Trends in Recycling of EPS Foam

By | | ,
1 Comment

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.

EPS foam recycling

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 to 25 million tons by 2022, 1.7% of which, or close to 400,000 tons coming from the Middle East.

The increase in EPS production necessitates intensified recycling efforts.  After all, a greater supply of EPS would result to more polystyrene waste, which, when disposed of in landfills take up significant space because of its bulk.  Furthermore, because of its light weight, it can easily be blown away and litter streets and water bodies, and clog storm drains. Being non-compostable and essentially non-biodegradable, it would take hundreds if not thousands of years for EPS to decompose.

The technology to recycle polystyrene already exists and recyclers have been producing goods from recycled polystyrene for years.  One of the reasons why polystyrene waste recycling is not very popular, even among recyclers, is the high cost associated with transporting the waste because of its volume to weight ratio.  A truckload of EPS foam actually contains very little polystyrene, with 95-98% of its content being air.

The cost can be lowered considerably by reducing the volume of the waste, preferably at the point of origin, before transporting to recycling facilities.  Volume reduction equipment offered in the market include balers, compactors and densifiers – these terms are sometimes used interchangeably by manufacturers – and the main differences in their processes are as follows:

1. Baling

Balers use hydraulic ram to compact EPS waste either vertically (from above) or horizontally (from the sides).  The resulting bales are tied with a strap or twine to keep them together and for easier handling and transport.

2. Cold compaction

The volume of EPS is reduced without using heat.  EPS waste is fed to a pre-breaker where it is broken into flakes of roughly 1 to 2 inches in size.  Using an auger or screw compactor, it is then compacted hydraulically into “logs” or blocks, achieving a reduction in volume of up to 98%.  The compacted polystyrene can be broken into size or transformed into pellets.

3. Thermal densification

Thermal densifiers such as StyromeltTM use heat to melt EPS and liberate trapped gases. The melted resin is then allowed to cool into briquettes or strands.  This process achieves a greater compaction rate than most hydraulic compactors and results to a product that is sterile.  There is, however, the issue of the release of vapours in the workplace and the smell created once EPS is heated. Most manufacturers resolve this by installing air filters on the equipment.

 

For companies, organizations or communities that receive and dispose of large quantities of EPS annually, buying or at least renting a volume reducing equipment could be a worthwhile investment.  With reduced volume, garbage skips need to be emptied less frequently, reducing labor and transportation costs. As the oil prices and demand for recycled polystyrene products increase, so does the price for compacted EPS.

Although the prices may vary depending on the quality, compacted EPS could sell at £350 (US$530) per ton, with some recyclers willing to pay more for large quantities.2,3  Some recycling equipment suppliers or leasers even buy the compressed product for a competitive price, easing the need to find a separate recycler to deal with.

Being thermoplastic, compressed polystyrene can be melted and remolded to different plastic products and recyclers are finding innovative ways to do just that.  It has been fashioned into CD cases, coat hangers, picture frames, toys and office supplies such as pens, stapler bodies and rulers.

Recycled EPS is also utilized to manufacture wood-alternative products such as interior decorative moldings.4  Such products are comparable to softwood but have the advantage of being both water- and mold-resistant, and of being impervious to rotting and decay.

Crushed polystyrene can be used as aggregates to produce lightweight concrete.  Rastra, a company based in Arizona, USA, produces Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs) using 85% recycled EPS and 15% cement.5 ICFs are hollow foam blocks that are stacked and filled with concrete to form building walls.

Homes and buildings built with ICFs are more sound-proof, and provide greater thermal insulation, making cooling and heating equipment more efficient.  In South Africa, a new patented formula is being used to manufacture building panels from waste polystyrene, and plans are underway to build one million homes using the said panels.6

Recycling polystyrene certainly shows great promise and more ways of utilizing recycled polystyrene will likely be discovered in the future.  Hopefully, the promise of greater profit, not to mention a cleaner planet will encourage companies, organizations and governments to step up polystyrene recycling efforts.

References

  1. Polystyrene and EPS market expected to grow at a healthy rate of 5.6% from 2010-2020, Plastemart.com, last modified February 14, 2013,
  2. Recycled-EPS Interior Molding, BuildingGreen.com, accessed July 30, 2013, http://www.buildinggreen.com/auth/article.cfm/2007/2/1/Recycled-EPS-Interior-Molding/
  3. ICF – Insulated Concrete Forms/Compound ICF, Rastra, accessed July 31, 2013, http://www.rastra.com/
  4. Building a million houses out of waste, Green Times

The Environmental Benefits of Using Smart Home Devices

By | | , ,
9 Comments

Smart home systems, with their extensive automation, sensing, and remote control capabilities, offer a lot of environmental benefits. If you’re not yet sure why this matters, consider that making your home more efficient will save you money as well as affect your carbon footprint. There are many ways to go about reducing your carbon footprint, and implementing smart tech in your home is a good place to start.

Here are some of the ways you can use smart home devices to conserve energy and natural resources.

How Smart Home Systems Work for You

Temperature regulation

Smart thermostats are programmable, but the most advanced ones go beyond that, actually sensing what’s happening in the environment and adjusting to your behaviors. Simple programmable ones will help you save energy by kicking on the heat or AC only when you need it and adjusting the temperature when no one’s home. They offer more advanced programming than previous generations of programmable thermostats so you can set them for both weekday and weekend schedules, and you can also control them from your phone as plans change.

Some smart thermostats can sense if a door is left open and turn off the system in response, or even learn your heating/cooling preferences. Others can be connected to sensors in your home to trigger them to start or stop the HVAC system.

smart thermostat

Smart home sensors

Speaking of sensors, there are various types of smart home sensors available for almost anything imaginable, such as light and temperature sensors, which will turn off lights and thermostats in case you forget. Leak sensors can be placed in out-of-the-way locations to catch water leaks before you’d see evidence of them, saving you money in repairs and preventing water from being wasted.

The SmartThings motion sensor, for instance, can be placed anywhere in your home and programmed to turn on lights, set security alarms, adjust portable heating or AC, and other things based on your motion. Devices like this make forgetting to turn the heat down, the lights off, or the alarm on a thing of the past. Contact sensors can be placed anywhere something opens and closes to alert you if someone has accidentally left a window open or the fridge door isn’t shut.

Irrigation

Have a garden to water? Studies have found that smart irrigation systems can conserve from 30% to 50% of water used for this purpose. They do this by tailoring watering schedules to the needs of the landscaping and sensing environmental changes (an unexpected rainshower, for instance) that changes a garden’s needs, among other things.

There are a couple of types of smart irrigation systems, weather-based and soil moisture sensor systems. Weather-based controllers get hooked up to a network so they can monitor local weather conditions. Soil moisture sensors, as the name indicates, measure soil moisture content and transmit this information to a controller that determines when and for how long watering will happen.

