تحسين الوضع الاقتصادي للمجتمعات عن طريق تعزيز مشاريع إعادة التدوير

   تعتبر البلديات و المجالس المحلية المسئول المباشر عن إدارة ملف النفايات الصلبة في المدن حول العالم للحفاظ على المدن نظيفة. ففي الوقت التي تحتل فيه التكنولوجيا المتوفرة (جمع النفايات، النقل، إعادة التدوير، التخزين، المعالجة)، تزداد النداءات الدولية لإعادة النظر إلى مجال إدارة النفايات الصلبة كأداة لحل العديد من المشاكل الاقتصادية، الإجتماعية، و البيئية. و من هذه الأصوات الرئيس الأمريكي السابق "بيل كلينتون" عندما صرح في المؤتمر السنوي لمبادرة كلينتون العالمية عام 2010 " إذا أردتم محاربة التغير المناخي، تحسين الصحة العامة، إيجاد فرص عمل للفقراء و خلق مناخ مناسب للروّاد، فإن أفضل الطرق للوصول لهذا الشيئ هو إغلاق مكبات النفايات" … Continue reading

Working of a Modern Biogas Plant

Biogas plants are decentralized energy system that can lead to self-sufficiency in heat and power requirements, and at the same time reduces environmental pollution. A biogas plant stabilizes organic waste through natural biological process in the absence of air and transforms waste into biogas and biofertilizer. Biogas facilities are well-suited to wet organic material and are commonly used for treating biodegradable waste materials such as waste paper, grass clippings, leftover food, sewage and animal waste. The components of a modern biogas plant includes manure collection, anaerobic digester, effluent treatment plant, gas storage, and CHP or electricity generating equipment. Working of … Continue reading

Medical Wastes in GCC

There has been a growing awareness of the need for safe management of medical waste all over the world. Medical Waste are generated by all health sectors including hospitals, laboratories, diagnostic and research centers, dental and medical clinics, blood banks, mortuaries and autopsy centres, veterinary hospitals, industrial laboratories etc. Medical wastes which pose the greatest risk to human health are infectious waste (or hazardous medical waste) which constitutes 15 – 25 percent of total healthcare waste. Infectious wastes may include all waste items that are contaminated with or suspected of being contaminated with body fluids such as blood and blood products, used catheters … Continue reading

Thermal Technologies for MSW-to-Energy Conversion

Thermal (or thermochemical) MSW-to-energy conversion systems consist of primary technologies which convert the municipal waste into heat or gaseous and liquid products, together with secondary conversion technologies which transform these products into more useful forms of energy, such as heat and electricity. A wide array of thermal waste-to-energy technologies are available to convert the energy stored in solid wastes into more useful forms of energy. These technologies can be classified according to the principal energy carrier produced in the conversion process. Energy carriers are in the form of heat, gas, liquid and/or solid products, depending on the extent to which … Continue reading

The Concept of Generalised Extended Producer Responsibility

The notion of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been part of the waste policy for a long time, particularly within the OECD countries. According to the OECD, EPR “aims to make producers responsible for the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product chain, from design to the post-consumer phase” [1]. EPR alleviates the burden of Public Administrations for managing end-of-life products, while -if properly designed- incentivising waste prevention and recycling. Current Limitations of EPR After years of implementation it can be argued that Extended Producer Responsibility has not in fact been so extended. Several limitations are common: a) producer … Continue reading

Tips to Make the Most of Your Scrap Metal Recycling Business

Scrap metal is a valuable commodity in high demand by small and large corporations. This is why many people have become interested in recycling scrap metal. It can be good for the environment because when the metals are recycled, they’re less likely to end up in landfills, thereby reducing environmental pollution. Moreover, recycling scrap metal can help conserve energy used in manufacturing. Instead of making new metals from scratch, people and businesses can use recycled ones, reducing energy consumption and reliance on new resources. Yet aside from the ones mentioned, scrap metal collection can be a great way to earn … Continue reading

