Waste Management Technologies Research Articles

재개발 지역의 해체폐기물 발생량 예측을 위한 최적 k-earest neighbors (KNN) 모델 개발

Due to the rapid increase in waste generation, smart waste management technology has become important in recent years. In this study, an optimal demolition waste generation rate (DWGR) prediction model was developed by applying various distance metrics of the K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) algorithm. The optimal K value and the prediction model were determined through mean square error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE), coefficient of determination (R²), and coefficient of variation of the root mean square error (CVRMSE) for Euclidean, Manhattan, and Chebyshev as KNN metrics. As a result of this study, it was found that the Manhattan-KNN (k=5) model (R² value of 0.789) had better predictive performance than the Euclidean-KNN (k=6) model (R² value of 0.685) and the Chebyshev-KNN (k=12) model (R² value of 0.627) in predicting DWGR. And the mean of the observed values was 987.181 kg·mSUP-2/SUP, and the mean of the predictive values of the Manhattan, Euclidean, and Chebyshev models were 992.307 kg·mSUP-2/SUP, 993.144 kg·mSUP-2/SUP and 994.050 kg·mSUP-2/SUP, respectively.

Managing Asbestos Waste Using Technological Alternatives to Approved Deep Burial Landfill Methods: An Australian Perspective

Given Australia’s significant and aged asbestos legacy, the long-term sustainability of effective and accessible asbestos waste management is a national priority of Australia’s Asbestos National Strategic Plan. The current policy for managing hazardous asbestos waste is via deep burial in landfill. Technological alternatives to approved deep burial landfill methods exist and could be considered innovative and sustainable additional options for managing asbestos waste, where these are proven viable, and where appropriate policy and regulatory changes are implemented. We present a summary of alternative asbestos waste management technologies and discuss issues influencing their potential application in the Australian context. Increasing the options for asbestos waste management in Australia may additionally facilitate the safe, planned removal of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) from the built environment. Altogether, this will reduce the potential for exposure to asbestos fibres and work towards eliminating asbestos-related disease in Australia, therefore contributing towards achieving the overarching aim of Australia’s Asbestos National Strategic Plan.

Effectiveness of the IoT in Regional Energy Transition: The Smart Bin Case Study

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU aims to become climate-neutral and reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Lignite has long dominated the electricity system of Greece, providing cheap and reliable energy, given the abundant and low-cost domestic resources at the cost of increased emission. In line with its national and international commitments to climate action, Greece needs to urgently transform its energy system and overcome its technological lock-ins, paving the way for a net-zero emission economy by the mid-century. The Internet of Things plays a significant role in this direction, providing with its technologies the protection of the environment and creating new jobs. The smart bins constitute an interesting proposal for areas in the energy transition. This research work reflects the current situation in the region of Western Macedonia and proposes the smart bin project as a part of the solution in the transition to the post-lignite era. For this purpose, survey research has been conducted in the municipalities of Greece on waste management technology.

Dynamic Multi-Compartment Vehicle Routing Problem for Smart Waste Collection

The rapid increase in urbanization results in an increase in the volume of municipal solid waste produced every day, causing overflow of the garbage cans and thus distorting the city’s appearance; for this and environmental reasons, smart cities involve the use of modern technologies for intelligent and efficient waste management. Smart bins in urban environments contain sensors that measure the status of containers in real-time and trigger wireless alarms if the container reaches a predetermined threshold, and then communicate the information to the operations center, which then sends vehicles to collect the waste from the selected stations in order to collect a significant waste amount and reduce transportation costs. In this article, we will address the issue of the Dynamic Multi-Compartmental Vehicle Routing Problem (DM-CVRP) for selective and intelligent waste collection. This problem is summarized as a linear mathematical programming model to define optimal dynamic routes to minimize the total cost, which are the transportation costs and the penalty costs caused by exceeding the bin capacity. The hybridized genetic algorithm (GA) is proposed to solve this problem, and the effectiveness of the proposed approach is verified by extensive numerical experiments on instances given by Valorsul, with some modifications to adapt these data to our problem. Then we were able to ensure the effectiveness of our approach based on the results in the static and dynamic cases, which are very encouraging.

