DSpace Collection: Thesis - Environmental Engineering

ASSESSMENT OF TANNERY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 11:58:29 GMT

Title: ASSESSMENT OF TANNERY SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT AND CHARACTERIZATION

Authors: Zulfikar, Abajihad

Abstract: Tanning industry generates large quantities of solid wastes during leather manufacturing process and subsequently during effluent treatment. From this point of view, in this study assessment on solid waste management practices and physicochemical characterization of the solid wastes generated from tannery were made at Ethio-Leather Industry Private Limited Company (ELICO) so that to propose appropriate tannery solid waste management options. The assessment made showed that the types of tannery solid wastes are de-dusted salt, raw skin trimmings, hair, fleshings, splitting waste, pickle trimmings, chrome shaving, crust trimmings, finished leather trimmings and sludge. Determination of the solid waste generation rates using material balance analysis techniques shows that in processing 7,251 ton of cattle hide and sheep skins annually, the tannery generates a total of 4048.96 tonne of solid waste from beamhouse, tanning, re-tanning, finishing processes and effluent treatment plant. It was found that 859kg of solid waste is generated during processing one tonne of wet salted hide. Similarly, 262kg of solid waste is generated during processing the same amount of sheep skins. It was observed that beamhouse operations have more than 60% contributions in generating the solid wastes. The solid wastes were characterized for pH, moisture content, volatile organic compound, ash content, calorific value, carbon content, total nitrogen content, carbon to nitrogen ratio, chromium content, sodium content and calcium content using standard solid waste analysis methods and the experimental result reveals that more than 90% of the solid wastes are organic. In order to propose solid waste management options for tannery solid waste, solid waste management strategies (source reduction, recycling and composting, waste transformation/waste to energy and landfilling) were reviewed and two basic thermo-chemical waste to energy technological options (incineration and pyrolysis/gasification), biochemical conversion process (Anaerobic digestion/biomethanation) and composting were found to be viable to manage tannery solid waste and proposed based on the physico-chemical characteristics of the solid waste.

ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM SELECTED FRUIT PEEL WASTE (ORANGE, MANGO AND BANANA)

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 07:34:36 GMT

Title: ETHANOL PRODUCTION FROM SELECTED FRUIT PEEL WASTE (ORANGE, MANGO AND BANANA)

Authors: WONDALE, MEKONNEN

Abstract: Waste disposal has become one of the major concerns for our city, Addis Ababa. Fruit peels are the major solid by-product. The dried fruit peels have a content of cellulose and hemicelluloses, which make it suitable as fermentation substrate when hydrolyzed. This thesis aims at utilizing fruit (Banana, Mango and Orange) peels for the production of bio-ethanol by using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, thus, producing a valuable product from the fruit peel wastes. The fruit peels were crushed in to 3-5 cm sizes for easy drying and grinding. Sample drying was carried out in oven (600C for 72hr) to obtain easily crushable material. After drying, each of the samples was milled separately. The maximum particle sizes of the ground mixed sample were 2 mm. Laboratory experiments of 16 run were conducted to produce bio-ethanol from those fruit peel wastes. The mill samples of 100gm (33.3gm from each sample) were taken and mixed, then passed through steam pretreatment, hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation process respectively to produce bio-ethanol. The ethanol concentrations of the samples collected every 3 hours intervals by rotary evaporator of fermented solution were measured by pycnometer (specific gravity bottle). The specific gravity of the produced alcohol was determined and alcohol concentration was got from the relationship between the specific gravity and the proportion of ethanol in alcohol solution at 20oC (Perry Chemical Engineering Handbook). The effects of acid concentration, temperature and time on dilute acid hydrolysis were investigated. The Design expert® 7 software were used and significance of the result was set from analysis of variance (ANOVA). Box-Behnken was applied to study the interaction effects, to see the contour and surface plot. The optimum results were obtained at 0.74%v/v acid concentration, 101.690 Investigation on the technical and economic feasibility of the work for ethanol production was performed. Results from the feasibility study indicated that the proposed work was feasible with rate of return (RR) 52.6% and the payback period of the project is estimated to be 2years.

