إعادة تدوير النفايات في المملكة العربية السعودية

مؤخرا بدء الإهتمام بمفهوم “إعادة تدوير النفايات” في المملكة العربية السعودية. حيث تنتج المملكة مايقارب ال 15 مليون طن من النفايات البلدية الصلبة سنويا، و بمعدل 1.4 كيلوغرام لكل شخص! ومن المتوقع أن يتضاعف هذا العدد (مع إزدياد التعداد السكاني في المملكة بنسبة 3.4 ) بحلول العام 2033م إلى 30 مليون طن سنويا!  وجدير بالذكر أن معظم مصادر النفايات هي نفايات بقايا الطعام حيث تشكل حوالي 40 إلى51% و تليها النفايات البلاستيكية 5-17% و النفايات الورقية و الورق المقوى  النفايات من بقايا الزجاج 3-5% و بقايا الخشب 2-8% و بقايا الأقمشة 2-6% و بقايا الحديد2-8% وهذا يعتمد على نوع الأنشطة … Continue reading

Environmental Impact of Olive Oil Processing

More commonly known for its popular culinary and medicinal benefits, olive cultivation, olive oil production and oil packaging are a part of the local heritage and rural economy throughout the North African and Mediterranean regions. In 2012, an estimated 2,903,676 tons of olive oil was produced worldwide, the largest olive oil producers being Spain, Italy, and Greece followed by Turkey and Tunisia and to a lesser extent Portugal, Morocco and Algeria. Within the European Union’s olive sector alone, there are roughly 2.5 million producers, who make up roughly one-third of all EU farmers. The olive oil industry offers valuable opportunities to … Continue reading

نصائح لتقليل النفايات الغذائية

للنفايات الغذائية آثار بيئية واقتصادية واجتماعية أيضاً. إن ارتفاع معدلات الدخل والإنفاق الفردية، ومستوى المعيشة، والقدرة على الإنفاق، وسلوكياتنا في إهدار الطعام تؤثر سلباً على مواردنا المحدودة. فأصبح من الشائع أن نرى أكوام من الطعام المتبقي في أطباق الطعام في مراكز التسوق والمطاعم. وللأسف فإن القدرة على الإنفاق أدت إلى زيادة متسارعة في إنتاج وتراكم النفايات الغذائية في دول الشرق الأوسط عامة، وفي دول مجلس التعاون الخليجي خاصة. ويمكن قياس خطورة الوضع من خلال الحقائق التي تبيّن أنه يتم إنتاج أكثر من 300 طن من النفايات الغذائية يومياً في البحرين، مما يشكل حوالي 11% من النفايات البلدية. حيث يتم إلقاء … Continue reading

5 Rules to Become a Zero-Waste College Student

Are you a college student who is trying to give back to the environment by going zero? Are you looking for tips on how to go waste-free? Well, you are in the right place. We will show you some ways with the help of which you can achieve a zero-waste lifestyle and low waste living. We begin by saying, Congratulations. It is highly appreciated that you are trying to play your part in the betterment of the world at such a tender age. Let’s look at a few ways that will help you answer the question of how to go … Continue reading

Can Portable Toilets Create a Greener World?

Future generations need a sustainable, safe planet, which is why industries are focusing more on how they impact the environment. Portable toilets are one example of an industry that strives to be eco-friendly. It is a green product since it’s recyclable, and you can move it from one place to another without needing a permanent toilet. Read on to learn more about how portable toilets contribute to a greener world. 1. Water Conservation Every day, the average American flushes more water down the toilet than they do for any other purpose. The good news is that you don’t need to … Continue reading

Drilling Waste Management and Cement Industry

During the exploration and production of oil, huge amounts of drilling wastes are produced in the form of mud and cuttings.  As per conservative estimates, around 0.37 kg of drilling wastes is generated for every barrel of oil produced. The American Petroleum Institute (API) has estimated that approximately 1.21 barrels of total drilling wastes are generated for every foot drilled. The Middle East oil and gas industry has made a lot of effort in order to reduce the environmental impact of their activities; modern drilling methods such as horizontal drilling, navigating the drill bits three dimensionally through the earth, contacting … Continue reading

