IMPROVED COMBUSTION PROCESSES IN MEDICAL WASTES INCINERATORS FOR RURAL APPLICATIONS

The emergence of sustainable development programmes and the problem associated with continued steady increase in population have increased public awareness and concern for the environment. In particular, the demand for health services has increased to an extent that the health sector produces large quantities of biomedical wastes that can have severe impact on the environment if not properly disposed. Although incineration is not a clean process of disposing these wastes, it is still a preferred method especially when operated at elevated temperatures. The problem in developing countries is that several incinerators either in rural or urban areas operate at low temperatures and are therefore sources of environmental pollution. This paper describes the use of cost effective and appropriate pollution control systems to achieve acceptable combustion conditions. A small rig was designed for conducting tests on the incineration of rural clinical wastes in Botswana. Experimental results showed that if proper combustion conditions are applied to low technology rural clinical waste incinerators, the operating temperatures could increase from around 400 to above 850oC. It was concluded that by increasing the operating temperatures of the current disposal methods and using wet scrubber in rural clinical waste incinerators, the combustion conditions could be improved significantly. African Journal of Science and Technology Vol.5(1) 2004: 67-7

The level of recycling operations in Botswana

This paper describes a case study that evaluated the level of recycling operations in Botswana. Recycling operations are now recommended as effective waste management strategies for reducing the amount of municipal solid waste disposed at landfill sites. In assessing the level of recycling operations in Botswana, two companies which are effectively involved in the recycling operations were selected as the focus of the evaluation process. The data from the two companies is complemented by the data collected from Gaborone landfill site. Finally, the role of Non-governmental organisations particularly Environment Watch Botswana (Somarelang Tikologo) are discussed. Key Words: Recycling, municipal refuse. Botswana Botswana Journal of Technology Vol.13(2) 2004: 64-6

Comparative study of the thermal performance and emission levels of an existing and modified coal/biomass burning stove

The emergences of sustainable development programmes and the problem associated with over-harvesting of woo(/fuels have increase concerti for the environment. In particular the demand to reduce   greenhouse gas has prompted the use of biomass ineluding woodfuels in small power generation and in combined heat and power systems in the (Ieve/oping world. Thus increasingly, sustainable use of energy resources is shifting towards efficient use of alternate fuels such as biomass. The paper describes an experimental stu(fy to determine the thermal  performance of a household cooker stove before and after being modified through internal fining with refractory material. The stove was charged with jive (5) selected wood species and a number of parameters, such as temperature projile amI flue gas composition were measured.  Experimental evidence points to an improvement in the length amI peak temperatures of combustion on the modified stove than in the unfined one.Key works: household cooker stove, combustion of biomas