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

Theoretical waste minimisation opportunities and options for electroplating were sought from the literature. Their suitability under the specific site conditions of a chromium electroplating plant were evaluated using the results of a waste minimisation audit (audit). The audit showed that many waste minimisation practices were already in place. These included counter current flowing rinse systems, multiple use of rinses and recycling of the drag-out solution back into the plating solution. Two types of information were collected during the audit, namely new chemical monitoring (concentration levels of sodium, iron, zinc, copper, lead, chromium and nickel and conductivity, total dissolved solids and pH) and flow rate data and existing data (composition of the process solutions, products and waste outputs, and raw materials, workpieces and utility inputs). The data were analysed using four established waste minimisation techniques. The Scoping Audit and the Water Economy Assessment results were determined using empirically derived models while the Mass Balancing and the True Cost of Waste results were obtained through more detailed calculations. The results of the audit showed that the three most important areas for waste minimisation were water usage, effluent from rinse water waste streams and nickel consumption. Water usage has the highest waste minimisation potential followed by nickel. Dragged-out process chemicals and rinse water consumption contribute to ranking the effluent stream the most important waste minimisation opportunity identified by the True Cost of Waste Analysis. Potential financial savings were roughly estimated to be in the order of R 19949 and R 126603 for water and nickel respectively. Intervention using only "low cost-no-cost" waste minimisation measures was recommended as a first step before contemplating further focus areas or technical or economical feasibility. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

This study involved an assessment of the Pietermaritzburg Waste Minimisation Club (PWMC) during 2001, and a waste minimisation audit conducted at two coil coating lines. Waste minimisation is the reduction or elimination of waste at source4 • It is often achieved through waste minimisation clubs which comprise a small number of companies, generally in the same geographicaI area, that are interested in reducing waste 1"711 . The success of the PMWC was evaluated in terms of the degree to which members implemented waste minimisation principles. Two questionnaires were used to assess the success of the club. These indicated that although the training material gave the members a good understanding of the basic principles of waste minimisation, the material has not given the members enough practical information to implement a waste minimisation programme in their companies. The main barriers to waste minimisation identified include production pressure, operational constraints, lack of human resources and a lack of management time. The drivers for waste minimisation were financial savings, improved plant utilisation and improved environmental performance. Coil coating is a continuous process where a coiled sheet of aluminium is cleaned, pretreated and coated with paint. The flow rates, compositions and costs of all input and output streams to the cleaning and pretreatment sections were gathered from operators or measured. The data were collected over a three-month period to obtain a representative sample, and then analysed to determine waste minimisation opportunities using mass balances, monitoring and targeting, a scoping audit and a true cost of waste assessment. The scoping audit was found to be the most useful technique because it accurately prioritised the waste minimisation opportunities but required a relatively small amount of data for its application. However, the scoping audit underestimated the savings that could be achieved at the coil coating department and therefore the 'scope to save' percentages, which were developed for United Kingdom industries, need modification to better reflect South African industry. Opportunities for waste minimisation on Coil Coating Line 1 (CCL1) included reducing the water consumption, reducing the acid and chromium raw materials consumption, and finding a cheaper energy source for heating the process and rinse tanks. Potential fmancial savings of R116 000 and environmental savings of 18 200 kL of water or effluent per year were calculated for CCL1. The chromium and acid effluent treatment and solid waste disposal are the main areas for waste minimisation on Coil Coating Line 2 (CCL2). Savings could be achieved in these areas by using roller application ofthe chromium pretreatment rather than spray application, and by preventing a leak of chromium pretreatment into the acid process and rinse tanks. Other savings can also be achieved by operating the chromium process tank as a fed-batch process, and operating the alkali and acid process tanks as continuous processes at the specified chemical concentrations and with recycle of the rinse water (dragout). The total financial savings that can be achieved on CCL2 are R5.3 million, and potential environmental savings are 31 600 kL ofeffluent per year. / Thesis (M.Sc.)- University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2002.