Smart lighting systems

Smart lighting has a couple of components: the bulbs themselves and networked systems that provide automated or remote control of the lights being on or off. Start with smart lighting by replacing regular bulbs with something like Philips Hue bulbs, They’re LED, which is much more energy efficient, and offer remote control. Many of them offer temperature ranges, as well, so you can adjust the lighting environment as your needs change throughout the day. What’s more, LED bulbs are mercury-free; even efficient CFLs still contain this hazardous substance.

With a smart lighting system, you can remotely turn off the light in your kid’s room if they fell asleep without doing so, program lights to go on/off at certain times when you’re on vacation to give the appearance of being home without running them 24/7, and otherwise customize your lighting environment to provide only what you need while you need it.

Window treatments

Sometimes people forget how much of an effect passive cooling and heating via your windows can affect the indoor temperature. Smart window treatments can be hooked up to systems like Alexa and Google Home so they automatically adjust based on the time of day and your needs.

Such devices can provide energy conservation by taking some of the load off the HVAC system to maintain a steady temperature as well as helping out in other ways. For instance, if you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, smart blinds can open when your alarm goes off so the morning sun can help wake you up. Blinds adjust themselves to block out sun in the summer and let it in during the winter. You can buy custom sets or upgrade your current window treatments with a kit.

Bottom Line

These are just a few ways smart home devices can be used for energy efficiency as well as increased convenience. The environmental difference such devices provide is not negligible, and neither is the cost savings: An EPA study found that just using a smart thermostat offered anywhere from a 10 to 30% savings on energy bills. Home electricity and water conservation, when implemented on a large scale, has the potential to significantly affect the pace of climate change. Start simple with a few smart light bulbs, or jump in with a central control hub such as Alexa and outfit your home with the range of smart devices available on the market.

التعاونيات الزراعية:ضرورة استراتيجية لا أنشطة تكميلية

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

في عالم تتسارع فيه التحولات الإقتصادية والإجتماعية، لم يعد العمل الانفرادي مجدياً، ولم تعد الفعالية التنموية تُقاس بما يحققه فاعل واحد مهما كانت إمكانياته، بل أصبحت تُقاس بمدى قدرة الفاعلين على الاشتغال المشترك والتنسيق الاستراتيجي.

ومنذ عام 1995 تحتفل الأمم المتحدة باليوم العالمي للتعاونيات والذي حددته بيوم السبت الأول من شهر تموز/يوليو واعتبرته يوماً دوليا للتعاونيات إحتفالاً بإنشاء الحلف التعاوني الدولي وقد تم الإحتفال هذا العام 2025 بيوم التعاونيات العالمي تحت شعار “التعاونيات تبني عالماً أفضل”

An Arab woman holds a bundle of wheat, symbolizing harvest and agricultural abundance.

لم تعد التعاونيات الزراعية مجرد إطار تكميلي أو نشاط جانبي في ظل التحديات الإقتصادية والبيئية المتزايدة التي يواجهها القطاع الزراعي، بل أصبحت ضرورة استراتيجية  وركيزة اساسية لتحقيق الأمن الغذائي، وتمكين المزارعين، وتعزيز التنمية الريفية المستدامة والمحافظة على البيئة.

إن ضرورة التعاونيات تتجلى في تمكين صغار المزارعين بإتاحة الفرصة  لصغار المنتجين في التجمع لزيادة قوتهم التفاوضية في السوق، وخفض تكاليف الإنتاج( تمكين اقتصادي)، والحصول على مدخلات بأسعار أفضل، وتدعم تحسين التسويق والوصول إلى الأسواق من خلال التعاون( تسويق جماعي)، يمكًن للمزارعين الوصول إلى أسواق جديدة، وتحسين جودة منتجاتهم ونقل المعرفة الزراعية الحديثة إلى أعضائها من خلال برامج تدريبية جماعية( بناء القدرات والتدريب والتأهيل) ، والحصول على اعتماد وشهادات جودة يصعب تحقيقها بشكل فردي (تحقيق أمن غذائي)، بالإضافة إلى تعزيز التنمية الريفية بخلق فرص عمل، وإعادة ضخ الأرباح إلى المجتمعات المحلية، مما يساهم في الحد من الهجرة من الريف إلى المدن عدا عن تحقيق الاستدامة البيئية عبر تبني ممارسات زراعية جماعية مستدامة تساهم في حماية الموارد الطبيعية ومكافحة تغير المناخ وتطبيق ممارسات جماعية تحافظ على المياه، التربة، والتنوع الحيوي مما يساعد في المحافظة على الاستدامة البيئية،كما تساعد التعاونيات بدعم الوصول إلى التمويل المالي والدعم الفني حيث أن البنوك والجهات الداعمة تميل إلى التعامل مع كيانات جماعية منظمة، والتعاونيات توفر هذا الإطار المؤسساتي

وحسب احصائية المؤسسة التعاونية الأردنية فانه يوجد في الأردن حوالي 348 جمعية تعاونية زراعية نسبة مشاركة النساء فيها منخفضة توعا ما  أما الدعم الحكومي المقدم فهو محدود لوجود البيروقراطية والتشريعات غير السلسة وبالمؤمل أن يخدم القانون الجديد بشكل أفضل  وإنجاز أكبر.

An Arab woman driving a tractor for farming

ومن أبرز بنود  هذا القانون إنشاء “صندوق التنمية التعاوني“تحت مظلة المؤسسة التعاونية، بهدف تمويل المشاريع الصغيرة والمتوسطة، خاصة الزراعية، عبر قروض ومنح،وتأسيس “معهد التنمية التعاوني  والذي يهدف إلى نشر الفكر التعاوني، وإعداد الكوادر عبر تدريب وتأهيل لأعضاء مجالس التعاونيات ،وتعزيز الحوكمة والرقابة بتنظيم آليات تأسيس، تسجيل، مراقبة التعاونيات، وحقوق الأعضاء، وحماية مواردهم، و تبسيط تسجيل التعاونيات والاتحادات الإقليمية بتسهيل الإجراءات واعتماد المعايير الدولية بحكم مبادئ الاتحاد التعاوني .وتنظيم التمويل الخارجي بتنظيم استلام المنح والقروض الأجنبية ضمن إطار قانوني واضح في المؤسسة التعاونية ،وتمكين المرأة والشباب وذوي الإعاقة لتعزيز مشاركتهم، وتشجيع إنشاء تعاونيات في المناطق النائية ، وتمثيل متوازن في مجلس إدارة المؤسسة التعاونية يضم الحكومة والقطاع التعاوني بنصفين متساويين، مع تمثيل لا يقل عن 3 نساء ،واعتماد تعريفات دولية تبني مبادئ الوقفية الواردة في توصيات العمالة الدولية (ILO 193) وميثاق الاتحاد التعاوني الدولي .

الجديد في هذا القانون انه صنف التعاونيات ليس كنشاط ثانوي، بل كركيزة اقتصادية مؤسساتية يُدخل أدوات تمويلية (صندوق) وتعليمية (معهد) متخصصة لأول مرة ويعزز الحوار والتعاون بين الحكومة والقطاع التعاوني، خصوصاَ بحضور المتجمعين من المرأة  والشباب ، ويضبط تنظيم التمويلات والمنح بمعايير جيدة ليفتح المجال للدعم الخارجي ضمن رؤية وقوانين واضحة وناظمة  ويدعّم الانفتاح والشمول في القطاع، عبر تمكين مختلف الفئات.

