by Leung Chi Kam Joseph. / Thesis (M.Ph.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1985 / Bibliography: leaves 178-198

Choi Chi Yuen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-159). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract / Acknowledgement / Contents / List of Figures / List of Tables / List of Plates / List of Appendices / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Landfilling --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Definition --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Waste decomposition process --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Major principles of landfill design --- p.7 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- General practices after the completion of landfill --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.4.1 --- Surface capping --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.4.2 --- Revegetation --- p.10 / Chapter 1.1.4.3 --- Post-closure management --- p.14 / Chapter 1.1.4.4 --- End use --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2 --- Post-closure landfill problems --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Subsidence and soil compaction --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Vegetation establishment --- p.16 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Soil quality and thickness --- p.17 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Adverse landfill factors --- p.22 / Chapter 1.3 --- Landfill ecology --- p.23 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Soil-plant ecosystem on completed landfills --- p.23 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Landfill soil fauna --- p.24 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Landfill soil microbes --- p.25 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Ecosystem integral development --- p.26 / Chapter 1.4 --- Succession management --- p.28 / Chapter 1.5 --- Objectives of the study --- p.32 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Comparative Study of Landfills in Hong Kong / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Site selection --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Soil characteristics --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.2.1 --- Field measurement --- p.39 / Chapter 2.2.2.2 --- Soil sampling and laboratory analysis --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Vegetation characteristics --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.3.1 --- Coverage of trees and understorey vegetation --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.3.2 --- Coverage of individual plant species --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Calculation of representative plant score --- p.42 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Statistical analyses --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- General properties of the cover soil on completed landfills --- p.44 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Landfill categorization based on edaphic properties --- p.48 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Vegetation coverage on completed landfills --- p.55 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Vegetation characteristics on completed landfills --- p.59 / Chapter 2.4 --- Conclusions --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Vegetation Performance on Selected Landfills / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.68 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.70 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Vegetation analysis --- p.70 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Vegetation descriptions --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- General description of the vegetation --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Vegetation structure and diversity --- p.73 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- The most successful and important plant species --- p.86 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Revegetation success --- p.91 / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusions --- p.95 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Diversity and Population of Soil Invertebrates on Selected Landfills / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.99 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Diversities of soil and litter invertebrates --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- Soil and litter sampling --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- Soil animal extraction --- p.101 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Statistical analysis --- p.101 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.103 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- General description of the soil invertebrates --- p.103 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Dominant soil invertebrates --- p.107 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Soil macroarthropods --- p.109 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Other soil invertebrates --- p.112 / Chapter 4.3.5 --- General description of litter invertebrates and its implication --- p.113 / Chapter 4.3.6 --- Diversity of the soil and litter fauna and the ecosystem development --- p.117 / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusions --- p.119 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Microbial Performance on Selected Landfills / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.121 / Chapter 5.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.123 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Soil sampling --- p.123 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Microbial analyses --- p.123 / Chapter 5.2.2.1 --- Plate-count methods for microbial abundance --- p.123 / Chapter 5.2.2.2 --- ATP bioluminescence assay for microbial biomass --- p.124 / Chapter 5.2.2.3 --- Dehydrogenase activity measurement for microbial activity --- p.125 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Soil analyses --- p.125 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Statistical analyses --- p.126 / Chapter 5.3 --- Results and Discussion --- p.126 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- The effect of soil quality on microbial population --- p.126 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Relationship between the faunal and microbial populations --- p.128 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Microbial diversity of cover soil of the completed landfills --- p.131 / Chapter 5.3.4 --- Microbial biomass of cover soil of the completed landfills --- p.132 / Chapter 5.3.5 --- General microbial activity of cover soil of the completed landfills --- p.137 / Chapter 5.4 --- Conclusions --- p.137 / Chapter Chapter 6 --- General Conclusions --- p.141 / References --- p.146 / Appendices

