Energy solution for waste
Proposed Waste to Energy Project
Grahamstown Residents’ Association (GRA) is organising a public presentation on 31 August about a proposed solution to Makana’s waste woes and the eventual closure of Makana’s Landfill Site. Chris Wilkins, of the Cacadu Development Agency, will be in Grahamstown on this date with his team of experts for discussions with Makana and Rhodes University. At the Public Presentation, his team will be available to explain how Waste to Energy projects create jobs, generate income for municipalities and address environmental issues such as illegal dumping. The project, still subject to planning and a feasibility study, would be developed at no cost to Makana Municipality, which currently faces serious financial challenges.
The project is promoted as being environmentally and people-friendly. It uses a pyrolysis/combustion system that converts biomass into clean thermal energy and charcoal, which is then is converted into electricity via an air-cooled turbine and generator (an upgrade of Makana Municipality’s electricity reticulation network is also planned – as this would be needed to reap the benefits offered by this project). The system burns only pyrolysis gases, thus emitting less than a tenth of the solids, nitrogen oxides or carbon monoxide permitted by environmental law. The charcoal would be used as biochar in agricultural soil, making the system carbon negative.
The project would also clear invader plant species in collaboration with Working for Water, creating at least 100 jobs.
A Materials Recovery Facility will be set up, eliminating the need for Grahamstown’s landfill site. This will ensure the ongoing viability of composting and recycling businesses, and income for local waste pickers. A fully licensed and compliant waste management and treatment site/unit would have to be set up and appropriately run, in order to deal with hazardous waste.
It will be a relief to be rid of the stink and mess next door to the riding club. Come and find out more on Wednesday 31 August at 5pm in Eden Grove Red lecture theatre (Lucas Avenue). All welcome!
More immediate good news
Complete Compost in Strowan Road is going from strength to strength as more people are helping solve a big problem in town by taking their garden refuse straight there. If we could just get all professional garden services to follow the lead of the responsible firms, even more garden refuse would end up as compost. Even trees and branches can be recycled as Complete Compost will use their “chipper”.
It seems that some local firms need prompting by customers to check how their garden refuse is disposed of. Examples of bad practice still continue which is why large quantities of garden waste are still dumped inappropriately.
Or save money, and the soil, by making compost at home. It takes very little space. Lots of online advice! www.greenhome.co.za/blog/composting
Donkeys – The good and the bad
When they are left to stray, some people regard them as a pest, rummaging through dustbins looking for scraps to eat and causing litter. There is a growing chorus arguing that donkeys, and other domestic livestock, shouldn’t be permitted to roam our streets. The Makana By-law of 2007 concerning stray animals makes it clear that Makana Municipality has a duty to provided adequate pounds to take stray animals to and that anyone has the right to take them there. The municipality must maintain in good repair and, as far as possible, free from all infection, separate enclosures for (a) ostriches and horses; (b) cattle; (c) sheep, goats and pigs; (d) dogs; and (e) cats. The text of the complete by law can be viewed at: http://www.makana.gov.za/ wp-content/uploads/2013/06/ Impoundment-of-Animals-ByLaw-Makana-Municipality.pdf
In order to test the strength of feeling about this issue Grahamstown Residents’ Association propose to run a petition calling on Makana to observe its own by law regarding stray animals. If you want to help please email townresidentsassociation.co.za
On the other hand Grahamstown’s donkeys are part of our urban environment, gainfully employed as a source of income, pulling carts and delivering goods or carting away waste. In this regard, some are well cared for, but others less so. Some are scarred from ill-fitting harnesses and others have been brutalised in so-called “donkey wars” – with jealous individuals inflicting cruel treatment on donkeys belonging to rivals.
The Farm Animal Centre for Education (Face), a nonprofit organisation directed by Michelle Griffith outside Grahamstown, trains local working donkey owners and equips them with skills to improve their livelihood by managing their services as a small business. Training includes don- Photo: Tim Bull key health, welfare and care. The Face team works together with Working Donkey Champions in the community. Those who have received training spread the word and tell other working donkey owners about Face.
As a result, many more join the training sessions, and receive ongoing advice and support. Michelle’s motivation can be summed up in the words of Dr Seuss in The Lorax: “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, Nothing is going to get better. It's not.”
More info: www.facebook. com/ groups/ FarmAnimalCentre or call Michelle on 073 209 1625.
Find us Online: www.grocotts. co.za/environews
Contacts for Makana Enviro-News:
Nikki Köhly: n.kohly@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7205 Jenny Gon: j-gon@intekom.co.za, 046 622 5822 Nick James: nickjames@intekom.co.za, 082 575 9781 Philip Machanick: p.machanick@ru.ac.za, 046 603 8635 Tim Bull: timothybull05@aol.com, 076 289 5122; Rod Amner r.amner@ru.ac.za, 046 603 7123.