Abstract
Globally, water hyacinth is a known invasive species that predominantly threatens the pillars of sustainability. The cost of controlling these invasive plants is high and many Southern African countries are barely equipped for this liability as the process has to be performed over time. Despite this challenge, there is valuable resource recovery from water hyacinth which can be used to make financial and environmental returns. The visible differences between the control and utilisation methods lie in the definition, recognition, and matching of costs and benefits. Using a rapid appraisal of existing literature, which was analysed using meta-analysis, the current paper is an attempt to discuss the beneficial use of water hyacinth. It is argued in the paper that the economic feasibility of control methods which, on one hand, are used to calculate the economic value of water hyacinth, mainly relies on assumptions whose reliability and sustainability are questionable, thus implying limitations on using this kind of control methods. On the other hand, the costs and benefits of utilising water hyacinth can be quantifiable, making them susceptible to changes associated with time value and sensitivity analysis of possible fluctuations in cashflows. In the context of these annotations, other scholars have argued for the consideration of other utilisation alternatives, among which is included biogas which has been identified as the most viable option because of its potential in diversifying the energy mix, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and contributing to improved water quality. Given these observations, this paper aims to contribute to policy and research discussions on the fiscal understandings of the material recovery from water hyacinth to promote the adoption of biogas technology. These views are discussed within the broader discourse of the sustainable development goals (SDGs).
Highlights
Water hyacinth, commonly identified as Eichhornia crassipes, is a destructive invasive alien species (IAS) [1]
There have been considerable disagreements on the degree of adsorption of heavy metal by E. crassipes because the interaction of multiple metals is yet to be quantified; it is assumed that water hyacinth contains lignocellulose that can result in tethering of metal ions
Eichhornia crassipes can be utilised in the production of briquettes; its calorific value is lower than coal, it could be co-fired to reduce the greenhouse gases released by coal-fired power plants
Summary
Commonly identified as Eichhornia crassipes, is a destructive invasive alien species (IAS) [1]. E. crassipes constitutes a threat to biodiversity, ecosystem functionality, human health, and socio-economic growth as well as poor people’s livelihoods and income generation This prompted African countries to make commitments to numerous international environmental treaties and, set up their national action plans concerning the severity of the infestations to their local environments. The viability component ofthe thisadverse review revolves the importance to identify factors that are pivotal for the of mitigating effects ofaround water hyacinth and are deliberated to be critical viability of mitigating the adverse water and relationship consequentlybetween are deliberated be for its implementation. The review,and that the made in thisanalysis paper will contribute to contemporary policy discussions researchenvisaged and development, outcome of the observations in this paper will contribute to contemporary policy discussions and influence sustainablemade environmental management of water hyacinth in Southern. An extensive web-based search using Google, SCOPUS, Ebscohost, and Web of Science was conducted, 2020, 12, 9222
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