Department of Ecology and Resource Management / MENVM

Waste minimisation is implemented worldwide and has become an urgent priority in South Africa as evidenced in the promulgated National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008). The most common waste disposal method in South Africa is by landfill, which is unacceptable. Local municipalities have made little progress towards waste minimisation. The aim of this study was to present a solution to waste minimisation for the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) by determining the feasibility of establishing composting facilities on landfill sites. One third of all municipal waste consists of green waste, which is compostable and can be converted on landfill sites. Nine municipal landfill sites were screened. The four most feasible sites were evaluated further by applying identified parameters that address physical, social and operational requirements. It is a possible to establish composting facilities on all four sites investigated, with Hatherley ranking as the most suited. The findings of this study clearly provided the basic parameters and requirements for constructing a composting facility and practical procedures applicable within a South African context. The evaluation method used can be applied as a model to evaluate similar studies in other municipalities to aid them in the decision-making process for waste minimisation. / Environmental Management / M.A. (Environmental Management)

Bibliographical refernces appear at the end of each chapter / This study reviews solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. The study area covered some of the residential areas in Polokwane City; namely; Ivy Park, Fauna Park, Welgelegen, Westernburg and the City Centre. This article describes two main methods that were used to collect data; that is Qualitative and Quantitative method. Field survey was also made to validate data obtained from the participants that were interviewed during qualitative data process. After framing the problem, the objectives of Solid Waste Management Practices in Polokwane City were briefly outlined as follows: • Assess solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. • Make comparison on how households and the municipality take responsibility in storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste. • Investigate what problems the City encounters in managing solid waste. • Make relevant recommendations aimed at improving solid waste management practices within the City. The service management was administered by the municipality and private sector. From the five study residential areas, the Municipality manages waste in the City Centre while the private sector manages waste in the other residential areas. However, the City continues to play an administrative role over the contracted service provider. Statistical results were presented in figures and tables. The results showed the storage habits, frequency of collection, mode of transport and methods of disposal for solid waste in Polokwane City. The only method of disposal in the city was found to be landfilling. Activities that took place at the landfill site, such as reclaiming were outlined together with the economic values that these activities add to the City. The study also revealed that as population increases, the amount of solid waste generated also increased. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

