The German Jordanian University won first place in the Scientific Research Award for Students of Jordanian Universities in its 25th session for the year 2023, through the research of the student Hadeel Ziad Al-Dairi, which was supervised by a faculty member in the School of Natural Resources Engineering and Management(SNREM), Prof. Muna Hindiyeh, and came under the title of investigating the contribution of waste collectors (Al-Nabashin) in solid waste management in Jordan and promoting new job opportunities for Jordanian youth.
The idea of the research is that the problem of municipal solid waste management is at present a global issue faced by poor countries that suffer from weak waste disposal systems making the role of their informal collectors a potential solution to invest human resources in the Jordanian youth sector and increase the employment rate by collecting, sorting and selling recyclable waste to earn a living.
The research focused on the importance of understanding the impact of waste collectors on solid waste management performance, creating new jobs in the Greater Amman Municipality areas, and having training programs that improve their access to recyclable waste, making its management more efficient.
The study concluded the need to raise awareness of the separation of waste from the source to reduce the collectors’ exposure to harmful substances and infectious agents, reduce health risks and implement important educational campaigns to encourage waste sorting, which increases the quality of recyclable materials and achieves the waste management sector more sustainably, in addition to job creation for young people, especially in light of the high unemployment rate. The study also helps decision-makers integrate informal waste collectors, boost economic performance, and establish a sustainable waste management system.
Representing 30 university, 416 students from the Jordanian universities participated in the competition. The awards were granted in a ceremony held at the Jordanian University.