Browsing by Author "Friedrich, Elena."

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Assessment of heavy metal contamination in soils around Krugersdorp mining area, Johannesburg, South Africa.
(2020) Mkhize, Thabani Armstrong.; Friedrich, Elena.
The mining industry remains a driving force of the South African economy, making a significant contribution to economic activity, job creation and foreign exchange earnings. However, in the process of mining and mineral production, millions of tons of waste are produced making this sector the potential source of air, soil and water pollution. There are more than 270 waste dumps known as tailing dams in the Witwatersrand Basin alone, covering 400 square kilometres in surface area (Oelofse et al., 2007, Rosner, 1999). Poor management of these tailing dams and waste rock dumps lead to uncontrolled release of acid mine drainage that in some cases cause soil degradation and water contamination around these sites. The aim of this study was to assess pollution levels of As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb, Hg, Ni and Zn in soils from the mining area of Krugersdorp and to compare them with the South African and international standards. The geo-accumulation index (Igeo), the single ecological risk factor (Er), and potential risk index were calculated to assess the degree of contamination by these metals in soils. Thirty one soil samples were collected from eleven different sites around the Krugersdorp area. Twenty three were collected from the Krugersdorp Game Reserve, four from private farmland, two from Mintails Gold Mine and two from Rand Uranium Mine. All collected samples were properly marked and identified by their sampling locations using a Global Positioning System (GPS). Samples were acid digested using microwave oven according to U.S EPA 3052B protocols and analysed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni) and zinc (Zn) with Inductively Coupled Plasma – Optical Emission Spectrometry technique (ICP-OES). The concentration levels of heavy metals in soils were in the range of 4.1-155.5 mg/kg for As, 0.1-0.7 mg/kg for Cd, 13.4-119.1 mg/kg for Cu, 54.0-147.0 mg/kg for Cr, 0.02-1.36 mg/kg for Hg, 24.1-168.9 mg/kg for Ni, 5.5-82.5 mg/kg for Pb, and 12.5-641.0 mg/kg for Zn. Three sampled sites (KS7, KS8 and KS10) recorded high contamination levels by heavy metal compared with the relevant South African standard and other international standrads. The geo-accumulation index assessment revealed that the soils vary between uncontaminated to the extreme pollution soil category. The ecological risk factor (Er ) mean values of As, Cd, Cr, Pb and Zn revealed low ecological risk to soils, while values for Cu and Hg indicated moderate ecological risk. Ni values indicate a considerable ecological risk. The potential ecological risk index (RI) values of three sites (KS1, KS5, and KS9) indicated low ecological risk. RI values for KS3, KS6 and KS11showded that these sites posed moderate ecological risk. Considerable ecological risk was displayed by sites KS2, KS4 and KS8, while RI values of site KS7 and 10 displayed very high ecological risk. These results indicate that the anthropogenic mining activities have polluted the area with heavy metals. As a result a series of recommendation are forwarded in order to rehabilitate the quality of the soils affected.
An assessment of the strength and durability characteristics of recycled plastic pavers.
(2022) Maharaj, Kiash.; McLeod, Christina Helen.; Friedrich, Elena.
The generation of waste is reaching record highs and displays a consistent uptrend over the last decade, and despite high generation rates, landfilling is still the dominant disposal method for waste in South Africa. However, these materials may have potential for reuse in several applications, and industries are considering their viability. One such industry is the construction and engineering industry, which has seen an increase in research into the application of waste materials. This study explores the use of HDPE, PP, and glass waste as an alternative material for making concrete pavers. The study uses local waste materials to assess the density, durability, and mechanical strengths of the resulting paver, called Eco-pavers, and compares them to regular concrete pavers for accuracy. The pavers are made of a 50/50 blend of recycled plastic and glass aggregate, which has not been widely studied as a replacement for cement or stone aggregate. The Eco-pavers demonstrate a low water absorption rate of 0.28%, compared to the 4.5% of concrete pavers. After immersion testing in various chemicals over a 180-day period, the pavers show no signs of degradation either structurally or visually. The Eco-pavers are suitable for use as impermeable pavers, as they did not allow any infiltration during the permeability test. The flexural strength assessment resulted in an average breaking stress of 7.9 MPa, which is greater than the prescribed minimum. However, the pavers' average compressive strength is 12.47 MPa, which is below the minimum criterion of 35 MPa for pavers, and therefore needs improvement. In summary, this study explored the use of recycled plastic and glass waste in manufacturing Eco-pavers as an alternative to traditional concrete pavers. The resulting pavers demonstrated low water absorption, chemical resistance, and impermeability, making them suitable for impermeable applications. However, the compressive strength of the pavers needs improvement. While their short-term use is unlikely to release microplastics, further research is needed to determine their long-term impact.