ومما واجب عمله لسرعة التنفيذ  الانطلاق الى خطة عملية شاملة وواقعية تحقق المرجو من القانون وتقتطف الثمار بأسرع وقت من خلال وضع اللوائح التنفيذية للصندوق والمعهد في أسرع وقت، وتدريب كوادر المؤسسة التعاونية على مبادئ الحوكمة والتمويل، وإطلاق تجريبي لصندوق التنمية بتمويل أولي ودفع منح صغيرة لتجارب نموذجية،وإطلاق حملات توعية واسعة لشرح القانون ومزاياه للمزارعين في المحافظات، ورصد مؤشر مشاركة المرأة والشباب والمعاقين بعد 12 و24 شهراً على أقصى حد.

خلاصة القول

يمثل قانون التعاونيات الأردني الجديد لعام 2025 انطلاقة نوعية نحو قطاع تعاوني مؤسسي مؤثر، مدعوم بآليات تمويل وتدريب، مع حوكمة واضحة وشمول إذا طبّق بشكل فعّال، فإنه قد يحوّل القطاع الزراعي من نشاط تقليدي إلى قوة اقتصادية معززة للتنمية الريفية. ويجب على أصحاب القرار دعم تنفيذ هذة النقلة النوعية لما فيه خدمة للقطاع الزراعي ودعماً لتحقيق الامن الغذائي واستدامة البيئة

#دعم المزارع الأردني واجب وطني يفوق كل الواجبات لأنه الذراع الرئيسي للأمن الغذائي#

World Habitat Day: Affordable Housing for One and All

By | |
Leave a comment

World Habitat Day, observed every year on the first Monday of October, is meant to reflect on the state of our urban areas and the basic human right regarding provision of adequate shelter to all human beings. World Habitat Day (WHD) also aims to remind the planners and government officials of the collective responsibility for the habitat of future generations and a day to encourage grassroots action from civil society organizations to advocate for universal decent housing.

housing for poor

The WHD is aimed at drawing the people’s attention towards the need of poor people for an adequate housing.

Each year, World Habitat Day takes on a new theme chosen by the United Nations based on current issues relevant to the Habitat Agenda. The themes of WHD are selected to bring attention to UN-Habitat’s mandate to promote sustainable development policies that ensure adequate shelter for all. These themes often promote important subjects such as housing and social services, a safe and healthy living environment, affordable and sustainable transport and energy, promotion, protection and restoration of green urban spaces, safe and clean drinking water and sanitation, healthy air quality, employment generation, improved urban planning, slum upgrading and better waste management.

The theme for World Habitat Day 2017 is Housing Policies: Affordable Homes. The purpose of WHD is to reflect on the conditions of our cities and towns and on the basic right of all to acquire an adequate shelter. It is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

This year WHD will focus on promoting at all levels of decision making on how to implement concrete initiatives to ensure adequate and affordable housing for all socio-economic groups of people in the context of implementation of the New Urban Agenda based on Sustainable Development Goals.

An analysis of housing affordability over the last two decades reveals that despite increasing demand, owned and rental housing has been largely unaffordable for the majority of the world population mostly in developing countries. Around 1.6 billion people globally live in inadequate housing, of which 1 billion live in slums and informal settlements. While millions of people lack suitable homes. Ensuring housing availability and affordability is a complex issue of strategic importance for development, social peace and equality. Addressing the housing needs of the poorest and most vulnerable, especially women, youth and those who live in slums must be a priority in the development agendas.

The WHD is aimed at drawing the people’s attention towards the basic desire and need of poor people for an adequate and affordable housing. We need to understand that promoting sound housing policies is also crucial for climate change, resilience, mobility and energy consumption.

For housing to contribute to national socio-economic development and achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, the New Urban Agenda calls for placing housing policies at the center of national urban policies along with strategies to fight poverty, improve health and employment.

The purpose of celebrating the World Habitat Day is to pay serious attention towards the need for better shelter all over the world, to share the priority of affordable housing, to bring the positive changes in the systems including policies and attitudes, to reflect on the states and towns and pay attention on the basic human rights for adequate shelter and to increase the awareness worldwide of joint responsibility for the future generation’s shelter.

world-habitat-day

Providing and improving housing is a gigantic task and cannot be dealt only by the governmental authorities. It require involvement of all stakeholders including communities, NGOs and experienced developers to optimize urban densities and provide land zoning with efficient services and utilities that are environmental friendly and have minimum carbon footprint.

With the shortage of urban space, we need to develop in a sustainable manner to keep room for future growth and accommodate population in the coming decades. In the Middle East, the concerned authorities are giving due attention to the subject of planning and providing decent housing to citizens and to avoid any social, health and environmental problems.

Let us whole-heartedly support and celebrate the World Habitat Day and organize any activity or event in our own community including an awareness campaign, a fun activity, area cleanliness and get together in parks and public spaces.

How Vacuum Technology is Used to Make Lithium-ion Batteries

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

You’ve got one in your pocket right now. Indeed, lithium-ion batteries are found in small portable electronics such as smartphones and laptops, in addition to being the heart of electric automobiles and vehicles. They are also used extensively in spatial and aeronautical applications. But what exactly are lithium batteries, and why are they so hotly debated today? What role does vacuum technology play with lithium batteries?

Vacuum Technology is Used to Create Lithium-ion Batteries

What exactly are lithium batteries, and why are they so important today?

Modern lithium-ion batteries have lately become the focus of today’s key conversations and debates, owing to their popularity as the preferred technology for electric vehicles. Unlike other types of batteries, lithium-ion batteries have a far higher energy density and a slower discharge rate, allowing them to hold a charge for much longer. Along with e-vehicles, they can also be found in small portable electronics like smartphones and laptops, as well as in telecommunications and aerospace applications.

The mechanisms at work

As a revolutionary and cutting-edge battery technology, lithium-ion batteries use lithium ions as the main components in the battery’s operation and electrochemistry.

Lithium-based energy storage systems are constantly being optimized. They are intended to push e-mobility to the next level by lowering production costs and increasing mileage. The transition to electric vehicles is, in actuality, the most recent and remarkable evolution in today’s highly competitive market. They have already been identified as the future of transportation and are expected to overtake the automobile industry over the next decade.

E-mobility is the road to the future

Climate change, fossil fuel use, and ecological sustainability all seem to have a close solution in the new technological innovations of e-mobility.

The European Union has requested countries to stop producing gas-powered automobiles to defend a key pillar of the EU’s plans to lower net global warming emissions by 55% by 2030. As a consequence, today major automakers have begun to develop their own electric vehicles — we are all familiar with the automobile industry’s pioneer, Tesla — and their car technology is rapidly progressing. Vacuum technology has been critical in this industry and continues to be the driving force behind those advancements.

