Abstract: Six municipal solid waste management (MSWM) options (A1–A6) in Harare were developed and analyzed for their global warming, acidification, eutrophication and human health impact potentials using life cycle assessment methodology to determine the least impactful option in Harare. Study findings will aid the development of future MSWM systems in Harare. A1 and A2 considered the landfilling and incineration, respectively, of indiscriminately collected MSW with energy recovery and by...
Abstract: Cumulative plastic production worldwide skyrocketed from about 2 million tonnes in 1950 to 8.3 billion tonnes in 2015, with 6.3 billion tonnes (76%) ending up as waste. Of that waste, 79% is either in landfills or the environment. The purpose of the review is to establish the current global status quo in the plastics industry and assess the sustainability of some bio-based biodegradable plastics. This integrative and consolidated review thus builds on previous studies that have foc...
Abstract: Power producing plants are major emitters of greenhouse gases that lead to global warming and climate changes. In the past two to three decades, attention has been drawn to organizations such as these reduce their dependence on coal reserves which are depleting and focus on producing clean energy i.e. for every ton of fuel produced, 100 kg or more should be made from clean energy. This has made torrefaction to gain interest as it improves energy content of biomass, a renewable and ...
Abstract: The production of copper bears both viable product and by product know as slag which is a challenge to dispose and poses a problem to the environment. BCL holds copper slag is seen as waste which is iron - opulent containing heavy metals which can seep into ground water and affect environment. These metal accumulate in millions of tonnes year after year posing as a threat to the environment and need to be managed to avoid them being harmful. This paper explores metallurgical ways o...
Abstract: The tyre industry in Botswana produces and sells thousands of tyres annually generating volumes of waste tyres which contribute towards the country’s waste management challenges. At the end of their useful life, most tyres end up at waste dumping sites while a small fraction is recycled or reused, posing a health, safety and environmental hazard. The same desirable that make tyres, such as immunity to biodegradation, chemical reagents and photochemical decomposition tend to make ...
Abstract: Some of today’s modern life challenges include addressing the increased waste generation and energy deficiencies. Waste tyres have been identified as one of the key environmental concerns due to their non-biodegradable nature and bulk storage space demand. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process with the potential to address the growing waste tyre problem, energy deficits, and material recovery by converting waste tyres to pyrolysis oil that can be used as a fuel. This study seeks ...
Abstract: Water quality index has been used in various researches for the assessment of water quality for various uses and discharges into the environment. The purpose of this study was to determine the water quality index of the effluent from waste stabilisation ponds and 400 m beyond discharge point. This was achieved by evaluating concentrations of seven parameters from soil, eleven physiochemical parameters from effluent and four microbiological parameters. Corresponding water quality in...
Abstract: The aim of this thesis was to identify an abundant, easily available, cheap and environmentally friendly waste material(s) in our locality, Botswana, that could be valorized (rejuvenated) by subjecting it to a simple green procedure, then apply as an adsorbent to clean wastewater through the removal or reduction of ions Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, Hg, Cr, Ag, Fe, Pb, Al, As, Cd, Sn, Ti, Mg, F-, Cl-, SO42-, PO43-, NO2-, BrO3-, and NO3- that usually exist in wastewater. After an extensive search...
Abstract: The industrial effluents contain substantial amounts of toxic heavy metal ions which pollutes surface water and groundwater. In this study, the adsorptive removal of copper, iron and nickel ions from wastewater using Makoro Granite brick waste (MGBW), Makoro Gold Satin (MGS) clay brick waste, copper smelter slag (CSS) and cement brick waste (CBW) as novel adsorbents has been investigated at batch mode. The mineralogical and chemical content of adsorbents was determined using X-...
Abstract: The rapid population growth and industrialisation has contributed to the production of large quantities of solid wastes that should be managed properly. This study was conducted to investigate the generation and composition of solid wastes at different income levels during weekdays and weekends in a particular zone in Palapye municipality (Extension 7), Botswana. The study was conducted through sampling of wastes at source and analysis at the laboratory. In increasing order, the ge...
Abstract: Over the years, the world was not paying strict attention to the impact of rapid growth in plastic use. This has led to unprecedented amounts of mixed types of plastic waste entering the environment unmanaged. Packaging plastics account for half of the global total plastic waste. This paper seeks to give an overview of the use, disposal, and regulation of food packaging plastics. Demand for food packaging is on the rise as a result of increasing global demand for food due to popula...
Abstract: Contamination of water bodies by heavy metal ions is a challenge many developing nations like Zimbabwe face, with negative environmental and socio-economic repercussions. Treating affected bodies usually requires a costly consignment of chemicals and activated carbon. This research investigates the possible use of an abundant waste resource – poultry feathers – to make activated carbon for heavy metal ion removal. Poultry consumption in this nation generates more than five mill...
Abstract: The purpose of this case study was to conduct a case study in the generation rate, composition, and characterise solid wastes from low, middle and high income households during weekdays and weekends in Palapye, Botswana. The study was conducted through sampling and analysis of the wastes from sampled households from each of the three categories. Palapye village does not have an engineered solid waste management system in place; hence the study can be used as a starting point. The v...