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As
towns and cities have grown waste management has evolved
into a high profile, capital intensive and very expensive
operation. Its priority has been further increased during
recent years as a result of legislative changes and
a growing environmental awareness of the need to lower
the risk of unwanted environmental pollution. Waste
has been identified as the primary cause of environmental
pollution in South Africa. Even general or domestic
waste contains materials such as paint, pesticides and
other hazardous household products and will biodegrade
to give a liquid (leachate) that is highly polluting.
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Attention
is often focused on the large masses of waste concentrated
at disposal sites, although all aspects of waste management
can impact adversely on the environment. The only way
to minimize these impacts is to ensure that every aspect
of an operation is conducted as efficiently as possible;
refuse recovery, re-use, storage, collection, transport
and disposal must be carried out using appropriate technologies.
For unavoidable waste that cannot be recovered, recycled
or re-used, this includes the optimal routing of the
minimum number of vehicles, followed by waste disposal
using proven sanitary landfill site management techniques
and methods.
Throughout
Africa waste related legislation exists in various forms
and in many areas is still incomplete. A major concern
is to ensure that international companies operating in
Africa are not only conforming to local legislation but
are also in compliance with the legal responsibilities
that have been placed on the Parent Company. Thus, we
aim to ensure that companies are protected against retrospective
legislation that would otherwise force expensive corrective
measures, where environmental damage has already occurred,
or where the potential exists.
Democritus
has the capacity and experience needed for investigating
means by which waste generated can be eliminated, reduced,
recycled, treated or correctly disposed of. As it is virtually
impossible to eliminate all wastes, waste minimization
is a key objective.
Particular
expertise within the Democritus team exists for:
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