Dissertation (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The dissertation firstly outlines the findings of recent studies that have recorded the relationship between transport and economic development. This includes the assessment of a number of economic evaluation techniques that are available to predict the impact of improvements in transport on economic development. An historic overview is provided of the role that transport has played in the development of Cape Town. Due to the fact that the phases of development followed international development trends, it is concluded that development in Cape Town will follow the global trend. A number of economic growth scenarios are developed for Cape Town to assess how the City will be able to cope with the socio-demographic challenges facing it in the next century. The relationship between land price and the economic development potential of land is outlined, as are the factors that determine industrial land price, namely the demand and supply of industrial land. The process of determining the economic value of industrial land is described. This includes the collection and analysis of occupation rent of industrial townships in Cape Town, the calculation of property values and the calculation of the shadow price of land. A procedure of determining accessibility to industrial townships in Cape Town was developed. Firstly, accessibility was defined in broad terms. This was followed by a discussion of each of the elements of accessibility namely proximity, access and mobility in order to understand the factors that may impact on the level of accessibility. Finally, the level of accessibility is quantified in terms of generalised cost. A regression analysis was undertaken to establish a statistical relationship between the economic value of industrial land and accessibility to the industrial townships. The development of a numerical model was based on the regression analyses to forecast changes in industrial land price given a change in accessibility. The model was then tested on a case study. The main conclusions of the study are as follows: (a) The accessibility of industrial land in Cape Town is linked closely to its CSD I Port (it was not possible to separate the CSD and the port), which is typical of a monocentric city structure. (b) There is a positive, significant, quantifiable relationship between accessibility as quantified by means of generalised cost and the economic value of industrial land, which was calculated by means of the shadow price technique. (c) There are a number of conditions that should be met for an increase in local industrial production potential to be translated into an equal amount of economic output. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die proefskrif som eerstens die bevindings van onlangse studies op wat die verwantskap tussen vervoer en ekonomiese ontwikkeling dokumenteer. Dit sluit die taksering van 'n aantal ekonomiese evaluasietegnieke in wat beskikbaar is om die impak van vervoer op ekonomiese ontwikkeling te voorspel. 'n Historiese oorsig word verskaf van die rol wat vervoer gespeel het in die ontwikkeling van Kaapstad. As gevolg van die feit dat die fases van ontwikkeling in die verlede internasionale ontwikkelingstendense gevolg het, word tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat Kaapstad die globalisasie markera, wat tans internasionaal gestalte kry, sal navolg. 'n Aantal ekonomiese groeiscenarios word vir Kaapstad ontwikkel ten einde te bepaal hoe die stad die sosiodemografiese uitdagings van die volgende eeu sal hanteer. Die verwantskap tussen grondprys en die ekonomiese ontwikkelingspotensiaal van grond word omskryf, asook die faktore wat industriële grondprys bepaal. Die proses van die bepaling van die ekonomiese waarde van industriële grond word beskryf. Dit sluit die insamel en analise van besettingshuurdata van industriële dorpsgebiede, die berekening van eiendomswaarde en die berekening van die skaduprys van grond in. 'n Prosedure is ontwikkel vir die berekening van die toeganklikheid van industriële dorpsgebiede in Kaapstad. Eerstens is toeganklikheid in breë trekke gedefinieër. Dit is gevolg deur 'n bespreking van elk van die elemente van toeganklikheid, naamlik nabyheid, aansluiting en mobiliteit ten einde die faktore wat op die vlak van toeganklikheid mag impakteer te verstaan. Laastens is die vlak van toeganklikheid gekwantifiseer in terme van veralgemeende vervoerkoste. 'n Regressie-analise is onderneem ten einde die statistiese verwantskap tussen die ekonomiese waarde van industriële grond en toeganklikheid na industriële dorpsgebiede te bepaal. Die ontwikkeling van 'n numeriese model is op die regressie-analise gebaseer ten einde veranderinge in industriële grondpryse te voorspel, gegewe 'n verandering in toeganklikheid. Die model is op 'n gevallestudie toegepas. Die vernaamste gevolgtrekkings van die studie is : (a) Die toeganklikheid van industriële grond in Kaapstad is nou gekoppel aan die sentrale sakekern I hawe (dit was nie moontlik om die sentrale sakekern en hawe te skei nie), wat tipies is van n monosentriese staduitleg. (b) Daar is n noemenswaardige positiewe kwantifiseerbare verwantskap tussen toeganklikheid, soos gekwantifiseer in terme van veralgemeende koste, en die ekonomiese waarde van industriële grond wat deur middel van die skaduprystegniek bereken is. (c) Daar is 'n aantal voorwaardes waaraan voldoen moet word alvorens 'n toename in plaaslike industriële produksiepotensiaal tot 'n soortgelyke toename in ekonomiese ontwikelingspotensiaal sal lei.

Waste minimisation is implemented worldwide and has become an urgent priority in South Africa as evidenced in the promulgated National Environmental Management Waste Act (2008). The most common waste disposal method in South Africa is by landfill, which is unacceptable. Local municipalities have made little progress towards waste minimisation. The aim of this study was to present a solution to waste minimisation for the City of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality (CTMM) by determining the feasibility of establishing composting facilities on landfill sites. One third of all municipal waste consists of green waste, which is compostable and can be converted on landfill sites. Nine municipal landfill sites were screened. The four most feasible sites were evaluated further by applying identified parameters that address physical, social and operational requirements. It is a possible to establish composting facilities on all four sites investigated, with Hatherley ranking as the most suited. The findings of this study clearly provided the basic parameters and requirements for constructing a composting facility and practical procedures applicable within a South African context. The evaluation method used can be applied as a model to evaluate similar studies in other municipalities to aid them in the decision-making process for waste minimisation. / Environmental Management / M.A. (Environmental Management)

Bibliographical refernces appear at the end of each chapter / This study reviews solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. The study area covered some of the residential areas in Polokwane City; namely; Ivy Park, Fauna Park, Welgelegen, Westernburg and the City Centre. This article describes two main methods that were used to collect data; that is Qualitative and Quantitative method. Field survey was also made to validate data obtained from the participants that were interviewed during qualitative data process. After framing the problem, the objectives of Solid Waste Management Practices in Polokwane City were briefly outlined as follows: • Assess solid waste management practices in Polokwane City. • Make comparison on how households and the municipality take responsibility in storing, collecting, transporting, treating and disposing solid waste. • Investigate what problems the City encounters in managing solid waste. • Make relevant recommendations aimed at improving solid waste management practices within the City. The service management was administered by the municipality and private sector. From the five study residential areas, the Municipality manages waste in the City Centre while the private sector manages waste in the other residential areas. However, the City continues to play an administrative role over the contracted service provider. Statistical results were presented in figures and tables. The results showed the storage habits, frequency of collection, mode of transport and methods of disposal for solid waste in Polokwane City. The only method of disposal in the city was found to be landfilling. Activities that took place at the landfill site, such as reclaiming were outlined together with the economic values that these activities add to the City. The study also revealed that as population increases, the amount of solid waste generated also increased. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Management)