Vacuum technology and electric mobility

In the mobility industry, vacuum technology has a lengthy history. It started as an industry-wide innovation roughly 60 years ago and has been used to help the production of automotive batteries for decades.

Such a pillar will be used for many years to come. Vacuum technology is still having a vital function in the most recent e-mobility advancements with lithium-ion batteries.

Vacuum Technology is providing energy to electric vehicles!

Vacuum is already being used in a variety of functional stages and processes related to electric mobility. The very first step starts with a vacuum: the electrolyte-filling stage of a lithium-ion battery, for example, is fundamental to ensure that the cell is evenly saturated with the electrolyte.

Let’s examine the stages where vacuum is paramount to creating the precious energy storing device.

Vacuum technology in more than half of the lithium battery manufacture process!

Agilent vacuum specialists have long supported lithium-ion battery manufacturing with specific equipment and technological research for production and quality control. They now have an essential role with their vacuum technology accounting for more than half of the stages in battery production.

The excellence of the production line has a significant impact on battery performance, longevity, and general performance. Agilent technologies and expertise constantly work to optimize resource usage and minimize process time while maintaining product quality.

The lithium ion batteries manufacturing process

Starting with raw materials, the process is divided into three major stages that result in the desired, finished lithium ion battery.  The three main phases are electrode manufacturing, cell assembly and cell finishing.

lithium-ion batteries manufacturing technology

Each of these phases is made up of four subphases. More than half of the entire process is carried out in vacuum conditions or with the assistance of vacuum and leak detection technologies.

Electrode manufacturing process

Base material mixing

The materials are blended together in the first stage. Under vacuum, active material, binder, and conductive agents are mixed to achieve the desired homogeneity, viscosity, and purity.

Vacuum  helps to remove air bubbles, which improves battery electrical performance and charging capacity.

Vacuum drying

Drying the laminated lithium-ion electrodes under a vacuum ensures that there is no remaining moisture. The precise and careful drying process is designed to avoid damaging electrode microstructure.

Cell assembly

Electrode degassing

The laminated and post-dried electrode surface has air pockets that must be eliminated via vacuum treatment. Impurities, residual gas pockets, and oil residues affect electrical performance, therefore dry, hydrocarbon-free vacuum pumps are necessary for electrode surface degassing to achieve optimal results.

Explore Agilent’s scroll pumps and their powerful, yet delicate vacuum technology.

Cell finishing

Battery electrolyte filling

Filling takes place under a vacuum to provide a uniform distribution of the electrolytes within the cell, ensure electrode wetting, and avoid inefficiencies caused by trapped gas bubbles. Vacuum pumps for this procedure must be able to withstand electrolyte residuals. This process done under vacuum increases battery efficiency and longevity.

Battery housing

Battery housing is crucial in e-cars for several reasons, including robustness in case of crash, chassis integration, and a lightweight form factor. Housings serve as battery protection and must be refrigerated, corrosion-resistant, and electromagnetically protected. Helium leak detectors are utilized here to ensure that the aluminum die-cast battery casing is sealed and watertight.

Battery testing

To suit the changing needs of vehicle manufacturers, technological advancements have led to the production of many types of batteries. Li-ion battery cells can have a soft cover in the shape of a pouch cell or a hardcover in the shape of a cylindrical or square. The leak tightness of both the battery module and the final battery assembly is crucial for ensuring high-quality standards in longevity, performance, and secure operation of the battery. Agilent leak detectors and dry pumps provide cutting-edge performance in detecting potentially dangerous leaks during the battery production process.

Examine the most modern Agilent helium leak testing equipment.

ادارة النفايات في الشرق الاوسط – التحديات الرئيسية

By | | , ,
1 Comment

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” .

waste dump in middle east

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 المستدامة. وتتصف  مشاركة العامة في المبادرات المجتمعية لأدارة النفايات بالخمول وذلك بسبب تدني مستوى الوعي البيئي و التعليم العام. للأسف ليس لدى أي من بلدان المنطقة الية فعالة  لفصل النفايات من المصدر.

تعاني ادارة النفايات الصلبة في الشرق الأوسط  من قصور التشريعات و سوء التخطيط. ولا يتوفر في الكثير من الدول  تشريعات للتعامل مع موضوع النفايات, اضافة الى عدم كفاية التمويل, وغياب خطط أدارة النفايات, و  ضعف التنسيق  بين الجهات ذات العلاقة, وعدم توفر القوى البشرية المؤهلة, فضلا عن  ضعف القرارات الفنية والادارية , مما يؤدي بمجمله الى عدم قدرة تلك الدول على تنفيذ استراتيجية متكاملة لادارة النفايات في المنطقة. تسند صلاحيات ادارة النفايات في العديد من البلدان الى الشركات التابعة للحكومة و البلديات و هذا بدوره يؤدي الى عدم تشجيع مشاركة القطاع الخاص والرياديين في هذا القطاع.

على الرغم من تشديد  الأسلام على جوانب  تقليل النفايات, الا انه ولسوء الحظ فان  معدلات توليد النفايات للفرد في البلدان العربية هي من الاعلى في العالم.  بسبب عدم توفر المرافق المناسبة لتجميع النفايات والتخلص منها,فأنه من الشائع في المنطقة أن ترى النفايات ملقاة عشوائيا في الاماكن المفتوحة  والصحارى و المسطحات المائية. علاوة على ذلك فان قلة الوعي وتقاعس الناس عن تقليل نفاياتهم وفصلها عند المصدر وادارتها باسلوب صحيح يشكل  قضية حرجة أخرى

plastic problem in middle east

يحتاج النظام المستدام لادارة النفايات  الى  مشاركة واسعة من العامة, و تشريعات فعالة, و تمويل كافي, اضافة الى ا ممارسات وتكنولوجيا حديثة  لادارة النفايات. يأمل الأقليم في تحسين سيناريوهات ادارة النفايات عن طريق فصل النفايات في المصدر, و تشجيع مشاركة القطاع الخاص, وتطبيق أنظمة اعادة التدوير و توليد الطاقة من النفايات, وتطوير منظومة تشريعية و مؤسسية قوية ومؤثرة.

بصيص الأمل

في السنوات الاخيرة, قام عدد من البلدان مثل قطر و دولة الامارات العربية المتحدة, بانشاء مشاريع طموحة لادارة النفايات الصلبة, الا ان فعاليتها لم تؤكد بعد. و بشكل عام, تخطو دول المنطقة خطوات بطيئة ولكن ثابتة نحو التصدي لتحديات ادارة النفايات وذلك من خلال الاستثمارات الكبيرة في مثل هذه المشاريع, و ايجاد تكنولوجيا جديدة و رفع مستوى الوعي العام. غير ان سرعة التقدم والانجاز غير متوافقة مع معدل زيادة توليد النفايات في المنطقة. ان الادارة المستدامة للنفايات تعد تحديا كبيرا لصانعي السياسات, و المخططين الحضريين و غيرهم من الجهات ذات العلاقة, و هناك حاجة الى خطوات فورية لمعالجة جبال النفايات المتراكمة في مدن منطقة الشرق الأوسط.

