Thesis (MScEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this thesis is to address the need for sustainable development within waste management. It explores how sustainability can be assessed and used as the basis for high level decision making within waste management. Stellenbosch University (SU) was used as a case study to demonstrate how information can be gathered and used for decision support. The literature reviewed, showed a wide area of focus within which sustainability is defined and how businesses and organisations shift towards a model of corporate responsibility. The concept of sustainability was then presented within waste management. Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), were presented as management tools that could facilitate the assessment and decision making process within a sustainable waste management framework. The two management tools, Sustainable Life Cycle Analysis (SLCA) and Analytical Hierarchal Process (AHP) (branches of LCA and MCDA respectively), were used to develop a framework to be applied to SU Waste Management System. By integrating the two tools, a framework was established that could measure the sustainability of current waste management practices and provide a decision support tool. The framework was validated by applying it to the Stellenbosch University waste system. The framework that was developed delivered a set of sustainable results from which decision makers could base policy decisions. The framework then facilitated the decision making process and a sustainable waste management policy was selected. The application modelled the decision makers preferences and resulted in a policy being selected which favoured high levels of recycling and waste prevention. The results represented an approach which, when compared to the current practice, was more expensive but more environmentally friendly and socially acceptable. The findings provide an exciting basis for future research, where decisions are based on sustainable principles. The framework has potential to be expanded into other areas of management and is not limited to a university environment. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie tesis is om die behoefte aan volhoubare ontwikkeling binne afvalbestuur aan te spreek. Die tesis ondersoek hoe die volhoubaarheid in afvalbestuur bepaal kan word, en hoe dit dan gebruik kan word as basis vir beleid besluitneming binne afvalbestuur. Die Universiteit Stellenbosch (US) is as ’n gevallestudie gebruik om te demonstreer hoe inligting versamel kan word en as ondersteuning vir beleidbesluitneming gebruik kan word. Die literatuurstudie dek ’n wye veld waarbinne daar op volhoubaarheid gefokus word. Dit wys ook hoe maatskappye en organisasies na ’n model van korporatiewe verantwoordelikheid beweeg. Die konsep van volhoubaarheid word dan binne die mileu van afvalbestuur aangebied. Die Lewenssiklus Assesering (LSA) en Multi-Kriteria Besluitnemings Analise (MKBA) wat gebruik is, kan dien as bestuur hulpmiddel om die assessering van, en besluitneming binne ’n volhoubare afvalbestuur te vergemaklik. Vanuit die twee hulpmiddels, is Volhoubare Lewens Siklus Analise (VLSA) en Analitiese Hierargiese Proses (AHP), gebruik om ’n raamwerk te ontwikkel wat toegepas is op die US. Deur die twee hulpmiddels te integreer kan ’n raamwerk geskep word wat die volhoubaarheid van die huidige afvalbestuur praktyke en wat kan dien as ‘n ondersteunende hulpmiddel met die besluitnemingsprosesse. Die waardasie van die raamwerk wat ontwikkel was, het ‘n stel volhoubare resultate opgelewer, wat besluitnemers gebruik het om hul beleidsbesluite op te baseer. Die besluitnemers se voorkeure is gebaseer op die bevindinge van die VLSA en het bepaal watter beleid gekies is. Die bevindinge het ’n duurder, maar meer omgewingsvriendelike en sosiaal aanvaarbare beleid verteenwoordig. Hierdie bevindinge bied ’n opwindende basis vir toekomstige navorsingwerk, waar besluitneming op volhoubare beginsels gebaseer is. Die raamwerk het potensiaal vir uitbreiding na ander gebiede van bestuur en is nie beperk tot ’n universiteitsomgewing nie.

The South African formal education system has undergone many changes since the formulation of the White Paper on Education and Training in 1995. These developments challenge organisations that want to run successful programmes or projects in schools to adapt their social marketing strategies. Against this background, the aim of the study was to investigate the relationships between social marketing strategies and participation of schools in environmental competitions. The goals of the research were to identify issues that have influenced schools participation in the Collect-a-Can Annual Schools Competition, identify and review social marketing strategies used by Collect-a-Can to influence participation of schools in the competition, and identify relationships between issues that influenced school participation in the competition and the Collect-a-Can’s social marketing strategies. A qualitative design that applied an interpretative case study, which focused on the Collect-a-Can’s Annual Schools Competition was used to explore these relationships. Data was generated through interviews, document analysis and a workshop. Nine respondents from nine schools and three Collect-a-Can management staff members participated in the interview process. Twenty participants from twenty schools participated in the workshop. The findings of the research revealed that there were relationships between the social marketing strategies used by Collect-a-Can and participation of schools in the competition. These relationships were found to be linked mainly to policy changes within formal education which Collect-a-Can could not respond to as a result of various reasons which included among others, the core focus of thecompany, lack of funds and a need to operate in a cost-effective way. The recommendations indicate possible areas for improvement and guidelines which could be used by Collect-a-Can for the competition without digressing from its core focus or incurring additional costs. These include a more responsive and adaptive management approach and a stronger educational orientation.