Cheng Chung-yin. / Thesis submitted in: December 2004. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 185-195). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.vi / Table of contents --- p.viii / List of tables --- p.xi / List of figures --- p.xii / List of plates --- p.xiv / Plant species used in the experiments --- p.xv / Chapter 1 Introduction / Chapter 1.1 --- Soil wastes as an environmental challenge --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2 --- Landfilling --- p.1 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Waste degradation --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Control of degradation by-products --- p.6 / Chapter 1.3 --- Landfill leach ate --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Generation and control of landfill leachate --- p.8 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Leachate characterization --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3.3 --- Leachate from local landfills --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3.4 --- Leachate treatment --- p.15 / Chapter 1.4 --- Leachate irrigation --- p.16 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Common practices of wastewater irrigation --- p.17 / Chapter 1.4.1.1 --- Spray irrigation / Chapter 1.4.1.2 --- Rapid infiltration / Chapter 1.4.1.3 --- Overland flow / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Effects of leachate irrigation --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4.2.1 --- Effect of leachate irrigation on soil percolate / Chapter 1.4.2.2 --- Effect of leachate irrigation on soil / Chapter 1.4.2.3 --- Effect of leachate irrigation on plants / Chapter 1.5 --- Landfilling in Hong Kong --- p.24 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Climate --- p.24 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Geography and economy --- p.25 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Waste composition --- p.25 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Leachate sampling sites --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6 --- Objectives of this study --- p.30 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- Knowledge gaps --- p.30 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Project outline --- p.33 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Phytotoxicity evaluation of landfill leachate using seed germination tests / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.34 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Tests involving the use of germinating seeds --- p.34 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Importance of germination to plants --- p.34 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Advantages of germination tests --- p.35 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Limitations of using germination as an endpoint --- p.35 / Chapter 2.1.5 --- Methods of germination test --- p.36 / Chapter 2.1.5.1 --- Test design / Chapter 2.1.5.2 --- Plant species / Chapter 2.1.5.3 --- Measurement endpoints / Chapter 2.1.5.4 --- Statistical analysis and test endpoints / Chapter 2.2 --- Objectives of study --- p.41 / Chapter 2.3 --- Materials and methods --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- Sample collection --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- Chemical analysis --- p.42 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Statistical analysis --- p.43 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- Phytotoxicity assay --- p.43 / Chapter 2.4 --- Results and discussion --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Leachate characterization --- p.44 / Chapter 2.4.1.1 --- Comparison among landfill sites / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Phytotoxicity assay --- p.51 / Chapter 2.4.2.1 --- Dose response relationships / Chapter 2.4.2.2 --- Implication of hormetic-like response on the selection of statistical model / Chapter 2.4.2.3 --- Phytotoxicity of leachate samples / Chapter 2.4.2.4 --- Comparison between species / Chapter 2.5 --- Conclusions --- p.65 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Leachate irrigation: Effects on plant performance and soil properties / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.67 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.70 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Leachate sampling and analysis --- p.70 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Leachate irrigation experiment --- p.71 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Soil and plant analysis --- p.73 / Chapter 3.2.3.1 --- Soil sampling and preparation / Chapter 3.2.3.2 --- Soil texture / Chapter 3.2.3.3 --- pH and electrical conductivity / Chapter 3.2.3.4 --- Organic carbon / Chapter 3.2.3.5 --- Nitrogen / Chapter 3.2.3.6 --- Phosphorus / Chapter 3.2.3.7 --- Chloride / Chapter 3.2.3.8 --- Metals / Chapter 3.2.3.9 --- Foliage analysis / Chapter 3.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Leachate --- p.75 / Chapter 3.3.1.1 --- Chemical properties / Chapter 3.3.1.2 --- Phytotoxicity / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Plant responses --- p.79 / Chapter 3.3.2.1 --- Growth / Chapter 3.3.2.2 --- Plant survival and health / Chapter 3.3.2.3 --- Tissue contents / Chapter 3.3.2.4 --- Incorporating the results of germination tests in leachate irrigation practice / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Soil --- p.101 / Chapter 3.3.3.1 --- Initial properties / Chapter 3.3.3.2 --- Soil reaction (pH) / Chapter 3.3.3.3 --- Nitrogen / Chapter 3.3.3.4 --- Phosphorus / Chapter 3.3.3.5 --- Conductivity / Chapter 3.3.3.6 --- Chloride / Chapter 3.3.3.7 --- Metals / Chapter 3.4 --- Conclusions --- p.119 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Fate and distribution of N after soil application of landfill leachate / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.121 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- The needs of external N supply in ecological restoration --- p.121 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Objectives of study --- p.122 / Chapter 4.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.123 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Leachate --- p.124 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Soil column --- p.124 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Plant selection and establishment --- p.127 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Leachate application --- p.129 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Post irrigation harvesting and analysis --- p.130 / Chapter 4.3 --- Results and discussion --- p.130 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Leachate --- p.130 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Plants --- p.132 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Growth / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Tissue N contents / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Soil and soil percolate --- p.139 / Chapter 4.3.3.1 --- Percolate volume and soil moisture / Chapter 4.3.3.2 --- pH / Chapter 4.3.3.3 --- Electrical conductivity / Chapter 4.3.3.4 --- Nitrate / Chapter 4.3.3.5 --- Ammonium / Chapter 4.3.4 --- N balance of the soil-plant system --- p.160 / Chapter 4.3.4.1 --- Change in the N capital after leachate irrigation / Chapter 4.3.4.2 --- Leaching loss / Chapter 4.3.4.3 --- Unaccountable N loss / Chapter 4.4 --- Conclusions --- p.174 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- General conclusion / Chapter 5.1 --- Summary of findings --- p.176 / Chapter 5.2 --- Ecological consequence of increased and excess N deposition --- p.179 / Chapter 5.3 --- Research prospects --- p.182 / References --- p.185

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

published_or_final_version / Architecture / Master / Master of Landscape Architecture

