Author Archives: Salman Zafar

About Salman Zafar

Salman Zafar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of EcoMENA. He is a consultant, ecopreneur and journalist with expertise across in waste management, renewable energy, environment protection and sustainable development. Salman has successfully accomplished a wide range of projects in the areas of biomass energy, biogas, waste-to-energy, recycling and waste management. He has participated in numerous conferences and workshops as chairman, session chair, keynote speaker and panelist. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management and environmental sustainability across the globe Salman Zafar can be reached at salman@ecomena.org

Why Organic Skincare is Good For Skin Health and Environment

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The skincare industry is witnessing a steady transition towards organic skincare products, backed by growing public awareness about the impact of skincare ingredients on overall health and the environment. With rising awareness, consumers are ditching chemicals-based skincare products and adopting natural, plant-based alternatives. In this article, we will explore the key aspects of organic skincare, and how this lifestyle choice can contribute towards a a better skin health and a more sustainable future. What are Organic Skincare Products? Beauty products made from organically-formed ingredients are categorised as organic skincare products. Organic farming is a sustainable agricultural method which avoids chemical … Continue reading →

Designing Safer Solar Arrays: A Practical Guide to DC Isolation

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Solar projects in hot, dusty, and high-irradiance regions place unusual demands on direct-current switching equipment. A rooftop or ground-mounted array may operate for decades while its disconnects face ultraviolet exposure, temperature cycling, airborne dust, humidity, and repeated maintenance activity. Choosing the correct DC isolation device is therefore both an electrical-safety decision and a long-term reliability decision. What a solar DC isolator actually does A DC isolator, also called a DC disconnect in some markets, separates a section of the photovoltaic array from downstream equipment. It gives technicians a controlled way to de-energize conductors for inspection, inverter replacement, emergency response, or … Continue reading →

Sustainable Wastewater Management: Why Solid–Liquid Separation is the Quiet Hero of Water Conservation

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Water is the resource that touches every part of the modern economy — yet it is also one of the most mismanaged. According to UN estimates, over 80% of the world’s wastewater is released back into the environment without adequate treatment. In water-stressed regions across the Middle East, North Africa, and beyond, that statistic is not just an environmental concern; it is an existential one. As industries expand and populations grow, the question is no longer whether we treat wastewater, but how efficiently and sustainably we do it. At the heart of nearly every effective wastewater treatment process lies a deceptively simple principle: separating … Continue reading →

Recycling of PET Plastic Bottles: An Overview

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Like all other modern urban centers, the Middle East also faces challenges in environmental protection due to tremendous generation of plastic waste produced in different forms. The total solid waste generation in the Middle East region exceeds 155 million tons per annum, out of which around 15 percent is contributed by plastic wastes. The burgeoning population, growing consumption, and an increasing trend towards a “disposable” culture, is causing nightmares to municipal authorities across the region and beyond. Plastic consumption has grown at a tremendous rate over the past few decades as plastics now play an important role in all aspects … Continue reading →

7 Ways to Cut Energy Costs in Small Spaces

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Global energy demand continues to rise and is expected to increase by 50% by 2050. This has raised concerns about environmental sustainability, and finding ways to cut energy costs has become a priority for many. Fortunately, there are several effective strategies that can be implemented to reduce energy consumption and lower energy bills in small spaces. By making changes to daily habits and adopting energy-saving technologies, you can achieve significant cost savings while contributing to a more sustainable future. From simple behavioral changes to the implementation of energy-efficient appliances like a single zone mini split system, our comprehensive guide can … Continue reading →

The Popular Methods for Aluminium Recycling

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The demand for aluminium products is growing steadily because of their positive contribution to modern living. Aluminium is the second most widely used metal whereas the aluminum can is the most recycled consumer product in the world. Aluminium finds extensive use in air, road and sea transport, food and medicine, packaging, construction, electronics and electrical power transmission. The excellent recyclability of aluminium, together with its high scrap value and low energy needs during recycling make aluminium highly desirable to one and all. The global aluminium demand is forecasted to soar to nearly 70 million tons by 2020 from around 37 … Continue reading →

