Construction World May 2015

ENVIRONMENT

Waste management company, Earth Probiotic, has heeded the call for a move towards more sustainable waste management Globally the need for sustainable waste management solutions is increasing. South Africa is no exception: many of our landfill sites throughout the country are under pressure. In Tshwane, for instance, a number of landfills are under strain and already numerous have closed or will be closing in the next few years. > BREAKTHROUGH in waste management technology

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month or a tonne per day. This is the smallest of Earth Probiotic’s composting machines: the company manufactures to specifications of up to 12 metres in length and 36 cubic metres in volume area, with a capacity to process 3 000 kg of food waste and 300 kg of waste paper per day. He explains that moving onto the larger eight-metre-long Heron IVC will enable the processing of 2 200 kg of food waste per day, equating to approximately 48 400 kg per month - producing 16 cubic metres of compost each month and working out to a 6,3% reduction on current per tonne landfill charges. “This technology has the poten- tial to divert over 580 000 kg of food waste produced by the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market from landfill every 12 months, thereby saving over R110 000 over a three- year period and yielding a potential revenue from sales of compost – which compost trials have indicated to be of high quality – at over R174 000 over the three-year period,” points out Relou. As well as offering substantial financial benefits, both in terms of savings and profit for resale of outputs, GCS found that the Heron IVC facilitates employment opportu- nities. In fact, for each Heron IVC three new jobs in the green economy will be created. Additionally, the Heron IVC takes into consid- eration environmental concerns by combat- ting the damaging effects of dumping and effectively diverting from landfill sites as a waste management solution.

a remote dashboard via Wi-Fi allows for optimum temperatures to be maintained at all times, while an integrated webcam ensures continuous remote monitoring. Weight scales measure all inputs and guar- antee that the correct carbon and nitrogen recipe is being implemented, and a bin lifter with load cells automatically calculates waste volumes, guaranteeing a painless process for the Heron IVC’s operators. Food waste alone generates 335 kg per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent when dumped as a result of the methane it produces. With its ability to produce high- quality compost, the Heron IVC is leading the charge to move away from landfill. It also encourages job creation and leverages local skill sets and capabilities. A feasibility study carried out by consultancy GCS Envi- ronmental Engineering revealed that at least four jobs would be created per machine. GCS’s study took place at the Tshwane Fresh Produce Market, based on the performance of a Heron IVC that was four metres in length and 12 m 3 in volume area, with a capacity of 30 tonnes per

practices and has developed a cost-effective and environmentally beneficial in-vessel composting (IVC) machine to combat the challenges of groundwater contamination, air pollution, vermin infestations and public health issues. Known as the Heron IVC, the machine converts food waste and waste paper/board into compost that can be used for land- scaping, agriculture and small-scale food gardening systems. “It employs standard composting techniques – aerating waste to prevent anaerobic conditions, devel- oping the ideal carbon and nitrogen ratio to manage the waste stream, adding probi- otic accelerants for speed and elimination of pathogens and leachate management, and the use of recycling systems for envi- ronmental compliance – in order to ensure the highest-quality outputs,” explains Earth Probiotic co-founder, Gavin Heron. A temperature sensor connected to

CONSTRUCTION WORLD MAY 2015