التأثير البيئي لمعالجة مخلفات زيت الزيتون

تعد زراعة الزيتون وإنتاج زيت الزيتون جزءاً من التراث المحلي والاقتصاد الريفي في كافة أنحاء منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا وأكثر ما يشتهر به هذا المحصول هو استخدامه في الطبخ وفي الاستعمالات الطبية. في عام 2012، قدر إنتاج العالم من زيت الزيتون بنحو 2903.676 طن، وتعد إسبانيا وإيطاليا واليونان من أكبر منتجي زيت الزيتون في العالم، تليها في الترتيب تركيا وتونس ثم البرتغال والمغرب والجزائر. في الاتحاد الأوروبي وحده يوجد حوالي 2.5 مليون منتِج في قطاع الزيتون، يشكلون مجتمعين حوالي ثلث مزارعي الاتحاد الأوروبي. توفر صناعة زيت الزيتون فرصًا قيمة للمزارعين من حيث التوظيف الموسمي بالإضافة إلى توفير فرص عمل مهمة خارج نطاق … Continue reading

Medical Waste Management: An Infographic

Healthcare sector in the Middle East is growing at a very rapid pace, which in turn has led to tremendous increase in the quantity of medical waste generation by hospitals, clinics and other healthcare establishments. The growing amount of medical waste in the Middle East is posing significant public health and environmental challenges across the region. The situation is worsened by improper disposal methods, insufficient physical resources, inefficient medical waste treatment technologies and lack of research on healthcare waste management. This infographic will provide more insights into medical waste management situation in the Middle East.

Medical Waste Management in the MENA Region: Perspectives

Healthcare sector in the MENA countries is growing at a very rapid pace, which in turn has led to tremendous increase in the quantity of medical waste generation by hospitals, clinics and other establishments. According to a report by UNDP in the year 2020, Egypt generated 63.5 tons per day of hazardous medical wastes. In the GCC countries, more than 150 tons of medical waste is produced every day. Saudi Arabia alone accounts for annual healthcare waste generation of around 25,107 tons per year. Medical waste generation in Qatar is more than 20 tons per day. These figures are indicative … Continue reading

A Beginner’s Guide to Composting

Composting occurs when biodegradable waste is piled together in a pit or a compost bin. The temperature of the organic waste increases due to the microbial activity of the piled material. The composting temperature often reaches 65 degrees to 75 degrees Celsius within a few days and then declines slowly. This high temperature hastens the elimination of pathogens in the waste stream and facilitates the composting process. The Composting Process The composting process is a complex interaction between the waste and the microorganisms within the waste. The microorganisms that carry out this process fall into three groups: bacteria, fungi, and … Continue reading

Trends in Recycling of EPS Foam

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, commonly known as styrofoam, the ubiquitous lightweight material used in packaging of electronic devices, food items and electric appliances, is popularly used because of its water and heat resistant properties. These properties likewise make it a preferred material for disposable food containers such as bowls, plates and coffee cups. Due to its popularity, the global demand for EPS foam and its production is steadily increasing.  According to GBI Research, the global demand for both polystyrene and EPS increased to 14.9 million tons in 2010 from 13 million tons in 2000.1 This is expected to further swell … Continue reading

ادارة النفايات في الشرق الاوسط – التحديات الرئيسية

يعد الشرق الأوسط من  اخصب الأماكن في توليد النفايات عالميا, ويعد نمط الحياة المسرف, و التشريعات غير الفعالة, و معيقات توفير البنى التحتية, و السلوكيات العامة غير المبالية, و انقص التوعية البيئية من العوامل الأساسية المؤدية لنمو مشاكل النفايات في الشرق الأوسط. كما يسهم مستوى المعيشة المرتفع  مقرونا بعدم توفر مرافق جمع والتخلص من النفايات في تحويل موضوع “القمامة”  الى “مسؤولية” . العقبات الرئيسية ان الأدراك العام للنفايات يتمحور حول اللامبالاة و عدم الاكتراث, و يتم التعامل مع النفايات  على انها(نفايات) و ليس (موارد). وهناك حاجة ملحة لزيادة الوعي لدى العامة حول القضايا البيئية, وممارسات ادارة النفايات الصلبة و المعيشة … Continue reading