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Transformation and rapid population growth in Africa indicates that urbanisation is one of the key determinants of the future of social dynamics and development of the continent. Linked to these changes are increased production levels of Municipal Solid Waste. This book provides recommendations and solutions that derive from current situations, experiences and observations in Africa. This book is a 'must read' for urban planners, environmental engineering students and lecturers, environmental consultants and policy-makers. The book can also be of great help to municipal authorities, as it outlines future directions of Municipal Solid Waste management. These need to be considered by the municipal authorities of most African countries.

Mining plays an essential role in resource-rich countries given that it constitutes a source of raw materials and incomes capable of contributing to the economic growth. However, with the intensive mechanisation of mining operations and the modernisation of the ore-processing technologies in view of increasing the productiveness, growing amounts of mineralised rocks are currently excavated from open pit and underground mines. The increase in mining productiveness observed worldwide raises the thorny issue of the mineral wastes’ environmentally friendly management considering their great polluting capacity. Mineral wastes are composed of waste rocks and mine tailings from the flotation beneficiation of ores. The present research reviews over times the worldwide in-force practices in the management of mineral wastes, with particular focus to waste rocks and tailings generated by the flotation beneficiation of ores in view of extracting metals of interest. It discusses environmental issues in relationship with the management of mineral wastes from the DR Congo mining industry, analyses the applicability of both emerging and established techniques to their management, and identifies opportunities for further research with the aim of gaining extended knowledge that can enable considering alternative management solutions. Addressing in deep the relevant issue of mineral waste management, relying on relevant illustrations could help improve practices in the Congolese mining industry as well as gathering data intended for mining operators, researchers and academics interested in mineral waste management.

Heavy metals in surface and groundwater were analysed and their sources were identified using multivariate statistical tools for two towns in South Africa. Human exposure risk through the drinking water pathway was also assessed. Electrical conductivity values showed that groundwater is desirable to permissible for drinking except for six locations. Concentration of aluminium, lead and nickel were above the permissible limit for drinking at all locations. Boron, cadmium, iron and manganese exceeded the limit at few locations. Heavy metal pollution index based on ten heavy metals indicated that 85% of the area had good quality water, but 15% was unsuitable. Human exposure dose through the drinking water pathway indicated no risk due to boron, nickel and zinc, moderate risk due to cadmium and lithium and high risk due to silver, copper, manganese and lead. Hazard quotients were high in all sampling locations for humans of all age groups, indicating that groundwater is unsuitable for drinking purposes. Highly polluted areas were located near the coast, close to industrial operations and at a landfill site representing human-induced pollution. Factor analysis identified the four major pollution sources as: (1) industries; (2) mining and related activities; (3) mixed sources- geogenic and anthropogenic and (4) fertilizer application.

The proper management of isolation waste is of utmost importance in healthcare facilities to prevent the spread of infections and protect both healthcare workers and the general public. This study investigated waste handlers' knowledge of the management of isolation waste at Dr. George Mukhari Academic Hospital in Gauteng, South Africa. A survey was conducted to assess waste handlers' understanding of waste types, colour codes, safety precautions, and awareness of internal policies related to isolation waste management. The study found that the majority of waste handlers demonstrated a good understanding of waste types generated in the isolation unit, including sharps waste, human tissue waste, infectious waste, and general waste. They also correctly identified examples of sharp waste, such as injections, blades, glass slides, and needles. Additionally, most respondents were aware of the colour code used for representing infectious waste as \"yellow\" and \"red.\" The study revealed a statistically significant association between waste handlers' age and their knowledge of isolation waste, suggesting that age may influence their understanding of waste management practices. Furthermore, experience was found to be significantly associated with waste handlers' knowledge of the health-hazardous nature of isolation waste. While the majority of waste handlers recognized the importance of wearing protective clothing and correctly marking isolation waste, some respondents were not aware of the internal policy for waste handling such as guidelines and protocols specific to the segregation, packaging, labeling, and disposal of waste generated within the isolation units. These findings highlight the importance of continuous training, targeted education, and policy dissemination to ensure effective waste management and adherence to safety protocols among waste handlers.

Rainfall has been shown to be the main cause of elevated nutrient pollution in groundwater beneath landfills. However, groundwater monitoring is often based on predetermined schedules without considering rainfall patterns. This study examined how rainfall patterns afect fluctuations in groundwater quality at the Coastal Park landfill in Cape Town, South Africa, and the relevance of current groundwater sampling schedules. Boreholes upstream and downstream of two large waste cells, one lined and the other unlined, were monitored for 15 weeks during the onset of the rainy season to detect changes in the groundwater level, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate. Rainfall patterns strongly afected the groundwater parameters, with widely varying fluctuation patterns and lag times. Conductivity peaked downstream of the lined cell 10 weeks later than at the unlined cell, with widely diferent fluctuation patterns (R2 = 0.36). Ammonia peaked downstream of both the unlined and lined cells well before the early rains, with very similar fluctuation patterns ( R2 = 0.97), although it peaked 6 times higher in the unlined cell. Nitrate peaked at Weeks 2 to 4 downstream of the unlined and the lined cell, with a weak correlation (R2 = 0.56). A shorter nitrate peak and a net decrease throughout the rainy season were observed downstream of the lined cell. Phosphate showed a brief, multi-fold increase at Week 3 downstream of both the unlined and lined cells, displaying pH-induced mobilisation and a very strong correlation (R2 = 0.99) between these locations. Lag times and fluctuation patterns varied depending on the presence of liners, and rainfall patterns. Therefore, the low frequency sampling required by many South African landfill waste management permits and licences cannot identify pollutant peak concentrations or describe their trends, and high frequency sampling should be considered.