The success or failure of a local municipality is measured by the efficient provision of basic services to communities within the area of jurisdiction. Waste management is one of the basic services that pose serious environmental challenges. Various strategies have been developed as a means of waste management and recycling is a popular strategy as it has the potential to foster relations between the municipality and the community. Studies by the Department of environmental Affairs have confirmed that the delivery of waste management services by municipalities has capacity constraints including, but not limited to, landfill site operations, waste collection, processing and disposal, and waste management hierarchy (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2008). This research is undertaken to establish how recycling can be effective in environmental management. The findings emphasise strongly, the high level of awareness that communities have on recycling; however there is a need for intensive resource support for the community initiatives to have the desired impact.

Orientador: Aldo Eloizo Job / Coorientador: Flávio Camargo Cabrera / Banca: Vanusa Dalosto Jahno / Banca: Ana Maria Pires / Resumo: Diariamente toneladas de resíduos industriais são gerados, os quais necessitam de estratégias de gerenciamento a fim de serem descartados ou reciclados corretamente. Por esse motivo, o reuso de resíduos orgânicos e industriais como cargas em compósitos poliméricos tem surgido como um novo campo de estudo. Nessa dissertação, demonstrou-se pela primeira vez o uso do resíduo Grits como carga natural em compósitos de borracha natural a fim de reutilizar os resíduos provenientes da indústria de celulose Kraft de eucalipto, assim como diminuir os custos de produção dos compósitos através da substituição, ainda que parcial, do carbonato de cálcio e do óxido de cálcio, cargas comerciais comumente utilizadas. Os tratamentos com Silano, Lauril sulfato de sódio, Dodigen 1611, além da correção de pH, variação da granulometria e quantidade de enxofre na formulação foram testados com a finalidade de melhorar a adesão interfacial do resíduo com a matriz polimérica, otimizar a formulação e consequentemente melhorar as propriedades mecânicas. Compósitos com 20 phr de Grits mostraram um aumento na tensão de ruptura de aproximadamente 20% comparado à borracha natural. Compósitos com 10 phr do resíduo apresentaram a maior resistência a abrasão, com 72,26 mm3 de perda por abrasão. Os compósitos foram aplicados na produção de chinelos atingindo as especificações recomendadas pelo Instituto de Ensaios e Pesquisa para a Fabricação de Calçados (PFI - Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut), Pirmasens, Alemanha... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Daily tons of industrial residues are generated which require management strategies in order to correctly disposes or recycling. Therefore, the reuse of organic and industrial waste as fillers in polymeric composites has emerged as a distinct new field. Here, it was demonstrated for the first time the use of Grits as filler in natural rubber composites in order to reuse residues from eucalyptus cellulose Kraft industrie as well as decreasing the final cost from rubber products through calcium carbonate or calcium oxide replacement even partially. Treatments with Silane, Sodium Lauril sulfate, Dodigen 1611, besides pH correction, granulometry variation and sulfur content in the formulation were tested in order to improve the adhesion of the waste in the polymeric matrix, optimizing the formulation and consequently improving mechanical properties. The better treatment was prepared with pH correction and treatment with Dodigen 1611. Composites with 20 phr of Grits showed an increase on stress values around 20% compared to the natural rubber and, with 10 phr, presented the highest abrasion resistance of 72.26 mm3. The composites were applied on sandals production reaching the specifications recommended from Testing and Research Institute for the Manufacture of Footwear (PFI - Prüf- und Forschungsinstitut), Pirmasens, Germany. It was added eucalyptus cellulose fiber in order to verify the influence on soil degradation time. Standard cellulose, natural rubber, composites NR/20 phr ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Applied Science in Biotechnology, Durban University of Technology, 2015. / In light of the world’s declining fossil fuel reserves, the use of microalgal biodiesel has come to the forefront as a potentially viable alternative liquid fuel. The depleting freshwater reserves make the feasibility of this concept questionable. The use of wastewater reduces the requirement for depleting freshwater supplies. This project aimed to determine the viability of municipal domestic wastewater effluent as a substrate for microalgal growth, in order to generate an economical and environmentally friendly source of biofuel. Wastewater effluents from three domestic wastewater treatment plants were characterized in terms of known microalgal nutrients viz., ammonia, phosphate and nitrates. Phosphate concentrations varied throughout the year and were found to be low (< 3 mgL-1) whilst ammonia and nitrate concentrations ranged from 0 to 10 mgL-1 throughout the experimental period. These wastewaters were found to be suitable for cultivating microalgae. The study explored the cultivation of Chlorella sorokiniana on pre- and post-chlorinated domestic wastewater effluent to assess their potential as a medium for high microalgal culture density and lipid production. Post-chlorinated wastewater effluent was found to be superior to pre-chlorinated wastewater effluent, as evident by the higher biomass concentration. This wastewater stream did not contain high concentrations of bacteria when compared to pre-chlorinated wastewater effluent. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient required for regulating the growth and lipid accumulation in microalgae. Cultures growing in post-chlorinated effluent had a lifespan of 18 d. Residual nitrogen in wastewater effluent supported microalgal growth for limited periods. Supplementation using cheap, readily available nitrogen sources was required for optimal biomass and lipid production. Urea, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate and ammonium nitrate were evaluated in terms of biomass and lipid production of C. sorokiniana. Urea showed the highest biomass yield of 0.216 gL-1 and was selected for further experimentation. Urea concentrations (0–10 gL-1) were assessed for their effect on growth and microalgal physiology using pulse amplitude modulated fluorometry. A concentration of 1.5 gL-1 urea produced 0.218 gL-1 biomass and 61.52 % lipid by relative fluorescence. Physiological stress was evident by the decrease in relative Electron Transport Rate from 10.45 to 6.77 and quantum efficiency of photosystem II charge separation from 0.665 to 0.131. Gas chromatography analysis revealed that C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2 and C18:3 were the major fatty acids produced by C. sorokiniana. Wastewater effluent has been considered an important resource for economical and sustainable microalgal biomass/lipid production. The study showed that C. sorokiniana was sufficiently robust to be cultivated on wastewater effluent supplemented with urea. The results indicate that supplemented wastewater effluent was an acceptable alternative to conventional media. Using a relatively cheap nitrogen source like urea can certainly improve the techno-economics of large scale biodiesel production.

Thesis (MEng)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Concerns surrounding the world’s current dependence on quickly depleting fossil fuels and their negative environmental impacts have brought about much research into renewable and sustainable energy sources. With population and economic growth not only is this dependence increasing but there is an increasing production of waste by society in general. With space becoming a premium commodity and environmental protection a necessity, landfilling of the majority of the world’s waste is no longer feasible. Thus, research is being carried out into waste-to-energy (WTE) processes and refuse derived fuels (RDF). This study focuses on thermochemical conversion, specifically pyrolysis of solid wastes as a means of energy product recovery. Before a specific waste stream can be used in WTE or RDF contexts its composition and degradation behaviour needs to be investigated. For this reason, a full physical characterisation of the municipal solid waste (MSW) from the Stellenbosch municipality was carried out. It was found that the composition of waste differs between areas within the municipality but the composition of the waste in general compares well with international data. It was found that six main components present in the recyclables stream; namely high and low density polyethylene (HD/LDPE), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), glossy paper, office paper and newspaper would be suitable for thermochemical conversion. The thermal properties and pyrolytic degradation of these six components were investigated by multi heating rate thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) from which kinetic parameters (activation energy, pre-exponential factor and kinetic rate constants) were calculated by a differential isoconversional method. The volatiles released during degradation were identified by way of online mass spectrometry (TGA-MS) yielding six individual kinetic schemes. In order to gauge to what extent milligram pyrolytic experimentation (TGA-MS) can be used to predict larger scale pyrolytic behaviour, runs were performed on one plastic (HDPE) and one paper (glossy paper) sample on a gram scale pyrolytic plant under both slow and vacuum conditions. It was found that, especially for high thermal conductivity samples, yields on gram scale experimentation can be accurately predicted on a milligram scale. Further, the compositions of slow pyrolysis oils from glossy paper, obtained by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), were compared to TGA-MS results as well as off gases captured from TGA runs by thermal desorption (TGA/TD-GC-MS). It was found that TGA-MS and TGA/TD-GC-MS can be used to predict the main functional groups in pyrolysis oil produced on a gram scale. Thus small scale experimentation can be used to determine the suitability of different waste components for pyrolytic conversion. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Kommer oor die wêreld se huidige afhanklikheid van fossielbrandstowwe en die negatiewe uitwerking op die omgewing het baie navorsing oor hernubare en volhoubare energie bronne meegebring. Bevolking en ekonomiese groei veroorsaak 'n toename in hierdie afhanklikheid en in die produksie van afval deur die samelewing. Daar is baie min onbenutte grond oop en die beskerming van die omgewing het noodsaaklik geword. Dus is storting van die meeste van die wêreld se afval nie meer ‘n aanvaarbare opsie nie. As gevolg daarvan word daar tans navorsing in afval-tot-energie (ATE) prosesse en afval afgeleide brandstowwe (AAB) gedoen. Hierdie studie fokus op die termochemiese omskakeling van afval, spesifiek pirolise, as 'n methode vir energie-produk hernuwing. Voordat 'n spesifieke afvalstroom gebruik kan word as 'n AAB moet die samestelling en afbrekings gedrag eers ondersoek word. Daarom is 'n volledige fisiese karakterisering van die munisipale afval (MA) van Stellenbosch munisipaliteit uitgevoer. Resultate het getoon dat daar ‘n verskil in die samestelling van afval tussen die gebiede binne die munisipaliteit is. Afgesien daarvan vergelyk die samestelling van die afval in die algemeen goed met internasionale data. Daar is gevind dat daar ses belangrike komponente teenwoordig is in die herwinbare stroom wat geskik sou wees vir termochemiese omskakeling, naamlik; hoë en lae digtheid poliëtileen (HD/LDPE), poli(etileen tereftelaat) (PET), glans, kantoor en koerant papier. Die termiese eienskappe en termiese afbreking van hierdie ses komponente is ondersoek deur middel van multi-verhittimgs tempo termogravimetriese analise (TGA) waaruit kinetiese parameters (aktiveringsenergie, pre-eksponensiële faktor en kinetiese snelheidskonstantes) deur 'n differensiële omskakelings metode bereken is. Die vlugtige komponente wat tydens die afbreking vrygestel is, is geïdentifiseer deur aanlyn-massaspektrometrie (TGA-MS) wat ses individuele kinetiese skemas verskaf. Om vas te stel tot watter mate milligram pirolitiese eksperimente (TGA-MS) gebruik kan word om op ‘n groter skaal die pirolitiese gedrag te kan voorspel, is eksperimentele lopies op een plastiek- (HDPE) en een papier (glans papier) monster op 'n laboratorium skaal pirolise opstelling onder stadige- en vakuum omstandighede uitgevoer. Daar is gevind dat, veral met hoë hitte geleiding komponente, die opbrengs op gram skaal eksperimente akkuraat voorspel kan word op ‘n milligram skaal. Verder was die samestelling van die stadige pirolise olies uit glans papier, wat verkry word deur gaschromatografie-massaspektrometrie (GC-MS), vergelyk met TGA-MS resultate sowel as af-gasse gevang van TGA lopies deur termiese desorpsie (TGA/TD-GC –MS). Daar is gevind dat TGA-MS en TGA/TD-GC-MS gebruik kan word om die belangrikste funksionele groepe in pirolise olie, wat op 'n gram skaal geproduseer word, te voorspel. Dus kan milligram eksperimente gebruik word om die geskiktheid van afval komponente vir pirolitiese omskakeling te bepaal.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2015. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Johannesburg generates in excess of 1 500 000 tonnes of general waste annually and has on average 10 years’ lifespan remaining on its four landfill sites. As a signatory to the Polokwane Declaration, the City of Johannesburg has recognised the need for new interventions to divert waste from landfills by various methods, such as separation at source; alternative treatment methods and the conversion of waste to energy. Progress has, however, been slow and this research aims to investigate alternative waste management techniques that can be applied in the City of Johannesburg to fast track the realisation of these targets. Using scenario planning techniques, the research considers implications for policy and management decisions in realising the best possible future in the area of waste management in Johannesburg. The scenario process was used to develop the following scenarios for waste management in Johannesburg: Long walk to freedom. Waste collection coverage includes pockets of the community where waste collections services are less than optimal. The residents of the city, particularly in these underserviced areas, are also not very knowledgeable of the impact that the waste generated within their communities can have on the environment and what alternatives there are to manage this. Pick it up. The City provides full services to a society that functions in relative oblivion of the implications of their behaviour on the environment. It is assumed to be the role of government to “pick up” after communities and dispose of waste. This scenario is oblivious of the waste hierarchy and the role communities could play in minimising waste. Wishing on a star. The city continues to have under-serviced areas, public awareness is high and this fuels correct behaviour and a mind-set shift with regard to waste management. Working together we can do more. The City optimises its service provision to cover all areas while also ensuring maximum public awareness and behaviour change with regard to waste management.

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management

published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management