Opportunities and challenges

Development and deployment of industrial effluent treatment systems in sub-Saharan Africa

Karoli Njau, University of Dar es Salaam/ Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science & Technology

Bio-innovate Regional Experts Workshop on Industrial Effluents Management in East Africa

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 19-20 May 2014

IntroductionOne of the most critical

problems of developing countries is improper management of vast amount of wastes generated by various anthropogenic activities

More challenging is the unsafe disposal of these wastes into the ambient environment.

IntroductionIndustrial effluents are characterized by

their abnormal turbidity, conductivity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), total suspended solids (TSS), biological oxygen demand (BOD), and total hardness.

These industrial discharge may also contain toxic substances such as heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs, dioxins, poly-aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), petrochemicals, phenolic compounds and microorganisms etc.

IntroductionRiver systems are the primary means

for disposal of industrial waste. Industrial effluent greatly influences

the physical, chemical and biological nature of the receiving water body

High levels of pollutants in river water systems causes an increase in BOD, COD, TDS, TSS, toxic metals such as Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb and fecal coliform and hence make such water unsuitable for drinking, irrigation and aquatic life

TECHNOLOGIES FOR TREATING INDUSTRIAL WASTEWATERS Various technologies are available for

the treatment of industrial wastewaters based on Physical, Chemical and Biological Treatment methods

For the biological methodsAerated systems: Activated Sludge,

SBR, Trickling Filter, Three phase fluidized bed bio-reactor, aerated lagoons, Moving bed biofilm reactor, etc.

Anaerobic systems: UASB, Stirred Tank Bio-rector, etc.

Trickling Filter Trickling Filter Activated Sludge

UASB CSTR Bioreactor

Technologies continuesDespite availability of various WWT

technologies, adoption by Industries in SSA is low. So few industries have proper wastewater treatment system in place

A study done in Nigeria gives some insights into the perception of industries regarding adoption of technology either for pollution abatement or pollution preventionJOHN OLATUNJI ADEOTI(2001). Technology Investment In Pollution

Control in Sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from Nigerian Manufacturing The Developing Economies, XXXIX-4 (December 2001): 395–431

TPA Adoption Reason % Respondent Firms

Important

Most Import.

Prevent Environmental Accidents

91.31 34.82

Environmental Policy 78.32 41.31

International Norm of Parent Company

51.6 6.54

Improve Environmental Image

71.73 13.03

Product Acceptance in Int. Markets

6.5 0

Pacify Local Community 54.34 4.3Pacify NGOs 13.0 0Other Reasons 7.0 0

Adoption of Technologies for Pollution Abatement (TPA)

Technology Adoption for Pollution Prevention

Type of Technology for Pollution Prevention

% of TPP Adoption due to

Cost Reduction

Environmental Regulation

Water and Wastewater Recycling

852 701

Raw materials reuse/recycling

921 303

Changes in raw material inputs

38 29

Integrated physical devices 713 332

Average 72 41

Obstacles to Adoption No. of Respondent

Firms in SectorsFood & Beverages

Textiles

Lack of information about EBTs 7 3

High cost of installing and operating TPA

44 19

Lack of technical capability to use TPA

1 0

High cost of TPP 1 0

Lack of capability to implement TPP

0 0

Low technical feasibility of TPP 0 0

Uncertain impact of ETs on competitiveness

3 0

Lack of credit to invest in EBTs 3 5

Other obstacles 36 0

THE INTEGRATED PROCESS FOR WASTEWATER

TREATMENT DEVELOPED UNDER BIOINNOVATE

General Layout of the Integrated Agro Wastewater Treatment Scheme

Advantages : •Recovery of energy and nutrients, incentive to treat•Better quality of final effluent

