The State of a ‘Choked’ Lagoon: A Two-decade Overview of the Fosu Lagoon in Cape Coast, Ghana

Environmental researchers all over the world are concerned with the rate at which lagoons are being negatively modified beyond critical threshold capacities to the detriment of future generations. The Fosu lagoon located in the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana is no exception. The lagoon was identified as polluted by the close of 1993. Various strategies to prevent, if not curtail, pollution and its effects on the lagoon, since then, have been suggested. Though the privatization of waste collection management in the metropolis was introduced during the 2000’s, this has not been enough to save the lagoon from the effects of pollution.  Using content analysis as research technique the study looked at various works of researchers in relation to the lagoon from 1993 to 2013. Secondary data was basically employed using texts, essays, book chapters, journal and non-journal articles, historical documents, theses and dissertations. Informed interviews and observations were also employed. The paper contends that various stakeholders have failed to heed to suggestions made by researchers. It attributes the inadequacy of efforts to save the lagoon to myopic leadership, bribery and corruption, lack of shared visionary leadership among political parties and traditional councils, discontinuity of local government leadership and general institutional failure. The study sought to provide recommendations to stake-holders ways by which the lagoon could be salvaged from complete demise. It identified the central government, lands commission, metropolitan assembly, traditional council, town and country planning, the Environmental Protection Agency and educational institutions as the major stake holders in this regard. Keywords: aquatic; landfills; food chain; nitrates; solid waste

Production Scheduling and Waste Disposal Planning for Oil Sands Mining Using Goal Programming

In oil sands mining, timely provisions of ore and tailings containment with less environmental footprints are the main drivers of profitability and sustainability. The recent Alberta Energy Resources Conservation Board Directive 074 requires oil sands waste disposal planning to be an integral part of mine planning. This requires the development of a well integrated strategy of directional mining and tailings dyke construction for in-pit and ex-pit tailings storage management. The objectives of this paper are to: 1) determine the order and time of extraction of ore, dyke material and waste that maximizes the net present value; 2) determine the destination of dyke material that minimizes construction cost; and 3) minimize deviations from the production goals of the mining operation. We have developed, implemented, and verified a theoretical optimization framework based on mixed integer linear goal programming (MILGP) to address these objectives. This study presents an integration of mixed integer linear programming and goal programming in solving large scale mine planning optimization problems using clustering and pushback techniques. Application of the MILGP model was presented with an oil sands mining case. The MILGP model generated a smooth and uniform mining schedule that generates value and provides a robust framework for effective waste disposal planning. The results show that mining progresses with an ore to waste ratio of 1:1.5 throughout the mine life, generating an overall net present value of $14,237M. This approach improves the sustainable development of oil sands through better waste management

Beyond sustainable buildings: eco-efficiency to eco-effectiveness through cradle-to-cradle design

Sustainable building development focuses on achieving buildings that meet performance and functionality requirements with minimum adverse impact on the environment. Such eco-efficiency strategies are however not feasible for achieving long-term economic and environmental objectives as they only result in damage reduction without addressing design flaws of contemporary industry. The cradle-to-cradle (C2C) design philosophy which has been described as a paradigm changing innovative platform for achieving ecologically intelligent and environmentally restorative buildings appears to offer an alternative vision which, if embraced, could lead to eco-effectiveness and the achievement of long-term environmental objectives. Adoption of C2C principles in the built environment has however been hindered by several factors especially in a sector where change has always been a very slow process. From a review of extant literature, it is argued that the promotion of current sustainable and/or gree n building strategies - which in themselves are not coherent enough due to their pluralistic meanings and sometimes differing solutions - are a major barrier to the promotion of C2C principles in the built environment. To overcome this barrier to C2C implementation, it is recommended that research should focus on developing clearly defined and measurable C2C targets that can be incorporated into project briefs from the inception of development projects. These targets could enable control, monitoring and comparison of C2C design outcomes with eco-efficient measures as well as serve as a guide for project stakeholders to achieve eco-effective “nutrient” management from the project conceptualization phase to the end of life of the building

Concentration of Lead and Cadmium in the Fosu Lagoon and its Health Implications on Lagoon Fishermen