A Comprehensive Review on Food Waste Reduction Based on IoT and Big Data Technologies

Food waste reduction, as a major application area of the Internet of Things (IoT) and big data technologies, has become one of the most pressing issues. In recent years, there has been an unprecedented increase in food waste, which has had a negative impact on economic growth in many countries. Food waste has also caused serious environmental problems. Agricultural production, post-harvest handling, and storage, as well as food processing, distribution, and consumption, can all lead to food wastage. This wastage is primarily caused by inefficiencies in the food supply chain and a lack of information at each stage of the food cycle. In order to minimize such effects, the Internet of Things, big data-based systems, and various management models are used to reduce food waste in food supply chains. This paper provides a comprehensive review of IoT and big data-based food waste management models, algorithms, and technologies with the aim of improving resource efficiency and highlights the key challenges and opportunities for future research.

Preface

We are pleased to provide you with the proceedings of 2022 4th International Conference on Resources and Environment Sciences (ICRES 2022).The conference was expected to be held during June 10-12, 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand, while the situation of COVID-19 pandemic is unpredictable and unstable. Most of conference participants could not travel to attend the conference venue to do oral presentations. Taking all conditions into consideration, conference committee decided to change physical conference into virtual conference. It was held online by ZOOM application successfully during the same date.The conference was highlighted by four outstanding Keynote Speakers and two invited speakers. Keynote speakers include Prof. Kaimin Shih, The University of Hong Kong, China with his topic “Metal Stabilization and Resource Recovery Examples in Urban Environment”; Prof. Nur Islami, University of Riau, Indonesia who presented a talk on “An Valuable Approach to Study Groundwater Contamination in a Shallow Aquifer System”; Prof. Danny Sutanto, University of Wollongong, Australia who shared a speech on “Solid-State Transformer for Smart Power Grid Applications”; Assoc. Prof. Phebe Ding, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysia who presented a talk about “Role of Postharvest Technology in Producing Quality Fresh Horticultural Produces”. Additionally, two excellent invited speakers, Assoc. Prof. Chunrong Jia from University of Memphis, Tennessee, USA with speech title “Apportioning variability of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the ambient air in the Memphis Tri-State Area, USA”, and Assoc. Prof. Farhad Shahnia from Murdoch University, Australia with speech title “Recent and Future Research on Microgrid Clusters”.Each normal oral presenter had about 12 Minutes of Presentation and 3 Minutes of Question and Answer. Conference was organized in 5 sessions with various topics: Environmental Management, Waste Utilization and Sustainable Development, Wastewater Treatment, Water Analysis and Hydraulic Engineering, Renewable Energy Technology, Chemical Engineering and Fluid Mechanics, Resources and Environmental Science & Sustainable Development, Energy and Chemical Engineering.All accepted papers presented at the ICRES 2022 were included in this volume, which contained three chapters with topics: (1) Environmental Pollution and Control (2) Waste Management and Utilization (3) Clean Energy and Technology. All papers were subjected to peer-review by conference committee members and international reviewers. The papers were selected based on high quality and high relevancy to the conference scope.We would like to express our sincere gratitude to organizing committee and the volunteers who have dedicated their time and efforts in planning, promoting, and helping the conference. We hope that the readers would gain some valuable knowledge from this effort.List of Committees, Statement of Peer Review are available in this Pdf.

Towards Viable Eco-Friendly Local Treatment of Blackwater in Sparsely Populated Regions

The maintenance of people’s lifestyle against global climate change, exhaustion of groundwater, depletion of minerals, and water scarcity has instigated the recycling and reuse of water from unlikely sources. This situation has motivated researchers to develop effective technologies for treating wastewater, enabling its reuse. Water security has been ensured in myriad, highly populated regions through large-scale centralized treatment facilities. The development and implementation of small-scale, renewable-energy-based, decentralized, on-site treatment methodologies ensure water sustainability in rural areas, where centralized treatment facilities are impractical for application. This review article focuses on the recently reported low-cost purification techniques for recycling wastewater generated by single and community-based households in sparsely populated areas. Here we propose treatment technologies for efficient waste management that can be easily integrated in the upcoming years to the lavatories built under the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM), a momentous cleanliness campaign that has been successfully implemented by the Government of India (GOI). Specifically, we suggest an electrochemical (EC) method to treat the supernatant of the Blackwater (BW) to produce purified non-potable water for reuse in diverse purposes. The EC technique does not require external chemicals for treatment and can be powered by sustainable technologies (like solar panels), thus reducing the treatment cost. Subsequently, vermicomposting, microwave, biogas, and phycoremediation methods are considered to treat the solid sludge to produce value-added products such as enriched organic fertilizer for agriculture and biofuel. The above methods also ensure the satisfactory reduction in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) (>85%) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) (81–91%) and the complete removal of pathogens and other harmful pollutants. Finally, the novel treatment techniques discussed here are not only limited to rural areas of India but can be implemented in any rural area of the world.