Byggsektorn står idag för stora avfallsmängder, i Sverige år 2016 mättes ca 8,9 miljoner ton primärt bygg- och rivningsavfall upp. I Sverige så står byggsektorn för 31% av allt avfall som uppstått. Enligt Naturvårdsverket når inte Sverige upp till det nationella målet om minst 70% återvinning av bygg- och rivningsavfall som ska uppfyllas senast år 2020. Syftet är att ge en klar bild av hur avfallshanteringen utförs i byggproduktionen idag och var byggprojekt kan åstadkomma förbättringar inom produktion och projektering för att minska avfallet till deponi. Genom att minska avfallet till deponi ökar chansen att nå nationella målet om återvinning senast år 2020. En kvalitativ metod har använts i form av litteraturstudier samt ett platsbesök och tre intervjuer med tjänstemän från Skanska. Arbetet fokuserar på avfallshantering på arbetsplatsen men också på vad som kan förbättras under projekteringen. Endast nybyggen har studerats och arbetet omfattar endast vad som händer med materialet när det lämnar projektet för återanvändning, inte till deponi. I resultatet undersöks följande avfallsmetoder: hållbarhetskompetens, utbildning, avfallshanteringssystem, återtag av materialleverantör samt fraktionen blandat avfall. Lundprojektet använder samtliga. Kungsmässan-projektet använder sig av metoderna utbildning och ett bra avfallshanteringssystem. Utbildningen är av kortare variant som Skanska använder på samtliga byggprojekt. Avfallshanteringssystemet består av en anställd som har ansvar för avfallshanteringen. Regionens hus-projektet använder metoderna utbildning, återtag av materialleverantör samt har inte använt fraktionen blandat avfall. Utbildningen är den samma som nämndes för Kungsmässan-projektet. Projektet använde återtag av material med hjälp av leverantören men dock inte med så lyckat resultat. Byggarbetsplatsen har inte haft någon container för blandat avfall. För att lyckas med målet 0 kg avfall till deponi använder Lund-projektet en hållbarhetskompetens som finns tidigt i planeringen samt ett gediget avfallshanteringssystem med flera kontroller under produktionen. Projektet har upphandlat en sorteringsinriktad avfallsentreprenör och valt att utnyttja isoleringsleverantörens tjänst för återtag av oanvänd isolering. Resultatet visar att avfall till deponi kan minskas genom att: • Ha en hållbarhetskompetens i tidigt skede • Utbilda anställda • Använda ett bra avfallshanteringssystem • Försöka sortera i så stor utsträckning som möjligt och att undvika fraktionen blandat avfall • Utnyttja leverantörernas återtagstjänst. / The construction sector is currently responsible for a large amount of waste. In Sweden in 2016, approximately 8.9 million tons of primary construction and demolition waste were measured. In Sweden, the construction sector accounts for 31% of all waste generated. According to the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency, Sweden does not reach the national target of at least 70% recycling of construction and demolition waste to be met by 2020. The purpose is to give a clear picture of where construction projects can bring about improvements in production and design to reduce waste to landfill. By reducing waste to landfill, the chance of reaching the national recycling target can increase by 2020 at the latest. A qualitative method has been used in the form of literature studies and a site visit and three interviews with officials from Skanska. The work focuses on waste management at the workplace but also see what can be improved during the projection and planning phase in a project. Only new buildings have been studied and the work only covers what happens to the material when it leaves the project for reuse, not to landfill. The result examines the following waste methods: sustainability competence, education, waste management systems, withdrawal of material supplier and the fraction mixed waste. The Lund project uses all. The Kungsmässan project uses methods of education and a good waste management system. The education is of a shorter variant that Skanska uses on all construction projects. The waste management system consists of an employee who is responsible for waste management. The Regionens hus-project uses methods of education, recycling of material suppliers and has not used the fraction of mixed waste. The education is the same as mentioned for the Kungsmässan project. The project used retrieval of material with the help of the supplier, but not with so successful result. The construction site has not had any container for mixed waste. To succeed with the goal 0 kg of waste to landfill, the Lund project uses a sustainability competence that is early in the planning and a solid waste management system with several controls during production. The project has contracted a sorting waste disposal contractor and has chosen to utilize the insulation supplier's service for withdrawal of unused insulation. The result shows that waste to landfill can be reduced by: • Have a sustainability competence at an early stage • Educate employees • Use a good waste management system • Try to sort as much as possible and avoid fraction mixed waste • Take advantage of the suppliers' take-back service.

