Mining activities accelerate the rate and degree of changes in the natural environment. These activities modify landscapes and can have long-term pollution impacts on communities and water resources due to their physical degrading nature, as well as their use of chemicals and other harmful substances. This study carried out by Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering of the University of Energy and Natural Resources therefore sought to assess the role of Newmont Akyem towards affecting the various water bodies in Akyem District. Qualitative and quantitative comparative methods were used for gathering data and performing analysis. The findings indicated that the physico-chemical parameters tested for the water bodies were all within the EPA, Ghana standards for drinking water except for the Pra River which recorded high levels of TSS indicating that there was, possibly, illegal mining activities upstream affecting the quality of the water. The study recommends that government provides both training and equipment to support small scale miners to avoid illegal mining. Also mining companies should contribute towards developing alternative livelihood for communities on whose lands they occupy. EPA should enforce environmental laws to protect the water bodies and the environment.
On-plot sanitation is vital in many low-income country urban areas. Pit emptying is critical to its sustainability and small-scale manual emptiers play a key role in this. This paper investigates the sustainability of manual pit emptying as a livelihood option, focusing on the key sustainable livelihood factors relating to the human, social, physical and financial capitals of manual emptiers. These relate to: their role as emptiers; the employment systems and equipment; their health, well-being, social status and the acceptability of the job they do. The paper concludes that the current state of pit-emptying practice does not represent a sustainable long-term livelihood option for manual pit emptiers, as long as it continues with no improvements in technology, insufficient financial incentives and inadequate health and safety measures. Recommendations to improve sustainability include: improvements in emptying technology; provision of subsidies and free medical care; and health and safety education.
Scrap metals can create jobs. It can also be reused and recycled as resource recovery measure in a circular economic model for Ghana. This case study therefore is a preliminary assessment of the quantity and economic value of scrap metals as essential part of resource recovery in the circular economic model. The findings of the study shows that scrap metal industry is growing in the Sunyani Municipality and similar trend is likely in other cities in Ghana as well. The most abundant of the metals found was aluminum while copper was most expensive. Though sales of the scrap was profitable, it was done on monthly basis owing to low rate of volume of scrap realized by the owners. Much of the scrap was dumped at various waste dumping sites in the municipality, thus raising concerns about lack of knowledge of residents about the profitability and recovery values of scrap metals in the circular models. As a result, this could lead to environmental pollution, inefficient resource utilization and energy uses. Therefore, proper education, policy and regulatory measures are key recommendations to prevent these and encourage uses of scrap metals in the circular economy of Ghana. Also, it is recommended that transfer, recycling and foundry stations should be built to prevent high transportation cost due to long haulage distance to final destination points of sales and recycling or reuses.
A significant global proportion of households rely on pit latrines to defecate, which must periodically be either emptied or relocated when full [1]. Lack of space and new latrine construction cost however mean that the only practical and cost-effective option for low-income high-density peri-urban poor is pit latrine emptying (PLE) [2]. Such pit latrine misuse contributes to the current PLE challenges. Pit latrines' filling rate is directly proportional to the quantity of excreta addition to the pit per person per year Strande et al., [1]. PLE allows the facility to be a permanent one, relocated in-house, and makes excreta use possible. However, excreta require arrangements not only for emptying, but also containment, transportation, treatment, and safe disposal or reuse. Pit latrine misuse affects latrine filling rate, which is a function of pit emptying intervals. Pit latrines general performance in Sub-Saharan Africa is unsatisfactory [3], partly due to misuse. A study found that besides pit latrine's fundamental role of excreta containment and processing for reuse or disposal, 90% of households in the Mzuzu (Malawi) peri-urban area surprisingly use pit latrines for domestic waste disposal [4]. Research conducted in a low-income highdensity peri-urban Kotoko community in Kumasi (Ghana) showed that out of 44% of latrine attendants interviewed who knew how the community latrine's generated income was used, all mentioned PLE, cleaners' and latrine attendants' salaries, while 39% of
This study investigated the feasibility of utilizing composite septic tank to reduce cost, save space and prevent faecal related diseases. Survey research methodology was adopted based on people's experience with septic tank, water use, soil properties, land space, user numbers and user satisfaction. The study also provides procedure in the design of a two-compartment septic tank with soil absorption field for three composite houses of thirty residents. Calculation utilizing Brazilian code was employed in the sizing of a two-compartment septic tank, which considers the tank in four zones; the scum zone, the sedimentation zone, the sludge digestion zone and the sludge storage zone. It was found that majority of the residents in the study area connected with septic tanks are not only willing to share composite septic tanks but are also financially capable of constructing and maintaining it. Shared septic tank coupled with suitable conditions is cost effective for households.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.