A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of water treatment plants using alternative sources of water (seawater and mine affected water).
(2016) Goga, Taahira.; Buckley, Christopher Andrew.; Friedrich, Elena.
Water is a replenishing, yet at times scarce resource that is necessary for the growth and development of all organisms and plant life. In South Africa, the situation is challenging due to competing demands for limited fresh water reserves. Thus, the search for technological solutions is necessary to alleviate water shortages. Two of the potential measures to increase available water supply are desalination and reuse of water. As with any industrial operation, potable water production involves several processes which inherently impact the environment. These need to be taken into consideration in the design and management of water treatment operations. The purpose of the study was to conduct an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of two water treatment membrane plants that use alternative feed sources namely seawater and mine affected water. The first plant will be located in the Southern area of the eThekwini Municipality and will utilise seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) to produce 150 Mℓ/d of potable water. The second is a case study based on an existing mine water reclamation plant in Mpumalanga that is designed around a two stage ultrafiltration-reverse osmosis (UF-RO) process used to treat 15 Mℓ/d of mine affected water. The LCA guidelines, which were established by the International Organisation for Standardisation, were utilised for the purposes of this study. Design data was collected for both the construction and operation phases of the plants while SimaPro was used as the LCA analysis software with the application of the ReCiPe Midpoint method. The key findings from the assessment reveal that electricity production and consumption is responsible for the majority of environmental impacts that stem from the respective plants. A further analysis indicated that the South African electricity mix has greater environmental impacts than other energy sources such as photovoltaic and wind power. The integration of these energy systems with alternative water treatment processes has been proven to reduce environmental loads to levels associated with conventional water technologies. Based on these results, it is recommended that focus should shift towards energy minimisation techniques and the use of renewable energy sources in order to advance the environmental performance of water treatment processes.
An environmental life cycle assessment of the provision of recycled water in Durban.
(2006) Pillay, Sarushen Dhanapalan.; Buckley, Christopher Andrew.; Friedrich, Elena.
This dissertation investigated the questions of sustainable development, in the context of water and sanitation provision, for the eThekwini Municipality. The Durban Water Recycling (DWR) plant, run by Veolia Water, was initially the focus of this investigation. The use of recycled water in Durban has freed potable water supplies for a potential 200 000 new consumers. Industry also benefits as the recycled water is supplied at a lower cost. In order to create a holistic picture of the effect of water recycling, a network incorporating the abstraction, use, re-use and disposal of water in the South Durban Region was investigated. This water supply network was identified consisting of the following units: Inanda Dam, Wiggins Waterworks, the pumping and reticulation network, Durban Southern Wastewater Treatment Works, Durban Water Recycling and the Durban Southern Deep Sea Outfall. For the environmental analysis the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) tool was chosen. Life cycle assessment is a systematic way to evaluate the environmental impacts of products or processes by following a scientific methodology in which the impacts are quantified. LCA provides objective answers to environmental questions while suggesting more sustainable forms of production and consumption. It is the only tool which has a cradle-to-grave approach and by this it avoids positive ratings for measurements which only consist in the shifting of burdens. The objective of this LCA was twofold. The first was to quantify and evaluate the environmental performance of relevant processes and so help decision makers choose amongst options. The second objective was to provide a basis for assessing potential improvements in the environmental performance of the system. Once these areas and the contributors to the high burdens were identified, improvement options were investigated. One of the key outcomes of this analysis was the development of an electricity index as an indicator of environmental performance for water and wastewater systems. The GaBi 3 software package, which uses the CML (Centre for Environmental Science, University of Leiden, The Netherlands) LCA methodology, was used to compile environmental impact scores for each impact category. For the non standard systems such