Opportunities For Biomass and Organic Waste Valorisation: Finding alternative solutions to disposal in South Africa

Authors

Linda Godfrey (ed)
CSIR
Johann F Gorgens (ed)
University of Stellenbosch
Henry Roman (ed)

Keywords:

Waste management, waste innovation, waste governance, biomass, organic waste, African intellectualism, South Africa, waste treatment

Synopsis

Following an active science-meets-industry approach on dealing with biomass and organics waste streams, this timely book foregrounds key issues facing South African policy makers, industry practitioners and scholars.

The editors drew together a wide pool of experts in the biomass and organic valorisation industry and research, offering the most recent research, development and innovation undertaken by South African universities and science councils. Spanning twelve chapters and divided into the following four key parts, the book offers solutions to industry and research on

  • Quantifying organic waste: An overview of potential sources and volumes is offered, with an identification and characterisation of solid biowaste residues.
  • Biological treatment, covering the latest norms and standards; a biorefinery approach for the sugar industry; an integrated waste management approach for municipal sewage treatment; biogas production from abattoir waste; optimisation of biogas production from animal waste; and integrated bioremediation and beneficiation of bio-based waste.
  • Mechanical and chemical treatment, covering the beneficiation of sawdust waste; developing sustainable biobased polymer and bio-nanocomposite materials; and the valorisation of waste mango seeds.
  • Thermal treatment, which evaluates different municipal solid waste recycling targets in terms of energy recovery and CO2 reduction.

Book order form

Author Biographies

Linda Godfrey, CSIR

Godfrey is a principal scientist at the CSIR and an associate professor at North-West University. She holds a PhD in engineering from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She currently heads up the Waste Research Development and Innovation (RDI) Roadmap Implementation Unit on behalf of the Department of Science and Technology.

Her research interests include the role of the waste sector in transitioning South Africa to a green economy; waste innovation; waste economics; the governance, social and behavioural aspects of integrated waste management; and the role of waste information as policy and behaviour-change instrument.

Godfrey has provided strategic input in a number of waste and green economy initiatives for the European Union, United Nations, departments of Science and Technology and Environmental Affairs; the Development Bank of South Africa; the Academy of Sciences of South Africa; the Institute of Waste Management and several universities.

She has published extensively in the field of waste management, having authored or co-authored more than 125 research and contract specialist reports, 25 international and local conference papers, 12 peer reviewed journal papers, and five book chapters, and provides review to both local and international peer reviewed scientific publications. She is passionate about science communication and has published numerous popular articles and policy briefs on waste management.  

Expertise: Waste management; Green economy  

Johann F Gorgens, University of Stellenbosch

Johann Görgens is senior lecturer in the Department of Process Engineering, Stellenbisch University and obtained his PhD (Chemical Engineering) at the same institution. He has more than 10 years of research experience in renewable energy, which includes cultivation processes for ethanol production by recombinant yeast from plant biomass, process modelling and economic evaluation of renewable energy technologies in South Africa.

Henry Roman

Henry Roman is the Director of Environmental Services and Technologies at the National Department of Science and Technology, South Africa.

Published

November 22, 2018

Categories

Copyright (c) 2021 Unisa Press (Africa) & Routledge (Rest of the world)