 ترجمة:

لمى ماهر غرايبه-طالبة بكالوريس في العمارة (جامعة العلوم و التكنولجيا الأردنية)-مهتمة في مجالات العمارة الخضراء و الطاقة المتجددة.

Why Electric Vehicles Are the Future of the Automotive Industry

By | | , ,
1 Comment

Electric vehicles have come a long way since their invention in the 1830s. What was once a novelty for the Chicago World’s Fair is now a common sight on major highways. With Tesla now modernizing the industry, EVs are more attainable than ever in the world’s market.

Still, high price tags and a lack of charging stations at pit stops keep many car users from making the switch. Of the over 280 million cars in the U.S, only 2 million are fully electric or hybrid vehicles. So why are so many predictions pointing to EVs in the automotive industry?

Electric Vehicles Pros and Cons

In this article, we will explore why EVs are instrumental to the future of the industry and the pros and cons of EV ownership.

Electric Vehicles Pros and Cons

Most conversations on EV ownership start with gas prices and end with charging stations. Yet many fail to explore the true impact of EVs and how initial setbacks to the industry are only temporary issues. A family of EV charging stations already exists at many gas stations along major roads.

With over 200 miles at full charge and portable charging plugs available, the initial fears of EV ownership are quickly rectifying themselves. Still, the benefits of an EV will vary based on location, average mileage, safety features and the make of the car.

Below are the pros, cons, and misconceptions of EV ownership.

Pros

Skipping prices at the pump is the most popular pro for purchasing an electric vehicle. With gas prices always fluctuating, the initial cost of an EV is said to pay itself with the money you save from avoiding gas stations.

The second greatest pro rests in the eco-friendly nature of most EVs. Even hybrids that run on electricity and gas production have more environmentally friendly emissions than a normal gas-powered car. As the world shifts to a more environment-friendly manufacturing perspective, EVs are the natural evolution.

Though many worry about the charging capabilities of cars, a full charge from home can last over 200 miles. This is perfect for community use and short road trips. Utilizing mobile and turbo-charged charging stations can take you even further, with quick charges available in 30 minutes.

Some may worry about the cost of charging your EV at home through an at-home charger or chagrin station. Though a full charge from a depleted battery will take 48 hours to fill, it will only cost you 6$, or a little over ¢10 every kilowatt-hour.

So long as time isn’t a restraint for your commute, the at-home full charge is efficient and cost-effective.

Cons

Tesla is the current king of electric vehicles, servicing high-quality EVs at even higher prices. This makes it hard for other automotive manufacturers to break into the EV world, even if their vehicle can rival a tesla. Though Toyota has earned the #2 spot for EV production and sales, its product output fails to match Tesla.

Like Apple products dominated the early 2000-2010 markets, Tesla’s status as king of EVs creates elitism at a cost. Without true competitors, Tesla can continue to charge an arm and a leg and keep the market inaccessible for the average American.

Additionally, EVs aren’t currently compatible with rural or long-drive use. A fully electric vehicle isn’t feasible for driver-focused commuters in less populated areas if the area does not support local charging stations. Hybrid vehicles can overcome this issue, but overreliance on gas eliminates the benefit of your electric vehicle.

electric car

Looking to the Future

Though their numbers are limited in the current market, the potential behind electric vehicles is extensive. Sources suggest within the next ten years; the EV market will jump from 2 million to over 18 million. Though the growth may not rival the current output of gas-powered vehicles, the steady growth hints at a more EV-friendly world.

With major obstacles such as cost and lack of public charging stations taken care of, the electric vehicle market will finally reach more average American consumers. A surge in hybrid and fully electric vehicles will reduce reliance on fossil fuels, improve air pollution, and lower the average cost of living. Less money on gas can open wallets to invest in new experiences and opportunities in your new electric vehicles.

It may take a few years for the EV to become a true automotive rival. Still, with growing interest, investments, sales, and visibility, the electric vehicle will soon become a common sight during your next road trip.

Also Read: From Vision to Reality – Jordan’s EV Surge and the Road to Sustainability

The Remarkable Dragon Spine Pump

By | | ,
Leave a comment

A Dragon Spine  (water ladder or in Thai rahad) is a low lift pump with sprockets that move a chain of paddles through a slanted trough. Water is lifted as the paddles push the water up the trough. Often sized for one person turning the wheel with push pull handles, but at times up to eight for rotary drives. The pump’s name comes from its resemblance to a dragon’s spine.

dragon spine pump

The Dragon Spine pump has been used for millennia for irrigation and drainage and is still used by farmers in Southeast Asia. The Dragon Spine pump may have been first made during the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220). Others suggest it was designed or improved by Ma Jun, an inventor and engineer who lived during the Three Kingdoms period (220-280). In any case the Dragon Spine pump has played a significant role in agriculture.

The body of the water lift is a large wooden trough, rectangular or curved, that can hold water and has sprockets on axles at both ends. The chain of paddles fits to the sides of the trough. The foot of the trough is placed in water and then the foot steps or hand bars rotate the drive sprocket. As the chain of paddles rotates water is lifted.

dragon spine pump

On larger Chinese Dragon Spine pumps the upper sprocket is normally driven by a long horizontal shaft which is pedaled by from two to eight people working together. The foot pads are spaced on the drive shaft so that one or more of the operators is applying full foot pressure at any moment, smoothing out the torque and keeping the chain of paddles tensioned and running smoothly. Pumps with three workers are often used for this reason.

dragon spine pump

They can move quite a bit of water. About 1900 F. H. King found that two men standing on crankshaft foot pads could raise water 1 meter (3 feet) at a rate of 2.5 acre inches in 10 hours. This is about 13,000 liters (13 cubic meters) per man in ten hours or 1,300 liters (340 gallons) per person hour. Women as well as men operated the Dragon Spine pumps. The one person pumps use handles to a linkage that convert push pull to turn the drive sprocket (like a steam locomotives piston to drive wheel). Demonstrated in the video https://www.instagram.com/reel/DIsh-B4N9A_/?hl=en.

The Dragon Spine pumps could also be driven by an animal turning a vertical shaft with a horizontal drive from a gear box (like the Persian wheel pump). The Chinese commonly sheltered the draft animal and often the worker with a roof for comfort and long term health and steady work.

dragon spine water pump drive

In 1986 the FAO included design details for commercial models from the Chengqiao Water Lift and Agricultural Tool Plant, Hangjiang Commune, Putian County. The Dragon Spine pump for 2 men with a 3 m long trough had paddles that were  0.25 m tall  x 0.20 m wide and cost of 106 Yuan. A pump for 4 men with a 5.3 meter long trough had similar paddle size and cost 165 Yuan.

Advantages

The Dragon Spine pump is still a useful tool. They can be built and repaired easily at a very low cost. All, or almost all, of the components can be built with local resources. Wood planks traditionally were sawed by hand. The fast growing and strong Paulownia wood was often used. The light weight of the pump made it possible for a woman to move the pump from field to field and then back to the farm and into shelter for the winter.