SLUDGE PROCESSIN

G

BIO- REACTOR

CONSTRUCTED WETLAND

Pre-treatmen

t

Re-Use of Water

and Nutrients

Modification of characteristics

Final Polishing

Bio gas

BIOGAS PROJECT @ BIL

Constructed Wetland @BIL

OPPORTUNITIESMost industries in the SSA are NOT treating

their wastewater adequately. The numbers that need sustainable WWT technologies is HIGH

Many are agro-based with wastewaters containing high levels of BOD/COD. This is excellent potential for energy recovery option

Energy costs are high in SSA. Replacement of fossil fuels by biogas is a great incentive for industries to adopt

In many SSA countries Policy and accompanying Law exists

CHALLENGESEnforcement of existing laws is

weak in many countries in the SSA region◦“ One of the greatest challenges of an

enforcement department in a developing country comes in form of threats from powerful individuals and groups. When such individuals and/or groups own industries which in turn form themselves into associations, they become extremely formidable”

CHALLENGESLack of serious incentive

schemes to encourage industries to comply-carrot and stick approach

Perception of Industries that taking care of environment is costly

Investment Cost for establishing proper ETP vs sizes of the companies in the region (small and medium scale)

CHALLENGES Lack of financing mechanism to

finance waste treatment systemsLow knowledge among industries

on the technological possibilities available

“The costs of compliance with environmental regulations are determined, in part, by the cost and availability of alternative production and abatement technologies, and regulations themselves can affect the nature and rate of technological change”.

THE COST BURDEN

The cost burden can be in the form of Capital InvestmentRunning costs

Capital costs depend on technologies of choice – cheap is not always the best option

Running Costs depend on the complexity of the process and the inputs needed

WAYS TO REDUCE THE COST BURDEN

Availability of low interest funding mechanisms for environmental technologies

Tax relief on such investmentsMonetary Incentives for compliance

and disincentives for non compliancePlanning industrial system as an

ecological system where waste from one industry can be a raw material for another –(reduces the waste to be treated)

WAYS TO REDUCE THE COST BURDEN cont..The waste management “value chain”, which

includes the collection, treatment, reuse, disposal and recycling of various waste streams, provides economic incentives that allow for the private sector to be an effective partner in environmental management.

Create a new venture within the waste treatment where the resource recovery step can be handled by a separate investor (e.g. energy production). This will divide the costs between two investors with very different ultimate aim.

WAYS TO INCREASE ADOPTION

Improve enforcement of existing lawsIntroduce financial or non-financial

incentives for compliance to environmental law

Introduce disincentives for non- compliance

Provide enabling environment for private sector investment in the waste management value chain

Awareness building among industries on available possibilities

CONCLUSIONSMechanism to ease the investment cost for

environmental technologies is key to adoption. Unless this is resolved local companies in the SSA countries will continue to find it difficult to implement sound technologies for wastewater treatment

Industries in SSA are likely to adopt if value is created along the chain. Designers of ET systems need to innovate systems which create a value along the treatment chain. If this created value can directly influence general costs of the firm the adoption is more likely

Policy and policy environment influences the rate of adoption

END

Industries are the major sources of pollution in all environments. Based on the type of industry, various levels of pollutants can be discharged into the environment directly or indirectly

through public sewer lines. Wastewater from industries includes employees’ sanitary waste, process wastes from manufacturing, wash waters and relatively uncontaminated water from heating and cooling operations [7]. High levels of pollutants in river water systems causes an increase in biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), toxic metals such as Cd, Cr, Ni and Pb and fecal

coliform and hence make such water unsuitable for drinking, irrigation and aquatic life. Industrial

wastewaters range from high biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) from biodegradable wastes

such as those from human sewage, pulp and paper industries, slaughter houses, tanneries and

chemical industry.

Technology Response for Pollution Abatement (TPA)

JOHN OLATUNJI ADEOTI(2001). Technology Investment In Pollution Control in Sub-saharan Africa: Evidence from Nigerian Manufacturing The Developing Economies, XXXIX-4 (December 2001): 395–431