MPH / Department of Public Health / See the attached abstract below

MENVSC / Department of Ecology and Resource Management / South Africa is highly dependent on coal for production of electricity. The combustion of coal for electricity generation produces waste by-products which include fine ash (fly ash) and coarse ash. Fly ash (FA) is produced in large amounts while its utilization is low due to its classification as a hazardous material. Sasol produces about 7 million tons of FA, while Eskom produces about 28 million tons of coal FA annually. FA is a fine by-product from pulverized coal with detrimental effects on plants, soil or land, animals and human beings, and pollutes the air. The present investigation focuses on the examination of the chemical elements bioaccumulation and phytoremediation potential of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) and Spinach (Spinacia Oleracea L). X-ray fluorescence (XRF) was used to analyze the elemental composition of FA and soil, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to examine the morphology, while X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis was used to evaluate the mineralogy of FA. The concentrations of metal and non-metal species that are released from FA on contact with water at different conditions were quantified using ICP-MS. Pot culture experiment was conducted to grow Brassica juncea and Spinacia Oleracea L. using FA and soil as growth medium. Leachates from the pots were collected and analysed using ICP-MS. Plant parts from harvested Brassica juncea and Spinacia Oleracea L. were cut separately and analysed using ICP-MS for the concentrations of different metal and non-metal species in plant parts. Plant parts were also used to estimate biomass and chlorophyll content (leaves). To prepare these plant samples for analysis, the powdered plant sample (0.5 g) was digested through aqua regia (HCL:HNO3 = 3:1 (v/v)) to near dryness using hotplate and filled to 100 mL of MilliQ water. The samples were filtered and directly used to determine the chemical elements concentrations. Blanks and internal standards were used for quality assurance during analysis. Chemical elements that are present in FA and sometimes in higher concentrations are associated with detrimental effects in plants, animals and human beings, hence phytoremediation is vital. Bioconcentration factor (BCF) was used to estimate the metal species accumulation ability of the plants from the FA, FA/soil mixtures, while translocation factor (TF) was used to assess the plant species potential for phytoremediation of coal fly ash dumps. Analysis of Varience (ANOVA) was used to statistically test data using Graphpad software package. Relationship between chemical elements in soil, FA and FA+soil growth media and also different plant parts (root, stem and leaf) of B. juncea and S. Oleracea L were calculated using the t - test, ANOVA-Bartlett test, Mann-Whitney Test and Kruskal-Wallis Statistic (KW) depending on each data set. The physicochemical characterization of coal fly ash showed that FA from Grootvlei power station can be classified as class F with an alkaline pH level of 10.62. It showed that particle morphology of this FA had a lower degree of sphericity with irregular agglomerations of many particles while there were dominant spherical particles and smaller sharp needle like particles. It is also an alumino-silicate material as confirmed by the high SiO2 and Al2O3 content, while soil leachates had an average/neutral pH of 7.22 with very high amounts of Si. In both soil and FA, elements that were expected to be readily available to plants included Ca, Si, K, Ba, Mo, Na, Al, Mg, Sr and non-essential elements (Si, Ba, Na, Al, Sr), which, if uptaken by plants’ roots can have negative impacts in plants. Physicochemical analysis of soil, FA and FA+soil leachates showed that the alkalinity of the FA changed over time and there was also a decrease in the EC due to dissolution iv of soluble major oxides, which was promoted by continuous water irrigation. The soil and FA+soil growth media showed similar results. Chemical elements like B, Mn, Fe and Ba were occurring at higher concentrations in leachates for most weeks in the pot culture experiments. However, it was observed that in the eleventh week of leachate collection all these chemical elements decreased to very low concentrations. This suggest that these chemical elements can be reduced over time as plants are being irrigated which is either due to uptake by plants or washed off with water. Statistically, there was a significant difference for different chemical elements of leachates from different growth media for each plant species (B. juncea and S. Olearcea L.). The overall growth rate shows that S. Oleracea L was better than that of B. juncea especially in the FA media over time, while the biomass of the two plant species showed similar results. After all, even though S. Oleracea L had carotenoid content below detection limits, it had higher chlorophyll b than B. juncea for all growth media in general. But, statistically there was no significant difference between the two plant species in terms of growth rate and biomass; even between the plant parts denoting similar growth performance for the two plant species under study. The bioaccumulation potential of the two plant species showed that chemical elements such as Fe, Mn, Ba, Zn and B were highly accumulated by the different parts of the plants. However, the chemical elements such as of Mo, Ni, Cu, and Cr showed the least concentrations. This trend was similar for all growth media and both plant species but this changes over time for different growth media and plant species as increasing and decreasing trends can be noticed. This led to no significant difference between plant species and also growth media, statistically. High BCF values of Fe, Mn, Ba, Zn and B were observed in the different parts of the plants for both plant species. However, Mo, Ni, Cu, and Cr had BCF values less than 1 for most growth media over time. BCF values in plant parts differed with time, growth media and plant species. Translocation of chemical elements shows that the B. juncea plant proved to be an effective phytoremediation plant species since it is effective in translocation of many chemical elements for different growth media to shoots while S. Oleracea L failed to translocate most chemical elements from stem to leaves although it translocated some from root to shoots. Hence, it can be concluded from the study that both species can be used in phytoremediation of coal fly ash dumps but with B. juncea being the most effective accumulator and translocator of many chemical elements. However, it can be recommended that chelating agents like ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) be introduced to solubilize chemical elements from growth media matrix into growth media solution to facilitate the quick transport of chemical elements into xylem, and increase