Since 1994, South African governance has been in transition from bureaucracy to democracy. In tenns of democracy, local government is specifically tasked with providing goods and services equitably and sustainably not only to it's citizens, but along with them. In South Africa, the provision of refuse removal services and landfill sites for waste disposal are under local government control. Recently, Durban Solid Waste, a municipal waste management contractor in the Durban Metropolitan Area, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa embarked on a comprehensive exercise, the first of it's kind in the country. to locate, plan, develop and operate new generation landfill sites with the aid of a public participation process involving capacity building which is a requirement of legislation. It is in the North Zone of this area that the existing landfill is to close by December 2000, and so there is an urgent need to locate and develop a new landfill site for the region. It is the capacity building and public participation process of the North Zone landfill site selection process which is the subject of this study. A case study format provides an intensive examination of the public participation and capacity building process. Qualitative research methodology was employed to compliment the interp retive approach undertaken in the research process, which used conceptual frameworks drawn from literature for the data interpretation. Data were collected via participant observation at meetings and workshops, and semi-strucrured interviews with stakeholders of the North Zone process. The research findings revealed that while a variety of capacity building and public participation means suggested by government policy have been utilised., none of the statutory principles of public participation for landfill siting have been implemented satisfactorily by participants in the North Zone public participation process. The findings also indicate that the predominant type of public participation being followed in the North Zone is instrumental in nature. and thus in the main does not exhibit outcome measures of empowerment which are associated with transformative participation. Furthermore. the findings demonstrate that while capacity building made the North Zone public participation process more democratic than previous landfill site selection exercises, principles of equity were only satisfied to the extent that the statutory requirements, the will of the developer, a shortage of time and adequate funding pennitted. The recommendations suggest: lobbying for changes to the statutory requirements. ways of building trust between stakeholders. activities to promote equity and democracy, and the use of more suitable means of capacity building and public participation for landfill site selection public participation processes in South Africa / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2000.

The population growth in many urban cities and its activities in developing countries have resulted in an increased solid waste generation rate and waste management has become a global environmental issue. Routing of solid waste collection vehicles in developing countries like Pakistan poses a challenging task. In the process of solid waste management, collection and transportation play a leading role in waste collection and disposal, in which collection activities contributed the most to total cost for solid waste collection activities. Therefore, this study describes an attempt to design and develop an appropriate collection, transportation and disposal plan for the twin cities of Pakistan by using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Remote Sensing (RS) techniques to determine the minimum cost/distance/time efficient collection paths for the transportation of the solid wastes to the landfill sites. In addition to this, identification of solid waste disposal sites and appropriately managing them is a challenging task to many developing countries and Pakistan is no exception to that. The existing landfill sites for the twin cities are not technically viable and environmentally acceptable and are thus damaging to the environment due to their location and the type of waste dumped. Therefore, the second aim of our study was to find out the suitable landfill sites for the twin cities and the study employed Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) methods to combine necessary factors considered for landfill site selection for the twin cities. Hence, our present study has proved that GIS is a tool that can be used in integration with other techniques such as MCE for a identifying new landfill sites and it can help decision makers deal with real-world developmental and management issues. Finally, the study has developed a Wed-Based Decision Support System (DSS) via Application Programming Interface (API) which will help decision-makers to search for cost-effective alternatives and it can be operated by people who don’t have knowledge of GIS. The proposed study can be used as a decision support tool by the municipalities of the twin cities for efficient management and transportation of solid wastes to landfill sites, managing work schedules for workers, etc.

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

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Biotechnology, Technikon Natal, 2001. / Landfills play an important role in the removal of waste from the surroundings. There is a limit to the types of waste that can be recycled and the landfill becomes the final method of waste disposal. Because waste constitutes a wide variety of materials, the microbial consortia that develop within a landfill will be equally varied, depending on the type of waste deposited, the temperature of the landfill and moisture content of the waste. The metabolism of these microbial consortia can result in products that are either harmful or beneficial. In order to increase the pool of knowledge on landfill microbiology, it is important to study the various consortia that inhabit the landfill to determine the various microbial interactions that occur and subsequently to manipulate these interactions to enhance the benefits of a landfill site and reduce the harmful effects. In this research, an attempt was made to isolate anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria from a landfill site. Six waste samples, varying in age were obtained over a period of two years. Samples were excavated from a maximum depth of 4m. Samples are processed in anaerobic, phosphate buffer and cultivated in various pre-reduced anaerobic media and incubated under anaerobic conditions. Samples were also collected from other potential anaerobic sites namely, anaerobic sludge, decomposing bagasse, compost, manure, rumen and pond sediment. Results of degradation of the cellulose source (Whatman No. 1 filter paper) indicated that it was possible to cultivate cellulose-degrading microorganisms from the landfill. Zones of clearing around colonies, which would be indicative of cellulose degradation on solid media, were not obtained. Samples from the anaerobic sludge, compost and rumen showed degradation of cellulose in liquid media but not on solid media. It is concluded that the solid media used was unsuitable for the cultivation of anaerobic, cellulolytic bacteria or that the anaerobic conditions employed were not adequate to initiate the growth of the anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria. / M