as Inanda Dam and the Durban Southern Deep Sea Outfall a new way of assessing the impacts was developed. There is an emerging trend to combine the LCA methodology with social issues so as to improve the decision making capability. The social analysis was carried out using an LCA type methodology. The impact categories selected were; job creation and health and health risks. During the course of the study the issue of land displacement arose when investigating the social issues surrounding the construction of a dam. This was then incorporated into the entire study. The system was broken up into sub-systems which were studied separately and then combined to create a holistic picture. Each sub-system was further divided into three stages for analysis; the construction, operation and decommissioning. This method of analysing the system allows for the detailed description of individual process units with the highest social and environmental burden. For example it was identified that the operation of the activated sludge systems at the wastewater treatment works had an environmental burden due to the electricity consumption during this stage. For the impact category of global warming it was discovered that 40% of the total environmental impact of the system could be attributed to the secondary treatment stage at the wastewater works. The construction of the dam had the largest social burden due to the displacement of the communities living in the dam area. The final part of the study was a scenario analysis. The aim of this analysis was to develop a sustainability framework for municipalities seeking to expand their provision of water and sanitation services. Different scenarios for increasing the water supply of a municipality were considered. The environmental impact of each scenario was also investigated. In this stage various options were considered to see how changes in the system affected the environmental profile. Improvements using new, modified or alternate technologies were suggested and their effects calculated. An operating procedure, for the current system, with the lowest environmental impact was also suggested. The results of this research will prove valuable to designers and planners looking to expand existing water supply networks in a sustainable manner. A sustainability framework was developed to complement the existing DWAF framework for municipalities expanding their provision of water and sanitation services. The key findings of this study were: • The quantification of the environmental burdens for the supply of water and sanitation in the eThekwini Municipality first for the individual units then for the system. • An improvement analysis which suggested ways of reducing the environmental burdens of the existing system. • The development of a sustainability framework for a municipality to increase its water and sanitation service levels. • The incorporation of social indicators into the LCA methodology. • The development of a technique that could be incorporated into the LCA methodology, for assessing the toxicity of complex effluents. • The development of a method of evaluating the environmental performance of a water and sanitation system using an electricity index. The thesis provides a holistic view of the abstraction, use, re-use and disposal of water in the eThekwini Municipality and provides a guideline for decision makers when assessing options for expansion or improvement in water supply networks.
Environnmental life cycle assessment of potable water production.
(2001) Friedrich, Elena.; Buckley, Christopher Andrew.
This study investigates and compares the environmental burdens of two different methods for producing potable water by using the environmental life cycle assessment (LCA). The first method, for the production of potable water, is used by Umgeni Water at their Wiggins Waterworks and it involves conventional processes. The second method is based on a South African membrane technology and currently it is used in three pilot plants around the country. The life cycle concept gives the means understand the environmental impacts associated with a product. process or activity by considering all life-cycle stages, from cradle- to-grave. Formal methodologies for conducting such studies have been developed and in this project the methodological framework endorsed by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) 14040 series of standards has been used. By using this methodology and by tracing all processes involved in the production of potable water, it was found that the main contribution towards the environmental burdens of potable water is due to electricity generation. This conclusion is valid for both methods in vestigated. and as a result the recommendations focus on increasing the energy efficiency of waterworks in order to increase their overall environmental performance.
An investigation into the emissions of greenhouse gases associated with the disposal of solid waste in the eThekwini Municipality.
(2013) Friedrich, Elena.; Trois, Cristina.
The amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted due to waste management in the cities of developing countries is predicted to rise considerably in the near future; however, these countries have a series of problems in accounting and reporting these gases. This study investigated GHG emissions from the municipal waste sector in South Africa. In particular, the eThekwini Municipality is researched in detail and current emissions as well as further projections have been calculated. This research has to be placed in the wider context where developing countries (including South Africa) do not have binding emission reduction targets, but many of them publish different greenhouse gas emissions data which have been accounted and reported in different ways. Results from the first stages of this research showed that for South Africa, inventories at national and municipal level are the most important tools in the process of accounting and reporting greenhouse gases from waste. However, discrepancies in the methodology used are a concern. This is a challenging issue for developing countries, especially African ones, since higher accuracy methods are more data intensive. Therefore, the development of local emission factors for the different waste management processes is important as it encourages a common, unified approach. In the accounting of GHG from waste at municipal level, emission factors, based on a life cycle approach, are used with increased frequency. However, these factors have been calculated for many developed countries of the Northern Hemisphere and are generally lacking for developing countries. The second part of this research showed how such factors have been developed for waste processes used in this country. For the collection and transport of municipal waste in South Africa, the average diesel consumption is around 5 dm3 (litres) per tonne of wet waste and the associated GHG emissions are about 15 kg CO2 equivalents (CO2 e). Depending on the type of landfill, the GHG emissions from the landfilling of waste have been calculated to range from -145 to 1 016 kg CO2 e per tonne of wet waste, when taking into account carbon storage, and from 441 to 2 532 kg CO2 e per tonne of wet waste, when carbon storage is left out. The highest emission factor per unit of wet waste is for landfill sites without landfill gas collection and these are the dominant waste disposal facilities in South Africa. The emission factors developed for the different recyclables in the country showed savings varying from -290 kg CO2 e (glass) to – 19 111 kg CO2 e (metals - Al) per tonne of recyclable. They also illustrated that there is variability, with energy intensive materials like metals having higher GHG savings in South Africa as compared to other countries. This study also showed that composting of garden waste is a net GHG emitter, releasing 172 and 186 kg CO2 e per tonne of wet garden waste for aerated dome composting and turned windrow composting, respectively. By using the emission factors developed, the GHG emissions from municipal waste in the eThekwini Municipality were calculated and showed that for the year 2012 net savings of -161 780 tonnes CO2 e were achieved. This is mainly due to the landfill gas to electricity clean development mechanism (CDM) projects and due to recycling in the municipality. In the absence of landfill gas (LFG) collection and utilisation systems, which is typical for the majority of South African landfills, important GHG emission from the anaerobic degradation of waste are recorded. In the near future (year 2014) the closure of one of the three local landfill sites and the re-directioning of the majority of waste to another landfill sites which does not have LFG collection and utilisation, will cause an increase of GHG emissions to 294 670 tonnes CO2 e. An increase in recycling and the introduction of anaerobic digestion and composting has the potential to reduce these emissions as shown for the year 2020. However, only the introduction of a LFG to electricity system will result in the highest possible overall GHG savings from waste management in the municipality. In the absence of the Clean Development Mechanism and the associated financial arrangements, these systems have to be financed locally and might present a financial challenge to the municipality. Therefore, the second intervention which will make a difference by lowering GHG emissions from waste management would be to increase recycling in general and in particular the recycling of paper and metals. Since there is no direct competition for carbon, in addition to recycling, anaerobic digestion can be introduced and this combination will achieve increased savings in the future. If anaerobic digestion is not possible, composting in addition to recycling will also lead to savings, albeit not as high as with anaerobic digestion. The results presented in this study show that life cycle based GHG emission factors for waste and their use can support a unified approach to accounting of GHG and better decision-making for municipalities in the local context. They can give valuable input for the planning and development of future waste management strategies and they can help optimise current municipal solid waste management.
A life cycle analysis for the application of decentralised sanitation technologies at Newlands Mashu in the Ethekwini Municipality.
(2020) Wissing, Gareth Christian.; Friedrich, Elena.; Buckley, Christopher Andrew.
Safe sanitation is a privilege and in many developing countries sanitation provision is an ongoing major issue. To meet the growing sanitation demands of developed and developing countries around the world, various sanitation technologies and systems have been proposed. One such technology that is highlighted in this study is the Decentralised Wastewater Treatment System (DEWATS). DEWATS is a wastewater treatment technology that aims to treat and dispose of wastewater near the source that the wastewater is generated and excludes the conventional centralised sewer network that directs wastewater to a regional wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). As with all wastewater treatment technologies, various wastewater treatment phases and processes intrinsically impact the environment. It is important for engineers, planners, designers and stakeholders involved in the treatment of wastewater to be informed of the various environmental consequences as a result of the implementation of DEWATS. The purpose of this study was to undertake an environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of a DEWATS in a local context. The DEWATS plant considered in this study is located in eThekwini Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal and was designed to treat wastewater volumes of 41.6m³/d. This study was aligned with LCA guidelines produced by the International Organisation for Standardisation. During the Life Cycle Inventory (LCI) phase of this study, data for both the construction and operation phases were collected and subsequently processed using SimaPro LCA analysis software and the CML (Centrum Melieukunde Leiden) midpoint methodology. The key findings of this study revealed that domestic water consumption was the largest contributor to environmental impacts on the impact categories considered. Further to this, it was found that low flush interventions resulted in a large reduction in wastewater and significantly improve the environmental profile of the DEWATS. Based on the results of this study it is recommended that further emphasis on the reduction of greywater generation is required and a reduction on the reliance on municipal domestic water. Although a separate process, the minimisation of the energy requirements of upstream water treatment processes may significantly improve the environmental profile of the DEWATS.