This research aimed to investigate an area of research that has largely been overlooked in the past, that is, the efficiency, profitability and sustainability of informal waste recycling in semi-urban areas. In exploring the research topic, a recycling buyback centre was used as a case study. The centre facilitates collection, sorting and selling of waste and is located in Senwabarwana, Northern Limpopo Province. Here the P.E.A.C.E (Planning, Education, Agriculture, Cooperatives and Environment) Foundation, an organisation looking at rural poverty alleviation in South Africa, initiated a flagship recycling buyback centre as a community project. This research picks up on prior research that was conducted on a similar project initiated by the same organisation in Ndumo, KwaZulu Natal. Even though the location is different from KwaZulu Natal, both Senwabarwana and Ndumo are faced with similar challenges affecting social, economic and environmental circumstances. Five objectives were identified to provide structure to this research. Through action research, the study assessed the sustainability of this recycling buyback centre with regard to the impact on social, economic and environmental factors within Senwabarwana. It also covered problems experienced in rolling out waste management initiatives within the semi-urban study location and assessed the municipal framework with regard to waste and how waste is managed and recycled. Furthermore, analyses of the waste data generated at the recycling centre was examined that culminated in offering solutions to the identified problems. Recommendations for acceptable practices in semi-urban waste management are made to enable further research and potentially up-scaling the project for application in other geographic areas. The study reports both qualitative and quantitative data collected through the investigation of the case study in the start-up phase. The data gathering was done through administering questionnaires to waste pickers associated with the case study centre. Telephonic and face-to-face interviews and secondary data were interchangeably used to address each of the five objectives. The results from the data gathered show that, if properly coordinated and structured, informal waste recycling in semi-urban communities is possible and can contribute positively to the socio-economic and environmental development of these areas. It is envisaged that this study would contribute to the body of knowledge already in existence, whilst also creating an opportunity for further academic research and input within this field to enable the scaling-up of such initiatives. / Environmental Sciences / M. Sc. (Environmental Science)

Integrated management of municipal and hazardous waste is one of the challenges facing the new municipalities in South Africa, especially those located in previously disadvantaged rural areas. However, much of the research on solid and hazardous waste management in South Africa has examined waste management problematics in urban areas, the majority of which are located within the jurisdiction of local governments which are comparatively effective in terms of providing adequate disposal services. By contrast, this study has examined the environmental risk assessment associated with unregulated landfill sites in the Albert Luthuli municipality, in the Mpumalanga province. The determination of the environmental risk was achieved by the use of questionnaire surveys and landfill analysis forms in selected study areas. The findings have highlighted a very high environmental risk, nearly four times and above, the threshold limits set by the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (DEAT, 2005:15) for all of the landfill sites examined. Several exposure pathways stemming from associated environmental impacts have also been identified for the study. The higher environmental risk determined for the problem sites is ascribed to numerous factors, including their ill-planned location, the sensitivity and vulnerability of the natural environment and adjacent rural settlements, the lack of appropriate waste pre-treatment processes prior to disposal, and most significantly, the lack of regulatory and control measures to contain the myriad of environmental problems generated. In conclusion, it is recommended that several measures (including closure) should be taken in order to reduce and contain the magnitude of environmental risks involved. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc.(Environmental Sciences)