Optimization of waste reduction in the construction sector: the case study of the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Trois, Cristina. | |
| dc.contributor.author | Pillay, Giselle Caitlin. | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2022-05-19T11:28:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2022-05-19T11:28:17Z | |
| dc.date.created | 2021 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2021 | |
| dc.description | Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu- Natal, Durban. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | Although South Africa is on the road to a greener future through the Act No. 26 of 2014: National Environmental Management: Waste Amendment Act 2014, the South African Waste Report (Department of Environmental Affairs, 2018b) states that in 2017, 48% of the overall construction and demolition waste was landfilled. This percentage indicates that an extensive quantity of valuable and recyclable construction and demolition (C&D) waste is disposed to landfills or utilized in insignificant applications. The eThekwini Municipality, the third largest municipality in South Africa, has diminishing airspace of its landfills. Construction and demolition waste consumes approximately 40% of eThekwini Municipality’s landfill airspace. The Integrated Waste Management Plan of Durban Solid Waste Unit (DSW) of the eThekwini Municipality does not include a specific construction and demolition waste management strategy. Therefore the eThekwini municipality was chosen as the case study for this research. The Waste and Resource Optimisation Scenario Evaluation (WROSE) model is a decision-making tool that was developed in South Africa by UKZN to enable municipalities to optimise their waste management strategies. This study aims to establish the most economical, social, and environmentally feasible C&D waste management scenario to be implemented in the eThekwini Municipality as well as to expand the WROSE model to include different C&D waste management strategies. The literature review showed the relevance of research, critically evaluating the waste management strategies that are practiced internationally and nationally. This was followed by a waste stream analysis of DSW’s weighbridge data. This data was utilized in the creation of valorisation scenarios for C&D waste, which were inputted in the WROSE model. Various scenarios were investigated to determine sustainable management of C&D waste that included landfilling, landfilling with recovery of rubble for creation of access roads in landfills; 50% diversion from being landfilled and recycling of the aggregates by DSW; as well as 65% diversion and recycling by a specialised company. Analysis of the weighbridge data indicated that approximately 40% of the eThekwini municipality’s MSW is C&D waste, with builders rubble increase rate of 1000 tons per year and Sand and Cover material increase rate of 10 800 tons per year. The WROSE outputs included Landfill Space Savings, Job Creation Potential and Economic Feasibility of the scenarios analysed. The analysis conducted using the WROSE Model show that a total of 3 300 000 m3 of landfill airspace can be saved, 59 jobs created, and R 108 000 000 generated at Buffelsdraai and Lovu landfills over the next ten years. Implementing the scenarios and recommendations displayed in this study will aid the eThekwini municipality in finding a solution to the diminishing landfill airspace problem and overall improve society by saving valuable natural resources, creating jobs and uplifting the community. | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://researchspace.ukzn.ac.za/handle/10413/20391 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.subject.other | Recyclable construction. | en_US |
| dc.subject.other | Builders rubble. | en_US |
| dc.subject.other | Waste management--eThekwini Municipality. | en_US |
| dc.subject.other | Durban solid waste--Construction waste. | en_US |
| dc.subject.other | Demolition waste. | en_US |
| dc.subject.other | Landfills--eThekwini Municipality. | en_US |
| dc.title | Optimization of waste reduction in the construction sector: the case study of the eThekwini Municipality in South Africa. | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |