Municipal solid waste (MSW) management remains a challenge in developing countries due to increasing waste generation, high costs associated with waste management and the structure of the containment systems implemented. This study analyses the classification of landfilling systems by using documented cases reported mainly in publications in waste management in relation to nonengineered landfilling systems/approved dumpsites in Sub Saharan African (SSA) countries from 2000 to 2018. The work identifies an existing system for the classification of landfill sites and utilises this system to determine the situation of landfill sites in SSA countries. Each article was categorised according to the main landfilling management practice reported: Uncontrolled dumping, semi controlled facility, medium controlled facility, medium/high-engineered facility or high state-of theart facility. Findings suggested that 80% of the documented cases of landfill sites assessed in SSA countries were classified as level 0 or 1. The structure of the containment and controlled regime were identified by the focus group discussion participants as important predictors of possible strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for the landfill sites considered. The study represents the first identifiable and comprehensive academic evaluation of landfill site classification based on site operations reported in the available peer reviewed literature. The information provides insight on the status of landfill sites in SSA countries with respect to the landfilling management practice and a baseline for alternative corrective measures.

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Proper management and safe disposal of medical waste (MW) is vital in the reduction of infection or illness through contact with discarded material and in the prevention of environmental contamination in hospital facilities. The management practices for MW in selected healthcare facilities in Lagos, Nigeria were assessed. The cross-sectional study involved the use of questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focused group discussions and participant observation strategies. It also involved the collection, segregation, identification and weighing of waste types from wards and units in the representative facilities in Lagos, Nigeria, for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the MW streams. The findings indicated that the selected Nigerian healthcare facilities were lacking in the adoption of sound MW management (MWM) practices. The average MW ranged from 0.01 kg/bed/day to 3.98 kg/bed/day. Moreover, about 30% of the domestic waste from the healthcare facilities consisted of MW due to inappropriate co-disposal practices. Multiple linear regression was applied to predict the volume of waste generated giving a correlation coefficient (R(2)) value of 0.99 confirming a good fit of the data. This study revealed that the current MWM practices and strategies in Lagos are weak, and suggests an urgent need for review to achieve vital reversals in the current trends.

Sustainability in the manufacture of different construction materials raises many important issues. Nowadays, there is increasing demand for such materials to be produced using environmentally friendly, low energy consuming production methods. This paper presents a review of the current research relating to the use of various production techniques for claybased construction materials. The techniques which will be reviewed are: blending and stabilising, alkali activation (geopolymerisation) and the use of microwave heating as an innovative sintering, curing and drying method. The advantages and disadvantages of each technique will be discussed. Additionally, a comparison between the environmental and economic aspects of the studied production techniques along with some suggestions to improve the sustainability of different production techniques will be discussed.

Lime and/or Ordinary Portland cement (OPC) are the traditional binders used in soft soil 17 stabilisation. However, their manufacture has a negative impact on the environment. This 18 paper reports the results of experimental work for the optimisation of a binary blended 19 cementitious binder (BBCB) using two types of fly ash as an alternative for use in soft soil 20 stabilisation. The optimum content of the high calcium fly ash (HCFA) was initially 21 determined along with the effect of grinding activation on the performance of HCFA. 22 Subsequently, the effect of palm oil fuel ash (POFA) pozzolanic reactivity on the engineering 23 properties of soft soil, stabilised with HCFA, was investigated by producing different binary 24 mixtures of HCFA and POFA. Based on the Atterberg limits and unconfined compressive 25 strength (UCS) tests, the combination of POFA with HCFA results in a considerably lower 26 plasticity index (PI) and higher compressive strength than those obtained from the soil treated 27 with HCFA alone. Substantial changes in the microstructure and binders of the stabilised soil 28 over curing time were evidenced by SEM imaging and XRD analysis. A solid and coherent 29 *Revised manuscript with no changes marked Click here to view linked References structure was achieved after treatment with BBCB as evidenced by the formation of C-S-H, 30 portlandite and ettringite as well as secondary calcite.

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