Assessment of Waste Scavenging Activities in Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria

The study was focus on assessing waste scavenging activities in Calabar, Cross River State. Specifically, the study appraised the socioeconomic characteristics of solid waste scavengers in Calabar and analysed the contributions of scavengers in the waste management process. The study obtained data through questionnaire administration. A total of 50 copies of questionnaire were distributed purposively to waste scavengers in the study area while descriptive statistics was used in carrying out analysis. It was observed that scavenging is exclusively carried out by males and those between 31 years and 40 years dominate the waste scavenging process. It was equally revealed that the married form a larger percent of scavengers in the study area. Scavengers were observed to be engaged in picking up irons/metals, plastics, glasses, copper, bottles as well as vegetables and food remains. Scavengers are mainly involved in the exercise in order to enable them earn a living. Therefore, wastes materials that are pickup in the process are sold out to recycling companies. Specifically, iron scraps pickers sell them to iron recycling companies while vegetable waste pickers sell to fertilizer production companies. Very few scavengers use the wastes they pick up for personal uses. However, it was noted that scavengers contribute positively in the management of solid waste in Calabar. Based on the findings, it was suggested that waste sorting should be encouraged among youths through the organization of sensitization campaigns and the awareness since it has the potentials of reducing unemployment while promoting waste management. Equally, scavengers should be recognized by the government as managers in the waste sector and be given some incentives

Waste Scavenging a Problem or an Opportunity for Integrated Waste Management in Namibia: A Case of Keetmanshoop Municipality, Namibia

Waste scavenging is an emerging challenge faced by many Municipalities and Local Authorities in Namibia. However, it has been neglected by authorities due to insufficient knowledge about its contribution to resource recovery and recycling. This study investigated how waste scavenging as a problem can be transformed into an opportunity for Integrated Waste Management in Namibia. The main objective of the study was to determine the socio-economic drivers as well as health implications of waste scavenging at Keetmanshoop municipal dumping site, Namibia. Using the purposive sampling method, a total of 45 waste pickers were interviewed through semi-structured questionnaires. The data collected included waste pickers demographic (age, gender, marital status, and level of education), socio-economic impacts (income and diseases) from waste scavenging. The study revealed that the main drivers of waste scavenging are poverty (71.1%) and unemployment (64.4%). Furthermore, waste scavenging contributes significantly to waste pickers’ livelihood through income generation from the sale of waste materials (93.3%). The majority of the waste pickers (80%), scavenge mainly for metals whereas the least target food. The study concluded that waste scavenging, although neglected, contributes significantly to the livelihoods of waste pickers and waste management in Keetmanshoop. The study recommends that waste scavenging should be regulated and integrated into the formal waste management system of the Municipality through avenues such as the formation of the waste picker’s cooperatives that will be registered with the municipality and recognised through formal structures.

Waste Scavenging and Its Contribution for Survival and Urban Recycling in Kota Kinabalu City, Sabah, Malaysia

High generation of solid waste has been identified as one factor contributing to the world’s environmental problems, and the decrease in suitable landfill sites and scarcity of natural resources is creating greater demand for remanufacturing and reuse. This study aims to examine the contribution and issues embedded in scavengers group to achieved high rate of recycling in waste management program. In order to answer the research objective, this research utilized in-depth interviews conducted with scavengers group. This study revealed scavenging activity is an important element in waste management with positive impact on the economic and environment. Therefore, to support this, the scavengers group need to be part of the government’s attempt to realise its recycling objectives.

Combined XRD and EXAFS characterization of UiO-66 and functionalized UiO-67 MOFs

The recently discovered UiO-66 (UiO-67) class of isostructural metallorganic frameworks (MOFs) are obtained connecting Zr6O4(OH)4 inorganic cornerstones with 1,4-benzene-dicarboxylate (4,4′ biphenyl-dicarboxylate) as linker resulting in a cubic framework [1]. This family of MOFs has attracted great interest because of its remarkable stability at high temperatures, high pressures and in presence of different solvents, acids and bases [2]. Industrial applications in the fields of catalysis, H2 storage, gas purification and, for the isostructural Hf form, interim radioactive waste scavenging. For these potentialities UiO-66 is one of the very few MOFs that have already been successfully commercialized. In this presentation we will show how the synergic refinement of XRPD and EXAFS data resulted in the structural determination of UiO-66/67 [1-3] and we will report new combined synchrotron radiation single crystal XRD and EXAFS data allowing the structure determination of new metal-functionalized UiO-67 of potential high industrial impact because aimed in heterogenization of homogeneous catalytic reactions.