Disadvantages

The efficiency is constrained by the fit of the paddles in the trough, but there was not much backsplash. These pumps can lift water only a few meters at most. For higher lift as many as eight men might be needed to turn the long chain of paddles.

التأثيرات البيئية لتحلية مياه البحر

By | | , ,
Leave a comment

تعتبر عملية التحلية عملية لإزالة الأملاح والمعادن من مياه البحر وتحويلها الى مصدر صالح للشرب. وهذه العملية مفيدة جداً في بعض المناطق التي تشهد طلباً متزايداً على المياه لندرتها والجفاف وازدياد عدد السكان وكذلك زيادة استهلاك المياه. ولأن المحيطات تغطي معظم سطح الأرض فإن توفر مياه البحر يعتبر حلاً مستداماً وطويل الأمد لواحدة من المشاكل التي لن تتلاشى بالوقت القريب.

تم إنشاء 18 ألف محطة تحلية حول العالم بحلول عام 2015، وهذه المحطات تنتج 22870 مليون جالون من المياه العذبة يومياً، ويعتقد الخبراء المائيين أن تحلية المياه – بجانب التكنولوجيا المستقبلية – ستشكل مفتاحاً لبناء مجتمعات مقاومة للجفاف في العالم أجمع.

desalination plant in middle east

ومع أن توفير مصادر مياه نظيفة كان ولا يزال مصدر قلق كبير في جميع أنحاء العالم، إلا أن عملية تحلية المياه تنطوي على مخاطر بيئية متعددة، ويعتمد دور التحلية في الاستدامة على كيفية مواجهة هذه المخاطر ومعالجتها والتأقلم معها. نذكر فيما يلي عداً لا حصراً بعض من هذه المخاطر:

إنتاج المحلول الملحي

أثناء عملية تحلية المياه، يتحول نصف المياه المجمعة إلى مياه عذبة أما النصف الاخر فإنه يتحول إلى محلول ملحي عالي التركيز، وهذا المحلول يحتوي على خليط من العديد من المواد الكيمائية السامة. وتشير الدراسات بأن محطات التحلية تنتج 141.5 مليون متر مكعب من هذا المحلول الملحي يومياً مقارنة ب 95 مليون متر مكعب من المياه العذبة، ولنتخلص من هذا المحلول الملحي فإن الكلفة ستكون عالية وإذا تمت إعادته للمحيط سيكون مضراً ومميتاً للحياة البحرية.

وبالرغم من ذلك إلا أن هذا الخطر والانتكاسة ممكن أن تؤدي إلى خلق فرص اقتصادية جديدة، حيث تعد المخلفات الملحية مصدراُ للثروات المعدنية وبعض العناصر ذات القيمة الثمينة: كالملح واليورانيوم، وبالإمكان إعادة بيع اليورانيوم لخفض تكاليف التشغيل الاجمالية، كما يمكن توفر الملح تجارياً كعامل لإذابة الجليد. يعتقد الخبراء أن هذه المنافع المادية بإمكانها أن تشكل حافزاً لمحطات توليد الطاقة والتوجه إلى استخراجها.

يمكن أيضًا تقليل كمية المحلول الملحي المُنتَج من خلال عمليات تحلية أكثر كفاءة؛ مثل تقنية الأغشية الحديثة، والمتعارف عليها باسم التناضح العكسي وهذه التقنية تتميز بأنها أقل كلفة وتحتاج طاقة أقل وكذلك فإنهاتُنتج محلولًا ملحيًا أقل. وستعتمد ممارسات تحلية المياه المستدامة على التحول من الطرق القديمة مثل التحلية الحرارية التي تقوم بسحب وجر مياه البحر وتسخنها لتصل إلى درجة البخار، ثم تدفع المحلول الملحي المتبقي إلى البحر.

التأثير على الحياة البحرية

من التحديات والمخاوف الأخرى في عمليات تحلية المياه هي الاصطدام و/أو الانحراف أثناء عملية السحب والجر، حيث إنه قد تُسحب بعض الكائنات البحرية كالأسماك وسرطان البحر اثناء سحب مياه المحيط فتصطدم هذه الكائنات وتموت عند حاجز السحب وهذا يسمى علمياً بالاصطدام خلال المعالجة، وقد تسحب أيضاُ كائنات أصغر حجماً مثل بيض الأسماك والعوالق.

وللحد من هذا الخطر فإنه بالإمكان التحول من عملية السحب السطحية إلى واحدة “تحت سطحية” أعمق، وهذا يعني سحب المياه من قاع المحيطات بدلاً من الأعلى، لأن الرمل سوف يعمل كمرشح طبيعي لحماية البيئة البحرية، ويقلل من الحاجة إلى المواد الكيميائية واستهلاك الطاقة أيضاً أثناء المعالجة وبالتالي يخفض التكلفة بشكل كبير وملحوظ.

إن عملية السحب من الباطن الأرضي تحت المياه ليست هي الحل الوحيد لنحمي الحياة البحرية، بل وجد الخبراء طرقاً أٌخرى لتحسين فتحات الشباك الساحبة لتحتوي على ثقوب أدق وأصغر مساحة لتقليل أو منع الكائنات الحية الدقيقة من دخول هذه الشباك، وهنالك خيار أخر يتمثل في خفض سرعة هذه الشباك حيث إن سرعة الاصطدام تزداد وتكون عالية جداً عندما تزداد سرعة الشباك للدرجة التي تمنع السرطانات والأسماك من الابتعاد خلال عملية السحب، وقد قامت وكالة حماية البيئة PEA بتحديد السرعة لأقل أو مساوية 0.5 قدم/الثانية لتعالج وتحل مشكلة التأثير على البيئة البحرية بفعالية أكبر.

seawater desalination brine accumulation

استهلاك الطاقة

يعتبر استهلاك الطاقة من أهم مصادر القلق بجميع القطاعات حول العالم، وعملية التحلية ليست مستثناة من هذا القلق، حيث إن محطات التحلية تستهلك أكثر من 200 مليون كيلوواط/ساعة من الطاقة يومياً على مستوى العالم. وتشكل تكلفة الطاقة ما يقارب 55% من تكلفة التشغيل لهذه المحطات مما يجعلها أكثر عرضة لارتفاع الأسعار في المقابل. تستهلك محطة معالجة المياه التقليدية أقل من 1 كيلوواط/ساعة لكل متر مكعب.

ويذكر بأنه 85% من الدعم الأمريكي مخصص لزيادة الاستثمار الفيدرالي بإعادة البنية التحتية للمياه وهذا يشير الى أن كيفية الحصول على المياه للمستهلك تعتبر بالغة الأهمية.