Operational greenhouse gas emissions of public transportation in the eThekwini Municipality.
(2015) Gopaul, Alison.; Friedrich, Elena.; Stretch, Derek Dewey.
The transport sector is responsible for the production of approximately 23% of worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, highlighting the responsibility and opportunity for efficient mobility. Sustainable measures must be adopted for GHG emission mitigation, as an attempt to reduce the effects of climate change. The lack of formal and reliable public transport (PT) systems in South Africa has prompted the proposal of integrated rapid public transport networks (IRPTNs) for implementation in 12 South African metropolitan municipalities, including the eThekwini Municipal Area (EMA). The aim is the provision of evolutionary PT systems that are accessible, affordable and safe, and will ultimately attract more users and induce a modal shift to minimise congestion on the road network. Motivated by the shortage of carbon emission studies and scenario analyses in the transport sector, this study serves as a benchmark for the GO!Durban system – the IRPTN planned for the EMA. The integrated system is planned to be fully operational by 2027. The baseline carbon emissions of the Business-As-Usual (BAU) Scenario were compared with the exante carbon emissions of the GO!Durban system in the year 2030, for several vehicle technology options. Results showed that the implementation of GO!Durban, will decrease GHG emissions of the PT sector of the EMA by 54% to 60% in 2030. The results were partially validated by the monitored carbon credits study conducted on the Rea Vaya BRT in the City of Johannesburg, which achieved a 69% decrease in GHG emissions. This is indicates the achievable success of GO!Durban on a significantly larger scale. The procurement of efficient vehicle technology is the key factor. The X’Trapolis Mega rolling stock with a regenerative braking system, is currently in manufacture for the GO!Durban system and latest European Emission Standard V buses are recommended for operation along bus routes. Further studies are advised, including investigating the cumulative emission reductions during implementation of GO!Durban, and incrementalism as an alternative way forward.
Optimizing rainwater harvesting systems in the eThekwini Municipality: a case study of a public school.
(2021) Maharaj, Praval.; Friedrich, Elena.
Rainwater harvesting (RWH) provides a unique perspective for water conservation, especially when considering the South African water crisis. Harvested rainwater could potentially be used for activities like toilet flushing, thereby reducing the strain on municipal supply networks. However, the economic and environmental feasibility of such systems needs to be assessed in relation to their water-saving benefits. Therefore, this research aimed to uncover the viability of two types of RWH systems implemented at a school (Duffs Road Primary). The assessment and design of the two systems (pumped and gravity-fed) were performed providing insight into system optimization in the economic and ecological settings. Water harvestings, municipal cost savings, and municipal carbon emission reductions were key aspects of each system's performance. Economic considerations included capital costs and return periods, while the environmental aspects encompassed system carbon footprints (assembly and operation) and carbon emission reduction periods. Life cycle assessments (LCAs) of the system components were also incorporated into the research, acting as an extension of the environmental feasibility analysis. The LCAs were performed using a software-modelling program called SimaPro. It was found that the gravity-fed system outperformed the pumped system in both economic and environmental contexts. Although the pumped system garnered higher harvestings and municipal savings and was also deemed economically feasible with a return period of under 6 years, the presence of pumps made the system ecologically inviable. On the other hand, the gravity-fed system would allow for yearly benefits of 452.48 kL in water savings, R27 850.94 in municipal cost savings, and 185.11 kg CO2 in municipal carbon emission savings. Including the fact that the return period would be less than 5 years and the period to reduce the system carbon footprint at just over 10 years, the system displayed both economic and environmental viability (from a global warming perspective). Besides the gravity-fed system costing less, it would also eliminate environmental emissions that would usually be generated from pump operation. Furthermore, energy usage and costs associated with pump operation would also be non-existent. However, the construction/production of the components of the gravity-fed RWH systems would always result in environmental burdens as assessed using the SimaPro software. Hence, recommendations for alternate materials that are more environmentally friendly may be possible for future endeavours.
The relationship between the infrastructure, within the palmiet catchment, and the condition of the Palmiet River water quality and Riparian zone.
(2016) Naidoo, Semeshan.; Friedrich, Elena.; Buckley, Christopher Andrew.
