operational conditions, requiring minimal manpower while consistently producing high quality compost.
At MRCPS, we have gone further by submitting a patent extension of this technology, where excess CO₂ and leachate streams generated by Aerobins can be harnessed for biomass cultivation. This opens pathways to create sustainable outputs such as biochar, biofuels, corrosion inhibition and water treatment solutions within the campus. More broadly, technological innovation is critical, it ensures sustainability initiatives are scalable, financially viable and replicable, while also enabling new research driven applications that extend impact beyond waste management.
Q. Behavioral change is often the biggest challenge in waste management. How did you encourage students, faculty, housekeeping staff and other stakeholders to embrace source segregation and have you seen these practices extend beyond the campus into homes or communities?
A. We encouraged behavioural change through a mix of awareness sessions, student projects, and staff training. Housekeeping staff became champions of segregation, supported consistently by the IPCA team, who visited the campus regularly to ensure processes were correctly followed and to provide hands-on training. Students embraced composting as part of their learning, conducting experimental work on leachate and manure testing, and co creating patents and publications with faculty. Many management students contributed by working on the digital marketing and supply chain management of our branded compost, Manav Bhumitra.
These practices have extended well beyond the campus. Housekeeping staff have shared their knowledge in their own communities and students have applied lessons at home. In fact, the approach has been well accepted in residential societies across Faridabad and in major cities across India, showing how a campus based initiative can ripple outward to influence broader urban sustainability practices.
Q. How has Project S.O.R.T. been integrated into teaching, research and experiential learning? Do you believe universities can serve as living laboratories for sustainability and climate action?
A. Project S.O.R.T. and brand Manav Bhumitra is deeply embedded into teaching, research and experiential learning at Manav Rachna. Students use it as a living laboratory, conducting experimental work on compost leachate and manure testing and co creating patents and publications with faculty. Management students have worked on the digital marketing and supply chain management of our branded compost Manav Bhumitra, linking sustainability with business practice and building circular economy projects.
Computer Science students have built a real time sustainability dashboard that tracks how waste management leads to measurable reductions in carbon emissions and contributes to student well being on campus. This integrated dashboard is itself a hands-on project, showing how sustainability and well being can be visualized together as part of institutional governance.
Importantly, school students were also engaged through summer internship projects, where they experienced the entire working of Project S.O.R.T. first hand. They came up with creative ideas on how to market the product to different customer segments, while learning that waste to resource is not only an environmental solution but also a viable business model in today’s circular economy.
This integration demonstrates that universities can indeed serve as living laboratories for sustainability and climate action, places where theory is linked with practice, innovation is nurtured, and future leaders are trained to see sustainability as both a value and an opportunity.
Q. What role have collaborations with organisations such as IPCA, Motherson Group, the Municipal Corporation Faridabad and other stakeholders played in the project's success? How can CSR partnerships help scale similar models across educational institutions?
A. Collaborations have been central to the success of Project S.O.R.T. The Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA) provided technical expertise, training, and continuous support, ensuring that segregation and composting processes were correctly followed. The Motherson Group offered sponsorship and technology support, enabling the installation of Aerobins and strengthening the project’s operational base. The Municipal Corporation Faridabad formally recognized the initiative, validating it as a model of urban sustainability and reinforcing its credibility. Together, these partnerships created a strong ecosystem of guidance, resources and recognition.
CSR partnerships are vital for scaling such models across educational institutions. They bring financial support, technical knowhow and credibility, while also aligning corporate responsibility with academic innovation. By investing in waste to resource projects, CSR partners can help universities replicate circular economy models, embed sustainability into curricula and extend impact into communities. This synergy ensures that sustainability initiatives are not isolated experiments but scalable, replicable and transformative models for climate action and social responsibility.
Q. What were the biggest implementation challenges during Project S.O.R.T., and what practical lessons would you share with schools and universities looking to replicate this model?
A. The biggest challenges lay in ensuring consistent segregation at source, building trust among housekeeping staff and managing limited manpower and resources. At the outset, it was difficult to change daily habits and embed new routines. Continuous support from IPCA trainers, regular monitoring and hands-on demonstrations helped overcome this barrier. Another challenge was maintaining throughput in Aerobins during peak kitchen waste periods, which required careful balancing of wet and brown waste inputs.
From these experiences, several practical lessons emerge:
· Start small but consistent: Begin with a manageable scale and build confidence before expanding.
· Empower staff as champions: Housekeeping staff are the backbone of segregation, training and recognition make them true drivers of success.
· Use reliable technology: Proven aerobic composting methods like Aerobins reduce operational risks and ensure quality outputs.
· Integrate into academics: Link the project with student research, management practice and digital innovation to sustain engagement.
· Measure and communicate impact: Track outputs (compost, emissions avoided) and share results widely to build credibility and inspire replication.
These lessons show that waste to resource models are not only feasible but can become living laboratories of sustainability when institutions commit to embedding them into daily practice.
Q. Looking ahead, what is your long-term vision for Project S.O.R.T. and the Manav Rachna Centre for Peace and Sustainability? How do you see this initiative contributing to India's broader circular economy and climate action goals?
A. Our long term vision for Project S.O.R.T. is to evolve it into a replicable, scalable model of circular campus sustainability that can be adopted by schools, universities and institutions across India and the Global South. At the Manav Rachna Centre for Peace and Sustainability (MRCPS), we see this initiative not only as a waste to resource project but as a living ecosystem that integrates technology, behavioural change and academic innovation.
Future directions include expanding composting into biomass cultivation, where waste streams such as CO₂ and leachate are harnessed to produce biochar, biofuels, and water treatment solutions. We also envision integrated sustainability dashboards that link waste management with carbon reduction and campus wellbeing, making sustainability measurable, visible, and actionable.
By embedding Project S.O.R.T. into teaching, research, and community outreach, MRCPS aims to demonstrate how universities can serve as catalysts for climate action. The initiative contributes directly to India’s Net Zero goals, the Viksit Bharat vision, and the broader circular economy agenda. More importantly, by building models that are simple, cost effective and replicable in the Global South, we show how institutions in regions facing resource constraints can still deliver measurable environmental, social and economic benefits.
In the long run, Project S.O.R.T. will stand as a replicable model of ecological responsibility, inspiring educational institutions across India and other countries of Global South by partnering with Net Zero Energy transition association (NETRA) to take ownership of their waste, reduce emissions and co create sustainable futures with industry and community partners.
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