Life cycle energy use and greenhouse gas emissions for a novel algal-osmosis membrane system versus conventional advanced potable water reuse processes: Part I

This study applied a life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology for a comparative environmental analysis between an innovative algae resource recovery and near zero-liquid discharge potable reuse system (i.e., the main system) versus a conventional potable reuse system (i.e., the benchmark system) through energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The objective of this study is to demonstrate that pilot-scale data coupled with LCA would provide valuable information for system optimization, integration, and improvements for the design of environmentally sustainable full-scale systems. This study also provides decision-makers valuable information regarding the energy demand and environmental impact of this innovative main system compared to a typical tried-and-true system for potable water reuse. The main system consists of a novel algal-based wastewater treatment coupled with a dual forward osmosis and seawater reverse osmosis (Algal FO-SWRO) membranes system for potable water recovery and hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to recover biofuels and valuable nutrients from the harvested algal biomass. The benchmark system refers to the current industry standard technologies for potable water reuse and waste management including a secondary biological treatment, microfiltration (MF), brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO), ultraviolet/advanced oxidation process (UV-AOP), and granular activated carbon (GAC), as well as anaerobic digestion for sludge treatment. Respective energy and GHG emissions of both systems were normalized and compared considering 1 m3 of water recovered. Based on an overall water recovery of 76% designed for the benchmark system, the energy consumption totaled 4.83 kWh/m3, and the system was estimated to generate 2.42 kg of CO2 equivalent/m3 with most of the emissions coming from the biological treatment. The main system, based on an overall water recovery of 88%, was estimated to consume 4.76 kWh/m3 and emit 1.49 kg of CO2 eq/m3. The main system has high environmental resilience and can recover bioenergy and nutrients from wastewater with zero waste disposal. With the application of energy recovery devices for the HTL and the SWRO, increase in water recovery of the FO membrane, and replacement of the SWRO membrane with BWRO, the main system provides an energy-competitive and environmentally positive alternative with an energy demand of 2.57 kWh/m3 and low GHG emissions of 0.94 kg CO2 eq/m3.

Development of an artificial intelligence-based framework for biogas generation from a micro anaerobic digestion plant

Despite the advantages of the Anaerobic Digestion (AD) technology for organic waste management, low system performance in biogas production negatively affects the wide spread of this technology. This paper develops a new artificial intelligence-based framework to predict and optimise the biogas generated from a micro-AD plant. The framework comprises some main steps including data collection and imputation, recurrent neural network/ Non-Linear Autoregressive Exogenous (NARX) model, shuffled frog leaping algorithm (SFLA) optimisation model and sensitivity analysis. The suggested framework was demonstrated by its application on a real micro-AD plant in London. The NARX model was developed for predicting yielded biogas based on the feeding data over preceding days in which their lag times were fine-tuned using the SFLA. The optimal daily feeding pattern to obtain maximum biogas generation was determined using the SFLA. The results show that the developed framework can improve the productivity of biogas in optimal operation strategy by 43 % compared to business as usual and the average biogas produced can raise from 3.26 to 4.34 m3/day. The optimal feeding pattern during a four-day cycle is to feed over the last two days and thereby reducing the operational costs related to the labour for feeding the plant in the first two days. The results of the sensitivity analysis show the optimised biogas generation is strongly influenced by the content of oats and catering waste as well as the optimal allocated day for adding feed to the main digester compared to other feed variables e.g., added water and soaked liner.

Decomposition and humification process of domestic biodegradable waste by black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) larvae from the perspective of dissolved organic matter