Many ecosystems around the world are encountering environmental problems as a result of man’s activities. Such ecosystems include lagoons of which the Fosu lagoon is no exception. It has been asserted that the lagoon water is polluted with heavy metals such as lead and cadmium. Fish muscles are also polluted with lead and cadmium. This study sought out to investigate lead and cadmium effects of tilapia consumption on the health of fishermen who fished in the lagoon. It also looked at health effects resulting from standing in the lagoon for fishing purposes. Health conditions investigated include infertility, cancer, painful bones, Burton line, wrist drop, cognitive deficiency among respondents’ children and skin diseases. Sixty fishermen were sampled for the study. The purposive and snowball sampling methods were used in the sampling process. Open and closed ended questions in a questionnaire were employed. Interview and observation techniques were also employed. The descriptive method of analysis was utilized using the SPSS software program. Results from the study revealed that fishermen who fished in the lagoon might be at risk of painful bone conditions and wrist drop due to lead and cadmium pollution of tilapia in the lagoon. While 28.3 percent had been diagnosed of wrist drop, over 33 percent had also been diagnosed of painful bones on more than one occasion. Fishermen might also be at risk of skin infections as a result of dermal contact with lagoon water. Thirty-five percent had at least, on one occasion or the other, been diagnosed of skin-related diseases. The study recommends that medical personnel, particularly doctors, should be involved in educating the fishermen concerning the risks involved in the consumption of tilapia from, as well as fishing in, the lagoon. Keywords: diseases; environmental health; fishing; pollution; tilapia fish-muscle

The valuation tool user guide: monetizing Cradle to Cradle®

This User Guide outlines the object, scope and expected deliverables from the Valuation Tool component of the Cradle to Cradle ® C2C BIZZ project. It describes the compendium of subtools that have been developed comprising: i) overview of funding tools; ii) C2C investment appraisal tool; and iii) C2C value indexing tool. The underpinning methodologies, as well as their inherent strengths and limitations are also described. The C2C BIZZ project as a whole aims specifically to promote and enhance the implementation of C2C methods in business site development within North Western Europe (NWE) (PAD, p.14). It is intended to infuse C2C notions into conventional site development, restructuring and management. The primary focus of the project is on planning, building and managing of business sites with C2C credentials (PAD, p.18) using sites in Lille Metropole (La Lainiere), London (London Sustainable Industries Park) and Luxemburg (Ecoparc Windhof) as experimental fields. C2C BIZZ is not concerned with the internal operations and activities of occupiers or users of the developed site. Accordingly, the scope of the valuation tool is confined to the planning, building and management of C2C sites. The deliverable from this component is a compendium of subtools (see Figure 1 below) that may be used to analyse the financial performance of C2C credentials in business sites to aid the making of a business case for such developments and evaluating the financial incentives for particular C2C site development projects. This entire work is premised on the argument that the wider adoption of C2C principles within the built environment depends on the rate of uptake by the private sector. The private sector, being profit driven, are likely to engage in C2C site development if they are convinced of its capacity to contribute to their business goals which ultimately is a return on their investment. The tool development described in this document attempts to provide a framework for collating an evidence base that can assist in articulating the business case for C2C in business site developments

The ECOWAS Platform and the Persisting Challenges of Integrating the West African Region: A Discourse

This research work contends that since the establishment of the ECOWAS it has been far behind in the area of reconciling its objectives with potent achievements. The sub-region’s combined market of above 300 million inhabitants with a combined GDP of about US$565 billion, with 11 of its 15 member countries listed in the category of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), as well as worrying per capita income. There are persisting challenges in the areas of the economy of members, challenges of governance, socio-cultural challenges in the areas of inadvertent post-colonial divides and abysmal integration culture; the community has as well been unnecessarily pre-occupied with conflict situations and recent terrorist activities among others. These challenges have eclipsed the Community’s objectives. Elaborated in this research are these challenges which when overcome by ECOWAS signals the take-off of progressive development of the region. It is the opinion of this paper that the ECOWAS platform remains a credible pedestal for the region to dive into this age of neo-globalism for economic survival and should be strengthened in this direction. Key words: Community, ECOWAS, Integration, Governance, REC

Defluorination of drinking water using surfactant modified zeolites

The prevalence of high concentrations of fluoride (i.e. > 1.5 mg/l) in groundwater in the Northernpart of Ghana especially around the Bongo communities has been an issue of concern.Owingto the arid nature of these localities, the inhabitants (who are mainly peasant farmers), relymore on groundwater sources for their drinking water. With the strenuous nature of their joband the warm weather conditions, the farmers generally consume more water, thus becomingmore vulnerable to dental and skeletal fluorosis. This study focused on the removal of fluoridefrom groundwater by employing surfactant modified zeolites (SMZ) synthesized using locallyavailable kaolin material as precursor. The zeolite synthesis involved calcination of kaolin, alkaline fusion and hydrothermal treatment. The final product was modified with 5g/L Hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (HDTMABr). The zeolite was characterised by Xray Diffraction(XRD), Energy Dispersive Xray (EDX) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and the modified form employed in batch fluoride removal studies. The fluoride adsorption kinetics was studiedusing model water with varying initial fluoride concentration. From the EDX analysis, the synthesized zeolite NaLSX was found to comprise predominantly Oxygen (60%), Silicon (15%), and Aluminium (13%). The SEM showed the zeolite NaLSX crystals to be octahedrally shaped. The unmodified zeolite NaLSX was incapable of adsorbing fluoride ions but the surfactant modified zeolite adsorbed fluoride. The fluoride adsorption capacity of the modified zeolite was pH dependent and peaked at pH 6.0 – 7.0. Keywords: characterization, defluoridation, groundwater, surfactant, zeolite