How to Convert Scrap Tires into Biofuel

Waste disposal is a serious concern these days, especially with the increasing public awareness of the need to protect the environment. Solid wastes like old tires present complicated disposal problems. Large, hollow, durable, and non-biodegradable, old tires can take up substantial space in landfills. Leaving tires to nature can also be problematic as mosquitoes and other pests may thrive on them. In the United States, an estimated 300 million scrap tires are produced every year. Around the world, the number jumps to about 2 billion. Fortunately, there are several ways to recycle scrap tires including conversion into biofuels. What is … Continue reading

تحسين الوضع الاقتصادي للمجتمعات عن طريق تعزيز مشاريع إعادة التدوير

   تعتبر البلديات و المجالس المحلية المسئول المباشر عن إدارة ملف النفايات الصلبة في المدن حول العالم للحفاظ على المدن نظيفة. ففي الوقت التي تحتل فيه التكنولوجيا المتوفرة (جمع النفايات، النقل، إعادة التدوير، التخزين، المعالجة)، تزداد النداءات الدولية لإعادة النظر إلى مجال إدارة النفايات الصلبة كأداة لحل العديد من المشاكل الاقتصادية، الإجتماعية، و البيئية. و من هذه الأصوات الرئيس الأمريكي السابق "بيل كلينتون" عندما صرح في المؤتمر السنوي لمبادرة كلينتون العالمية عام 2010 " إذا أردتم محاربة التغير المناخي، تحسين الصحة العامة، إيجاد فرص عمل للفقراء و خلق مناخ مناسب للروّاد، فإن أفضل الطرق للوصول لهذا الشيئ هو إغلاق مكبات النفايات" … Continue reading

Working of a Modern Biogas Plant

Biogas plants are decentralized energy system that can lead to self-sufficiency in heat and power requirements, and at the same time reduces environmental pollution. A biogas plant stabilizes organic waste through natural biological process in the absence of air and transforms waste into biogas and biofertilizer. Such facilities are well-suited to wet organic material and are commonly used for treating biodegradable waste materials such as waste paper, grass clippings, leftover food, sewage and animal waste. The components of a modern biogas plant includes manure collection, anaerobic digester, effluent treatment plant, gas storage, and CHP or electricity generating equipment. Working of … Continue reading

Medical Wastes in GCC

There has been a growing awareness of the need for safe management of medical waste all over the world. Medical Waste are generated by all health sectors including hospitals, laboratories, diagnostic and research centers, dental and medical clinics, blood banks, mortuaries and autopsy centres, veterinary hospitals, industrial laboratories etc. Medical wastes which pose the greatest risk to human health are infectious waste (or hazardous medical waste) which constitutes 15 – 25 percent of total healthcare waste. Infectious wastes may include all waste items that are contaminated with or suspected of being contaminated with body fluids such as blood and blood products, used catheters … Continue reading

The Concept of Generalised Extended Producer Responsibility (GEPR)

The notion of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) has been part of the waste policy for a long time, particularly within the OECD countries. According to the OECD, EPR “aims to make producers responsible for the environmental impacts of their products throughout the product chain, from design to the post-consumer phase” [1]. EPR alleviates the burden of Public Administrations for managing end-of-life products, while -if properly designed- incentivising waste prevention and recycling. Current Limitations of EPR After years of implementation it can be argued that Extended Producer Responsibility has not in fact been so extended. Several limitations are common: a) producer … Continue reading

Top Tips to Make the Most of Your Scrap Metal Recycling

Scrap metal is a valuable commodity in high demand by small and large corporations. This is why many people have become interested in recycling scrap metal. It can be good for the environment because when the metals are recycled, they’re less likely to end up in landfills, thereby reducing environmental pollution. Moreover, recycling scrap metal can help conserve energy used in manufacturing. Instead of making new metals from scratch, people and businesses can use recycled ones, reducing energy consumption and reliance on new resources. Yet aside from the ones mentioned, scrap metal collection can be a great way to earn … Continue reading