تشهد محطات تحلية المياه التي تعتمد عملية التناضح العكسي – التي تُنتج أيضًا  كمية أقل من المحلول الملحي – انخفاضًا  كبيرا في استهلاك الطاقة حتى أنها تصل إلى ما بين 3 و10 كيلوواط/ساعة لكل متر مكعب.  إلا أن الباحثين ما زالوا يبحثون عنوسائل أقل تكلفة وأكثر رفقاً بالبيئة لمعالجة المياه. ومن بين الوسائل التناضح الأمامي، الذي يستخدم محلولًا من الملح والغازات لخلق فرق بالضغط. ويقول الخبراء إن هذه الوسيلة بإمكانها أن تطيل عمل أغشية التناضح العكسي وتقلل الحاجة إلى مواد التطهير أثناء المعالجة. وكذلك فإنه يتم تدارس استخدام الطاقة الشمسية كحل لمشكلة استهلاك الطاقة وهنا يستخدم العلماء هذا الحل المستدام كوسيلة لتحسين عملية التحلية، راجيين الوصول لنتيجة أكثر كفاءة لمعالجة مياه البحر وهذه الطريقة تتطلب رأسمال أقل للبدء بالتشغيل والتكامل النهائي.

الخُلاصـــــة

ربما يكون لعملية التحلية عيوباً، كإنتاج المحلول الملحي واستهلاك الطاقة وانتاج النفايات، وتعد هذه العيوب من اهم وأبرز اهتمامات الخبراء، إذ أنهم يحاولون الوصول لطرق فعالة لحل اهم وأكثر مشاكل العالم الحاحاً، الا وهي الحصول على مياه شرب نظيفة. ولحسن الحظ، فإنه يجري حالياً تطوير ودمج العديد من الحلول المبتكرة والجديدة، مثل استخدام أنظمة الترشيح والسحب المطورة، بالإضافة الى استخدام الطاقة الشمسية أيضاً للحد من تأثير عملية تحلية المياه.

ترجمة: ماجدة هلسه

أردنية متعددة الإهتمامات، لديها من الخبرة ما يقارب السبعة وعشرون عاماً في مجال المالية والإدارة في المؤسسات المحلية والدولية، وتعمل ماجدة حالياً مع التعاون الدولي الالماني كموظفة مالية. ومع ذلك كله وعلى الصعيد التطوعي، فإن لديها شغفاً كبيراً بالترجمة في كافة المواضيع والمجالات، وقد بُني هذا الشغف بالخبرة الشخصية والعملية على مدى هذه السنين.

Note: The original English version of the article is available at this link.

Why We Need to Use Technology to Fight Climate Change

By | | , ,
2 Comments

Climate change is a colossal challenge, and it can seem like individual actions won’t be enough to tackle it, or that we don’t have the resources necessary. But neither of those are true. There are many individual actions we can all take that will help change the course of climate change. Many technologies available at both consumer and industrial levels can play a role, from simple things like switching to LED lights to complex processes such as building wind farms for renewable energy.

With so many people consuming our valuable resources, science says humans are a main cause of climate change. Rapid changes in climate due to human activity have been seen since the industrial revolution. There are other contributors to climate change, such as deforestation and land use practices, but our technological development is unquestionably a major contributor as well.

With so many people consuming our valuable resources, science says humans are a main cause of climate change. Rapid changes in climate due to human activity have been seen since the industrial revolution. There are other contributors to climate change, such as deforestation and land use practices, but our technological development is unquestionably a major contributor as well. Exploring innovative solutions like direct air capture becomes crucial in mitigating the impact of human activities on the climate and working towards a more sustainable future.”

Given that our technologies are not going anywhere, the best thing we can do with them is harness the full extent of their possibilities to mitigate the harm to the planet we have already created. And, at our current point, we need to use everything available to us in the fight against climate change; we’re running out of time.

Let’s look at some of the ways technology can help us fight climate change.

1. Carbon reduction

One of the most promising technologies right now is negative emission tech. It aims to remove carbon from the atmosphere to offset the carbon going into the atmosphere. Of course, there are many ways to reduce how much carbon we put into the atmosphere, like reforestation and changing land-use practices, but those take time, and we don’t have a lot.

Carbon capture technology can help us reach a net-zero state by 2050 (or ideally, by 2030) if it is deployed soon. Currently, in pilot stages are machines that remove carbon from the air and store it underground, and other technologies are in the works.

2. Smart home tech

Remember when we said there were individual actions to take? One of the most promising is to use smart home tech, such as thermostats, lighting systems, utility meters, and leak detectors, to improve the energy efficiency of our homes.

Eventually, these local systems can be hooked up to smart city systems for more effective energy deployment, waste management tracking, and traffic management, among other possibilities. As the capabilities of the Internet of Things develops, both smart home tech and city-wide smart systems will become effective tools in tackling climate change.

3. Information and communication

As climate change progresses, severe weather events are becoming more and more common, and these events are costly and life-changing for many. The better we can do in predicting and managing severe weather, the more our recovery efforts will succeed. This kind of tech, for the most part, doesn’t do anything to change the direction of climate change, but it does help humans deal with the consequences.

Some examples of this tech are satellite systems using solar power and early warning systems via mobile networks. Information and communication technology is also being used to track environmental changes, such as temperature and sea level, to mitigate adverse effects on people and animals.

4. Machine learning and AI

AI is on the leading edge of our technological development and holds great promise for scientists working to better understand and address climate change and its effects. A recent research paper from professionals at Cornell University discusses ten ways AI can help in the fight against climate change. Those include creating low-carbon materials, making transportation more efficient, creating more tools to support individual changes to reduce carbon footprint, and designing more efficient electrical systems.

For researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, building these capabilities is increasingly accessible – consider a machine learning course that takes learners from no-code introductions to hands-on Python and scikit-learn projects, including time-series forecasting, geospatial analysis, and MLOps for deploying models that support climate forecasting, energy efficiency, and environmental monitoring.

Artificial Intelligence can provide invaluable assistance in environment protection and resource conservation

One of AI’s other significant contributions is that it helps climate scientists build better prediction models so they can learn more about precisely how our actions are affecting the planet and what changes will be most effective. If you want to know about the benefits of green AI, click here.

5. Energy production

Greenhouse gases are, of course, produced in large part from our reliance on fossil fuels, which means a paradigm shift in energy production and use is in order if we’re to effectively address climate change. Wind farm tech is already taking hold, but there’s still much to be explored with solar power and how to efficiently store the energy generated from solar panels. Another promising line of investigation is nuclear power, which can produce carbon-free energy. We’re not there yet, but there are companies exploring how to do this safely, such as General Fusion in Canada.

Another type of tech in the works for energy production is the smart grid, which would be able to route energy efficiently and integrate renewable energy systems on a larger scale.

Bottom Line

Climate change is a big problem, but there’s hope on the horizon in the form of new and emerging tech. Although different organizations predict different critical deadlines (2030 and 2050 being the two currently discussed), some are pushing for more aggressive action that uses available technology to its fullest extent. The Environmental Defense Fund, for instance, is calling for a 45% reduction in oil and gas methane emissions by 2025, which they claim is possible due to increased digitization in the industry. Technology, when harnessed, is one of the most powerful tools we have to successfully contend with the crisis we’re facing.