An adaptive household sampling method for rural African communities

Investigators working in rural communities and small towns in Africa face many obstacles to obtaining a random and representative sample of households for their research. The civic infrastructure used as the building blocks of survey sampling in developed countries are mostly absent in rural Africa. The purpose of the study described in this paper was to pilot an innovative and cost-effective approach to household sampling designed to generate probability samples representative of the socio-economic diversity of the small town of Berekuso, in the Eastern Region of Ghana, without relying on existing census data, household registers, or a regular layout of roads and dwellings. Utilizing Google Earth images and a Graphical Information System (GIS) map of Berekuso, sampling units were defined as 15-degree wedge-shaped sectors radiating from the center of the original township. All households within randomly selected sectors were surveyed, and based on a household classification scheme, each household type was identified. Additional sectors were randomly selected and surveyed in sequence until no new household types were identified – a notion recognized by laboratory scientists as an ‘end point’. The adaptive sampling strategy was cost and time effective: freely available versions of Google Earth and QGIS software were employed along with inexpensive handheld Global Positioning System (GPS) devices; a total of 57 households were surveyed by teams of two enumerators over three consecutive Sundays. The survey method yielded a probability sample that is representative of the socioeconomic diversity of Berekuso, and produced generalizable results for median household size, median age of residents, sources of potable water and toilet types, among others. For example, based on the results of the survey, a 95% confidence interval estimate of the proportion of residents of Berekuso under the age of 20 years is between 0.49 and 0.58. These figures are consistent with results of Ghana’s 2010 census which pegged the proportion of the population of the Eastern Region under the age of the 20 years at 0.49. The authors believe that the methodology described in this paper may be applicable to household research in many rural African villages and small towns where little civic infrastructure exists to create more traditional sampling frames.Key words: Google Earth, area sampling, household survey, impact evaluation, wealth rankin

Agricultural Potential of Biosolids Generated from Dewatering of Faecal Sludge on Unplanted Filter Beds.

The study was conducted to determine the agricultural potential of biosolids produced from the dewatering of faecal sludge on drying beds in Ghana. It was conducted using bench scale filter beds at KNUST in Kumasi, Ghana. Different filter media were used to dewater FS while different loading rates of FS were dewatered on selected filter medium. Different percentages of sawdust mixed with FS were also dewatered and biolsolids produced were dried and analysed for nutrients and heavy metals. The results showed that the average percentage carbon in all the biosolid ranged between 27 and 42.7%, nitrogen was 1.82 – 3.54% and carbon – nitrogen ratio ranged between 8.7 - 23.9%. The level of phosphorus and potassium ranged between 1.73 – 3.69%and 0.81- 3.78% respectively. The average concentration of heavy metals analysed in the dried biosolids were very low where the range of Cu was 0.081- 0.157mg/kg, Fe 1.530- 4.562mg/kg, Pb 0.009- 0.032mg/kg. Cd, Mn, and Zn showed ranges of 0.036 – 0.092, 0.076-0.652 and 0.026-0254 mg/kg respectively. Key words: Biosolid, dewatering, faecal sludge, heavy metals, nutrients

Evaluating Access to Potable Water and Basic Sanitation in Ghana's Largest Urban Slum Community: Old Fadama, Accra

Access to potable water and basic sanitation in urban poor communities remains a critical issue in the developing world. This paper examines access to potable water and basic sanitation in Ghana's largest urban slum and the level of commitment by stakeholders to improve the current conditions. It drew on an extensive field survey, interviews, focus group discussions and drinking water quality analyses. The study revealed that the community depend entirely on vended water for their daily water supply needs. Apart from being sold at exorbitant prices, the sources of drinking water is also contaminated with attendant health risks. Household toilets are non-existent in the community and thus residents rely exclusively on public latrines; KVIP and pan latrines which are also inadequate. This partly accounts for the practice of open defecation in the community with possible health effects such as diarrhea and cholera. Indiscriminate dumping of refuse, choked drains and pools of stagnant water are ubiquitous thereby posing health threats. There is a low level of commitment to improving access to water and sanitation in the community by major stakeholders in spite of the glaring health effects. The outcomes of this study will be useful to relevant stakeholders and authorities in developing suitable strategies for improving access to water and sanitation for urban poor communities. Keywords: Accra, health, Old Fadama, sanitation, slum, wate