The construction and daily operation of infrastructure systems, has imposed significant negative consequences on the natural environment. The primary aim of this study was to explore the relationship between the infrastructure, within the Palmiet Catchment, and the condition of the river water quality and riparian zone. It was hypothesized that the Palmiet Catchment has been significantly impacted by the development of the surrounding land. Visual observations of the accessible areas of the Palmiet River, and its associated tributaries, were undertaken with the following key impacts assessed: indigenous vegetation removal, exotic vegetation, channel modification, inundation, water abstraction, flow modification, bed modification, water quality and rubbish dumping. The recorded impacts were then represented onto Geographic Information Systems forming baseline maps of the current ecological condition of the Palmiet River, relative to the abovementioned impacts. Results indicated that the Palmiet River and its riparian zone were in various degrees of degradation. The river channel has been extensively modified by hard infrastructure, thus reducing the infiltration ability resulting in the channelling of the river water. In addition, the impervious surfaces, numerous stormwater outlets and obstructions, i.e. infrastructure supports within the river channel, has significantly modified the flow rate causing the scouring of both the riverbed and riverbank. Numerous blockages and failures in the sewer system as well as illegal activities of industries, in the Pinetown and New Germany areas, has resulted in sewage, containing trade effluent, being discharged directly into the Palmiet River, affecting the water quality. The informal settlements, located near the mouth of the Palmiet River, are another major contributor to the degradation of the Palmiet catchment. Service delivery problems and trust issues in this area has resulted in the accumulation of waste items along the riverbank. The results obtained validate the hypothesis that urbanisation, and infrastructure development in particular, has led to the degradation of the natural environment. By understanding the extent and severity of the impacts imposed on the Palmiet Catchment remedial interventions can be implemented. These interventions include: retention ponds, weirs and wetlands to regulate and slow down the flow of the Palmiet River; geotextile engineering solutions as opposed to hard infrastructure solutions to stabilise collapsing riverbanks; rainwater tanks and retention areas in industries and households to reduce the amount of runoff entering the Palmiet River, the rainwater tanks can potentially also serve as a supplement to the water needs, thereby, reducing the water bills; improved service delivery and the potential hiring of members from the informal settlement to reduce and remove the accumulation of waste and promote trust between different members of the community, and wider municipal area.
Waste water treatment of effluents from corn processing plant.
(2013) Ndlovu, Vuyani.; Friedrich, Elena.; Trois, Cristina.
South Africa is facing numerous challenges that pertain to increasing water deficit and pollution of water resources. Only 40 out of 821 wastewater treatment works in South Africa achieved Green Drop certifications in the 2010 Green Drop assessments (DWA, 2011). This is not only threatening net water availability but also human health. South African water sources are comprised of 77 % surface water, 14 % return flows and 9 % groundwater (van Vuuren, 2009). This study was therefore intended to explore the quality, quantity and treatability of corn wet milling effluent resulting from Tongaat Hulett Starch Pty Ltd (THS) operations. THS is a major producer of corn derived starch and glucose in Africa. Amongst its three corn wet milling plants in Gauteng (Kliprivier, Germiston and Meyerton) and one in Western Cape (Bellville), 600000 tonnes of maize were processed in the 2011/2012 financial year. The objective of the study was to establish the wastewater footprint of the corn wet milling process. To achieve this, qualitative and quantitative characterisation studies were completed on effluents generated from the Germiston and Meyerton corn wet milling plants, respectively. This characterisation study was focused on volumetric and organic load analyses of the various sections of the corn wet milling process. A full scale anaerobic digestion treatability study of the Meyerton plant effluent was also conducted. The study results indicated that the combined effluent discharged to the Municipal sewer averaged between 2.9 and 3.1 m3/tonne of corn processed. The effluent generated resulted in an average chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations of between 6211 and 7790 mg/L, with suspended solid concentrations of between 635 and 899 mg/L. From the full scale anaerobic treatability study, a minimum of 87 % COD removal at organic volumetric loading rates (OLR) of between 0.3 and 3.9 kg COD/m3.d was achieved. It was concluded that corn wet milling effluent can be categorised as high strength in terms of COD concentrations. This type of effluent proved to be amenable to anaerobic digestion treatment. Anaerobic pretreatment of corn wet milling effluent can proportionately reduce pollution loading into the receiving municipal conventional wastewater treatment systems.