Renewable Energy Investment in Jordan

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Jordan has tremendous wind, solar and biomass energy potential which can only be realized by large-scale investments. In 2007, the Government of Jordan developed an integrated and comprehensive Energy Master Plan. Renewable energy accounted for only 1% of the energy consumption in Jordan in 2007. However, ambitious targets have been set in the Master Plan to raise the share to 7% in 2015 and 10% in 2020. This transition from conventional fuels to renewable energy resources will require capital investments, technology transfer and human resources development, through a package of investments estimated at US $ 1.4 – 2.2 billion. The … Continue reading →

Agricultural Biomass Resources in the MENA Countries

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Agriculture plays an important role in the economies of most of the countries in the Middle East and North Africa region.  Despite the fact that MENA is the most water-scarce and dry region in the world, many countries in the region, especially those around the Mediterranean Sea, are highly dependent on agriculture. The contribution of the agricultural sector to the overall economy varies significantly among countries in the region, ranging, for example, from about 3.2 percent in Saudi Arabia to 13.4 percent in Egypt.  Large scale irrigation coupled with mechanization has enabled extensive production of high-value cash crops, including fruits, … Continue reading →

Animal Waste Management in Africa: Perspectives

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Livestock and poultry production are among the main economic activities in rural as well as urban areas of African countries. The livestock sector, in particular sheep, goats and camels, plays an important role in the national economy of African countries. In addition, the region has witnessed very rapid growth in the poultry sector. The livestock industry and poultry industry, however, are contributing heavily to greenhouse gas emissions and waste crisis in Africa due to the absence of a sustainable animal waste management system. Most of the manure is collected in lagoons or left to decompose in the open which presents … Continue reading →

What are Biofuels: Things You Should Know

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Biofuel refers to liquid or gaseous fuels that are predominantly produced from biomass. A variety of fuels can be produced from biomass resources including liquid fuels, such as ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, Fischer-Tropsch diesel, and gaseous fuels, such as hydrogen and methane. Resource Base for Biofuels Production The biomass resource base for biofuels production is composed of a wide variety of forestry and agricultural resources, industrial processing residues, municipal solid wastes and urban wood residues. The agricultural resources include grains used for biofuels production, animal manures and residues, and crop residues derived primarily from corn and small grains (e.g., wheat straw). … Continue reading →

Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF) – Fuel Pellets from Solid Wastes

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Municipal solid waste is a poor-quality fuel and its pre-processing is necessary to convert it into fuel pellets to improve its consistency, storage properties, handling characteristics, combustion behaviour and calorific value. Technological improvements are taking place in the realms of advanced source separation of MSW, resource recovery and production of RDF pellets in both existing and new plants for this purpose. There has been an increase in global interest in the preparation of MSW fuel pellets or Refuse Derived Fuel (or RDF) so let us take a close look at this interesting alternative fuel. RDF Manufacturing Process Pelletization of municipal … Continue reading →

أسلوب حياة أخضر

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تبني “أسلوب حياة أخضر” هو محاولة لترشيد استغلال الفرد أو المجتمع للموارد الطبيعية عن طريق تغيير أساليب النقل واستهلاك الطاقة، واستخدام المياه وغيرها. ويعنى أسلوب الحياة الأخضر بتلبية الاحتياجات البيئية والاجتماعية، والاقتصادية الحالية دون المساس بقدرة الأجيال المقبلة على تلبية احتياجاتها. ويعد انخفاض حجم البصمة البيئية أو الكربونية هو النتيجة الطبيعية لأسلوب المعيشة المستدامة. ويعتبر تلوث المياه، وتلوث التربة، وتلوث الهواء، والتخلص من النفايات والمحافظة على الموارد الطبيعية، وحماية الحياة البرية من التحديات البيئية الرئيسية التي تواجه البشرية. ولكلٍ منا دور يمكن أن يلعبه لتحقيق الاستدامة، وذلك من خلال تبني أسلوب حياة خضراء. وفيما يلي بعض النصائح التي يمكن أن … Continue reading →