Proper information regarding the performance of waste management systems from an environmental perspective is significant to sustainable waste management decisions and planning toward the selection of the least impactful treatment options. However, little is known about the environmental impacts of the different waste management options in South Africa. This study is therefore aimed at using the life cycle assessment tool to assess the environmental impact of the current, emerging, and alternative waste management systems in South Africa, using the city of Johannesburg as a case study. This assessment involves a comparative analysis of the unit processes of waste management and the different waste management scenarios comprising two or more unit processes from an environmental view. The lifecycle boundary consists of unit processes: waste collection and transportation (WC&T), material recycling facilities (MRF), composting, incineration, and landfilling. Four scenarios developed for the assessment are S1 (WC&T, MRF, and landfilling without energy recovery), S2 (WC&T, MRF, composting, and landfilling with energy recovery), S3 (WC&T and incineration), and S4 (WC&T, MRF, composting, and incineration). Based on the result of this study, MRF is the most environmentally beneficial unit operation while landfill without energy recovery is the most impactful unit operation. The result further revealed that no scenario had the best performance across all the impact categories. However, S3 can be considered as the most environmentally friendly option owing to its lowest impact in most of the impact categories. S3 has the lowest global warming potential (GWP) of 33.19 × 10 6  kgCO 2 eq, ozone depletion potential (ODP) of 0.563 kgCFC-11e, and photochemical ozone depletion potential (PODP) of 679.46 kgC 2 H 2 eq. Also, S4 can be regarded as the most impactful option owing to its highest contributions to PODP of 1044 kgC 2 H 2 eq, acidification potential (AP) of 892073.8 kgSO 2 eq, and eutrophication potential (EP) of 51292.98 MaxPO4 −3 eq. The result of this study will be found helpful in creating a complete impression of the environmental performance of waste management systems in Johannesburg, South Africa which will aid sustainable planning and decisions by the concerned sector.

Water shortages across the globe have increased due to climate change among other factors with negative impacts expected at the river basin level. Anticipating these impacts will help experts act in a timely manner to avoid a future water crisis. As part of addressing the future water shortage impacts on the Togolese community, this paper assessed water security in the context of the global environmental change in the Oti River Basin taking Oti Nord sub-basin (ONSB) as a case study. Key informants’ interviews were done with staff from governmental institutions, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), community-based organizations, and private operators. The Improved Fuzzy Comprehensive Evaluation Model (IFCEM) was used for assessing water security (WS). A basin level WS evaluation system including five subcomponents (external environment security, water resources security, water-society security, water economic security, and water-environment security) and 23 indicators related to climate, socio-economy, water availability, and consumption were constructed. The results showed that the water level is very insecure in the sub-basin for the assessed years (2010, 2015, and 2025) with the year 2025 being the worst (expected a decrease of water security by 20% and 1% in 2025 compared to the years 2015 and 2010, respectively). This insecurity is found to be the result of many factors including technical, institutional, juridical, environmental, socio-cultural, hydrogeological, and demographical factors. However, managerial factors such as institutional instability, the inadequacies in water and related sector evolution, and the absence of de-centralized water management structures, the non-operationalization of management organs/financial instruments, and culture (i.e., taboos and bylaws) are found to be key to the study area. The paper concluded that the operationalization of management organs/financial instruments may enable the application of adopted water policies and regulations, which may lead to a sound and coordinated management of the available water resources since this will enable the government’s self-investment in clean water provision, data acquisition (potential water available and the estimation of economic driven potential water needs, which are key for any sound development), and a stimulated joined effort from the existing institutions. In addition, the establishment of a sound waste management system and awareness raising, and educative activities regarding water pollution will be of great benefit for this cause.

The author explores the political economy of toxic waste disposal. It is discussed within the context of a global environment within which such disposal has become highly expensive and highly politicized. The article focuses mainly on the story of Abidjan, the capital city of the Ivory Coast in Western Africa. Sixteen people died there and many thousands of others were poisoned due to exposure to toxic waste dumped in the city in August 2006. White provides a detailed description of what happened in Abidjan, including the social, political, and economic causes and consequences of the event. In this instance, Western sustainability has appeared to have been propped up by Third World disaster. Why this is so, and who is to blame, are essential questions for understanding and acting in relation to toxic disasters such as this. Adapted from the source document.

This paper reports on solid waste management in Accra, Ghana, focusing on the experiences with two different approaches to urban waste composting by the two compost plants, viz., the Teshie-Nungua and the Ashiedu Keteke (AKCPP) compost plants. It also describes the urban farming systems, as well as the current and potential users of the compost.