EVALUATION OF LAND USE PLANNING AND IMPLIMENTATION WITH RESPECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SULULTA TOWN

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 13:21:21 GMT

Title: EVALUATION OF LAND USE PLANNING AND IMPLIMENTATION WITH RESPECT TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN SULULTA TOWN

Authors: Merga Mekonnen

Abstract: Urban land use plan is a tool to guide and manage the growth of cities/towns in a planned manner. The soul of land use plan lies in the preparation and its implementation, if not people are trapped in a mess of urban problems particularly environmental problems. The land use plans have been prepared for several towns of Ethiopia; however, its preparation and implementation is found at infant stage due to host of reasons and Sululta is the one. Thus, the researcher concerned with the evaluation of land use planning and implementation with respect to environmental issues in Sululta town. In this regard, poor waste management, incompatible and unsuitable land use allocation and implementation, low level of awareness of private investors, limited knowledge and skill of municipality, the abundant distribution of quarrying areas, misuse of wetlands, were the major problems. Therefore, the economical, social, aesthetical, recreational and ecological values the town would get were adversely affected. Thus, this research was conducted in order to evaluate the major land use conflicts and environmental problems of the existing land use plan and implementation with respect to environment in the study area. Specifically, the study focuses on issues like urban greenery, solid and liquid waste management, quarrying activities and pollution in order to curb the problems. Based on these objectives the researcher discussed the issues of land use planning and its implementation with respect to environment in the study area. Accordingly, land uses like housing, commerce, road network were proposed on environmental sensitive areas, wetland. As well as incompatibly and unsuitably land use proposal of industrial area, abattoir and dump site and the elongated shape of the town which is difficult for the provision of infrastructure were identified. Moreover, the study boldly rationalize that the misuse of urban greenery, dumpsite, abattoir, industrial development and quarrying activities during plan implementation. These may result various environmental problems such as pollution and destruction of natural resources which adversely affects the recreational ecological, aesthetic and social-cultural values of the town. Finally, the researcher concluded that there were contributing factors to the infectively prepared and implemented land use plan particular emphasis to environment in the study area. The external factors like community, investors and private participation, shortage of commitment of officials as well as internal factors such as experience and disciplinary gap of the plan preparation team were contributed to the limited quality of the plan. Moreover, the effectiveness of the plan implementation were hindered by lack of policy and commitment of officials, shortage of implementation tools, skilled man power and community awareness

TRANSFORMING SLUM SETTLEMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS TO SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBOURHOOD BASED ON ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES: The case of ‘korea-sefer’, Addis Ababa

Wed, 26 Dec 2012 12:51:30 GMT

Title: TRANSFORMING SLUM SETTLEMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AREAS TO SUSTAINABLE NEIGHBOURHOOD BASED ON ADAPTIVE STRATEGIES: The case of ‘korea-sefer’, Addis Ababa

Authors: Mulugeta Maru

Abstract: Developing countries, including Ethiopia, have implemented adaptive and proactive approaches to deal with the situation in urban slums. The efforts so far carried out in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa in particular to this end includes: upgrading, urban renewal, and eco-city planning among others. The primary focus of these efforts was only on undertaking physical improvements with minor concerns on the socio- economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. This paper, therefore, examines the challenges of sustainable development and identifies the views of the people on their future transformation of ‘Korea-sefer’, purposively selected slum settlement in Addis Ababa situated on steep slope and along river bank. The paper also forwarded recommendations and design proposals to curb sustainability problems in the study area Hence, sample size representative of 10% is taken where systematic random sampling method is applied to select households located on three different geographic stratas: river flood zones, slopes greater and less than 15%. The method for randomising is snowballing to select one household from the list of the first 10 household numbers and the rest are systematically selected. The paper further applied structured questionnaires, interviews and field observation to collect primary and secondary data. The data collected were analysed and presented with the help of different softwares, graphs, and tables. Maps were also used to describe the events in the site. Based on the findings of the paper it is concluded that lack of appropriate training, the narrow access roads, overcrowded houses, deteriorated drainage lines, the un- intervened steep slopes have aggravated the un-sustainability of the site in economic and physical aspects. Furthermore, the social and environmental un-sustainability is related to absence of open spaces, amenities. It is further aggravated by the presence of wastes on the streets, drainage lines, and river banks coupled with the poor condition of the toilets. In addition to these flooding and dependency on non renewable energy sources have contributed a lot on the un-sustainability of the site. Therefore, the design proposals together with the recommendations forwarded address these issues to transform the slum settlement to a more liveable neighbourhood.