No Brasil, a parcela orgânica dos resíduos sólidos urbanos (RSU) representa mais de 50% de sua composição, na grande maioria dos municípios. No entanto, a compostagem, como método de tratamento dos resíduos orgânicos, não é empregada como poderia, somente 1,5% dos RSU no país é compostados; mesmo a compostagem caseira sendo prática de baixo custo e apropriada a áreas residenciais não é usual. O presente trabalho enfatiza a educação ambiental (EA) como instrumento para a organização e participação social, visando à minimização de resíduos sólidos urbanos, através da implantação de composteiras caseiras. O enfoque é dado no envio dos resíduos orgânicos domiciliares para compostagem caseira e na incorporação de novos hábitos, após execução de programa de educação ambiental em uma comunidade, do município de Campos do Jordão, São Paulo, Brasil. No presente estudo, partiu-se das seguintes hipóteses; comunidades de baixos ingressos e pouca instrução, localizadas em bairros periféricos de centros urbanos, são capazes de se organizar e alterar seu comportamento com relação à questão da geração e descarte de RSU, quando convidados a integrar grupos submetidos a programa de Educação Ambiental, com metodologia participativa; aliando-se atividades teóricas e práticas elaborado de acordo com as necessidades específicas da comunidade e implantados considerando-se a realidade local. Os resultados alcançados foram a organização social da comunidade, com o desvio de 83,5% dos resíduos orgânicos do aterro para a compostagem, isso quando não foram minimizados antes, no aproveitamento completo dos alimentos. A prática da compostagem possibilitou testar vários tipos de composteira caseira e garantiu melhorias nas condições de disposição dos RSU, reduzindo os impactos ambientais. / In Brazil, the organic portion of the solid wastes represents more than 50% of its composition in most of the cities. However, the composting , as a method of organic wastes treatment, is not applied as it could be, only 1.5% of the Urban Solid Waste (USW or in Portuguese, RSU) is recycled; even the home composting, which has a low cost and is appropriated in residential areas, is not common. This current paper emphasizes the environmental education as an instrument for the social organization and participation as well as minimization of solid wastes, which are essential elements for a sustainable development. The approach is based on the reduction of solid wastes by sending the home organic waste to home composting and the incorporation of new habits after the execution of an environmental education program in a community from the city of Campos do Jordão (São Paulo - Brazil). The research was originated on the hypothesis that communities with lack of basic facilities and lower education rates located in surrounding areas of urban centers are capable of organizing and changing its habits in relation to production and discarding of USW. This is possible especially when people are invited to integrate groups committed to an environmental education program according to the specific needs of the community and considering the local reality. The obtained results were the social organization of the community, with the allocation of 83,5% of the organic wastes from landfills to composting, that is when it was not minimized before, with the complete use of food. The composting made it to possible to test various types of home composting and assured improvements in the disposal conditions of the USW, reducing environmental impact.

Author's name appears as Lam Lai Fong Janna on front cover. Bibliography: leaves 117-120.

The current thesis presents an exploratory study on municipal solid waste generation and minimization in Sweden, with a focus on their connection to basic socio-economic parameters. The fundamental goal of the study is to investigate into correlations and interdependencies between waste generation, waste minimization and basic socio-economic characteristics on municipal level, and to search for models for explanation of waste management parameters through socio-economic factors. Theoretical background involves reasoning on the role of municipal waste management in sustainable development, and extensive analysis of framework, legislation and organization of municipal solid waste management in Sweden. Practical part presents correlation analysis of data, which proved that socio-economic parameters do not explain differences in waste management performance of Swedish municipalities; however they are closely connected to differences between municipalities in aspect of presence of waste-related data.

The implementation of sustainable solvents and processes is critical to new developments in reducing environmental impact, improving net efficiency, and securing economic profitability in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. In order to address the challenge of sustainability, researchers have used switchable solvents for both reaction and separation by utilizing a built-in switch to undergo a step change in chemical and physical properties. This allows us to facilitate reactions in the solvent then activate the switch to enable separation and facile product recovery. Subsequently, we can recover the solvent for reuse and avoid energy- or waste-intensive separation processes; thus we are developing and using these switchable solvents as sustainable and environmentally benign alternatives to traditional processes. In this research, we enable the sustainable scale-up of a switchable solvent - piperylene sulfone - a "volatile" and recyclable DMSO replacement. In the development of this process, we improved the reaction performances and developed a green purification method. Furthermore, we enable and demonstrate the implementation of a Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley (MPV) reduction, a pharmaceutically relevant reaction, into a continuous flow platform. The innovation of continuous flow processes can replace traditional batch reaction technology, and is indeed a key research area that has been acknowledged by the pharmaceutical industry. Additionally, we utilize the switchable sulfone solvents, piperylene and butadiene sulfone, for reaction and separation of HMF produced from monosaccharides as an alternative to a process which has been limited by an inefficient separation step.

This study investigates “how is the Pay As You Throw (PAYT) principle viewed by housing estates in HK and how are they preparing for its possible implementation”. A multiple case study approach is adopted. The research findings are based on five case studies with in-depth interviews with the respective property managers and site visits to the housing estates. Based on the data analysis of the research, four findings are highlighted. First, Environmental management system is the trend for property management companies to adopt in order to upgrade their quality of service in Hong Kong. Second, Hong Kong housing estates are willing to join the programmes related to waste recovery and reduction which are organized by EPD and charitable organizations. Third, the quantity-based charging system is regarded as the fairest system; however, the property managers have the greatest reservation on its implementation. Finally, there is a dilemma of role conflict between the enforcement of law and the provision of customer service. Four recommendations are suggested to be put in place alongside the future waste charging policy. Mandatory participation with comprehensive recycling scheme should be adopted. Measures against illegal dumpling and environmental education for the public should be simultaneously worked out to complement the waste charging policies as well. / published_or_final_version / Environmental Management / Master / Master of Science in Environmental Management