Waste-to-Energy Outlook for Jordan

By | |
4 Comments

A “waste crisis” is looming in Jordan with more than 2 million tons of municipal waste and 18,000 tons of industrial wastes being generated each year at an annual growth rate of 3 percent. Alarmingly, less than 5 per cent of solid waste is currently recycled in Jordan. These statistics call for a national master plan in order to reduce, manage and control waste management in the country. The main points to be considered are decentralized waste management, recycling strategy and use of modern waste management technologies. Currently there is no specific legal framework or national strategy for solid waste management in Jordan which is seriously hampering efforts to resolve waste management situation.

Waste can be converted into energy by conventional technologies (such as incineration, mass-burn, anaerobic digestion and landfill gas capture). Municipal solid waste can also be efficiently converted into energy and fuels by advanced thermal technologies, such as gasification and pyrolysis. Landfill gas capture projects represent an attractive opportunity for Jordan as huge landfills/dumpsites are present in all cities and towns.

A 1 MW pilot demonstration project using municipal solid waste (MSW) through landfill and biogas technology systems was constructed and commissioned in 2001.  The project was expanded in 2008 to about 4 MW.  Jordan plans to introduce about 40-50 MW waste energy power projects by 2020. However, biomass energy projects offer a low potential in Jordan because of the severe constraints on vegetation growth imposed by the arid climate. It has been estimated that animal and solid wastes in Jordan represent an energy potential of about 105 toe annually, but municipal solid waste represents a major fraction with a gross annual production rate of more than 2 million tons.

More than 80% of actual total manure generation is concentrated in 4 northern Governorates Al Zarqa, Amman, Al-Mafraq and Irbid. More than 80% of cattle manure is being produced in three northern Governorates Al-Zarqa, Al-Mafraq and Irbid. More than 80% of poultry manure production is located in 5 northern Governorates Amman, Irbid, Al-Zarqa, Al-Mafraq and Al-Karak. An exception is sheep manure. More than 90% of sheep manure is available in three Governorates Aqaba (40%), Al-Mafraq (25%) and Al-Zarqa (25%).

Conclusion

In Jordan, waste-to-energy can be applied at small-scale for heating/cooking purposes, or it can be used at a large-scale for power generation and industrial heating. Waste-to-energy can thus be adapted rural as well as or urban environments in the country, and utilized in domestic, commercial or industrial applications.

6 Ways You Can Sleep Quicker and Better Every Night

By | | ,
1 Comment

Sleeping is one of the great pleasures that life gives us and, in addition, it is a vital physiological process to maintain good health. If you have trouble falling asleep, do not miss these tips that will help you sleep better every night. What can you do to sleep better?

Doing physical exercise regularly, avoiding stressful situations, or using a warmer to sleep better are some of the guidelines that will help you get a quality sleep every night.

According to recent research, millions of people around the world suffer from the effects of insomnia, an alteration that, according to experts, could become a global health problem if the appropriate measures are not taken.

good-sleep

Surround yourself with things that make you smile and improve your comfort and guarantee a pleasant sleep with the perfect comforter for you.

If you find it difficult to sleep every night, follow these simple tips and you will be able to fall asleep and rest as your body deserves:

1. Practice physical exercise

Physical exercise is one of the fundamental keys to maintaining good health, but it is also key to sleeping better. And it is that staying physically active throughout the day and doing activities in a moderate way, can help you sleep better and fall asleep faster each night.

In addition, it has been shown that people who walk, swim, jog, or ride a bike on a daily basis wake up less frequently each night.

2. Use the bed only to sleep

Bed is the place we should only go at night, so the rest of the activities you do during the day should be outside of the bed. Watching television, reading a novel, or surfing the Internet are activities that should be done in another part of the house if you want to sleep better at the end of the day. This is part of having good sleep hygiene, a core come of good health.

3. Get yourself a good rest area

The place where you go to sleep every night should become an area that exudes tranquility and relaxation in all its corners, and has a natural feel about it. When you go to bed each night, it is best that the room is completely dark, that it is not too cold or too hot, and that there are no noises that could disturb your sleep.

Make sure that your bedroom is always well organized, and that it does not have too many objects around the bed. Also, it is recommended not to have a television in the sleeping room.

An important factor to improve the quality of your rest is to get a comforter or a quilt, but it will be good to know their differences before choosing the ideal one for you.

4. Limit caffeine intake

Coffee, soft drinks that contain caffeine or tea are the great enemies of sleep. Therefore, if you like these drinks a lot, it is preferable that you drink them during the day and that you avoid them from the afternoon. In this way, you will be able to overcome another of the obstacles that prevent you from sleeping well every night.

used coffee grounds

5. Naps should be short

If you are one of those who cannot do without taking a nap every day, you don’t have to give it up if you have insomnia. The only thing you should try is that this dream is as short as possible. A nap of about 20 minutes each day will do you very well and will not prevent you from falling asleep at night.

6. Avoid sleeping pills

Sleeping pills can be of great help at first, however, after time passes, the body will get used to these types of drugs and you will not be able to fall asleep naturally. For this reason, experts recommend doing without sleeping pills or using them only for very short periods of time.

We suggest a comfortable and functional environment. The inevitable computer, which has become the main tool of every young man, a study area, together with another where he can feel comfortable playing a musical instrument.

How to Reset Your Sleeping Habits

If it turns out that you go to bed at night and don’t fall asleep, but instead think about anything from your homework, to walking the dog the next morning, you may need to “reset” your sleeping habits. Try the following:

1. Get any stressful thoughts out of your mind

Imagine a relaxing scene that involves sleep and build that scene in your mind. For example, suppose in the scene you are lying in a hammock, on the beach, and under the stars. Imagine the sound of the waves. Do you hear other sounds, like the breeze through the palm leaves? What sensations do you have (like the slight sway of the hammock or a warm and gentle breeze)? Is there someone else with you? Concentrate fully on this scene for a bit.

sleep-improvement-guide

2. Try waking up for a short time

Get out of bed and do something relaxing that might make you sleepy, like reading something boring or playing a repetitive game, like Sudoku. Keep the light dim and go back to bed in about 30 minutes (or sooner if you start to feel sleepy).

3. Avoid technology such as phones and television

Bright screens can confuse your brain into thinking it’s time to get up. And anything that stimulates your brain – from a text conversation on your mobile to a video game – can also activate your body into the awake mode.

Getting up for a short time can be helpful if you have trouble falling asleep from time to time or if you ever wake up and can’t go back to sleep. But you are not interested in getting up every night. If you’re having trouble falling asleep, it’s best to train your body to slow down and relax with a pre-bedtime routine that you should apply every night. Doctors call this process “good sleep hygiene.”

Good sleep hygiene includes activities that signal the body that it is time to sleep, such as going to bed at the same time each night, unplugging all technology equipment, and keeping the room dark. It also includes avoiding caffeine or other stimulants for several hours before going to sleep.

It can help you to approach your dream like any other goal: make a plan that helps you focus on that goal and get the results you want!