Black soldier fly larvae (Hermitia illucens L.) (BSFL) bioconversion is a promising technology for domestic biodegradable waste (DBW) management and resource recovery. However, little is known about the DBW biodegradation during the BSFL bioconversion from the perspective of dissolved organic matter (DOM). In the current study, field tests were conducted on a full-scale BSFL bioconversion facility with treatment capacity of 15 tons DBW/day. Composition of DOM in DBW were investigated by spectral analysis (UV–vis, fluorescence, and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR)), coupled with enzyme activity analysis. After BSFL bioconversion, DOM concentrations, total carbon and total nitrogen in residues decreased by 51.5%, 18.3% and 19.9%, respectively. Meanwhile, enzymes like catalase, lipase, protease, sucrase, urease and cellulase significantly increased (9.28%–56.3%). The specific UV absorbance at 254 nm and 280 nm (SUVA254, SUVA280), the area at 226–400 nm (A226-400) and slope in the 280–400 nm region (S280-400) of DOM increased by 230%, 186%, 143% and 398%, respectively. Moreover, the characteristic peaks at 1636, 1077 and 1045 cm−1 in FT-IR increased continuously, with a significant decrease in peak at 1124 and 1572 cm−1. DOM spectral data show that BSFL decomposed the carboxylic, cellulose and aliphatic components, resulting in the increase of oxygen-containing functional groups (e.g., hydroxyl, carboxyl, carbonyl) and aromatic compounds. Furthermore, fluorescence profiles show that Region Ⅰ, Ⅱ (aromatic proteins) and Ⅳ (soluble microbial byproducts) decreased while Region Ⅴ (humic-like substances) increased significantly. Humification index increased by 122% while biological index decreased by 18.0%, indicating a significant increase in degree of humification and stabilization of the residues. The current evidence provides a theoretical basis for technical re-innovation and improving economic potential of BSFL technology.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Use of LCA to Assess the Environmental Impacts of the Composting Process

Following the industrial revolution, major economic and populational growth took place, and, therefore, solid waste generation increased exponentially. Nowadays, waste management still generates major impacts because the current wide offer of waste management strategies includes many solutions that produce suboptimal results, such as landfill or waste incineration. From a circular economy perspective, composting is a potentially sustainable option to treat the organic fraction of solid waste and has the advantage of recycling many organic compounds that can be reintroduced into the natural processes. This study aimed to provide a meta-analysis using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) method to evaluate the impacts of composting by performing a systematic literature review of the diversity of approaches and assessing environmental impacts. The results of the impact assessment were highly dependent on the choices made over the system boundary and the functional units. The most cited environmental impacts were Global Warming Potential, Acidification Potential, Eutrophication Potential, Photochemical Oxidation Potential, and Ozone Layer Depletion, as gaseous emissions from the transport and decomposition represent the main contributors to these categories. Using a smaller dataset and evaluating the use of the CML method and the most cited impacts categories, it was found that In-vessel Composting and Home Composting were considered the best environmental options among the studied composting methods. Composting environmental impacts were also highly related to the use of non-renewable energy sources, which puts composting at a disadvantage when compared with the use of anaerobic digestion. Such results emphasize the benefits of using these waste management technologies as complementary instead of substitutes.

Potential Utilization of Bacterial Consortium of Symbionts Marine Sponges in Removing Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons and Heavy Metals, Review.

Toxic materials in waste generally contain several components of the global trending pollutant category, especially PAHs and heavy metals. Bioremediation technology for waste management that utilizes microorganisms (bacteria) has not been fully capable of breaking down these toxic materials into simple and environmentally friendly chemical products. This review paper examines the potential application of a consortium of marine sponge symbionts with high performance and efficiency in removing PAHs and heavy metal contaminants. The method was carried out through a review of several related research articles by the author and published by other researchers. The results of the study conclude that the development of global trending pollutant (GTP) bioremediation technology could be carried out to increase the efficiency of remediation. Several types of marine sponge symbiont bacteria, hydrocarbonoclastic (R-1), metalloclastic (R-2), and metallo-hydro-carbonoclastic (R-3), have the potential to be applied to improve waste removal performance. A consortium of crystalline bacterial preparations is required to mobilize into GTP-exposed sites rapidly. Bacterial symbionts of marine sponges can be traced mainly to sea sponges, whose body surface is covered with mucus.

Effectiveness of Waste to Energy Technologies for Municipal Solid Waste Management in Urban India

India's energy consumption is quickly growing day by day, and it is becoming increasingly challenging to meet the enormous demand while still pursuing sustainable goals. In addition to this, the garbage dumps outside of the cities are accumulating like a mountain. Reducing trash and finding creative ways to use garbage produced by humans are urgently needed in this circumstance. The waste and rubbish that are solid in form may be put to different uses. The best approach is to turn the garbage into energy. This method is now being used to produce electricity from solid waste in various nations. Urbanization, which may be regarded as a quick multiplier in countries like India, has also led to the production of more and more trash. Most of the trash or other waste is deposited in bodies of water or land, which pollutes the land, air, and water. It is crucial to properly handle this waste and utilize it to its full potential.

Innovative Solutions for Waste Management and Recycling in Cities

This study aims to explore and analyze innovative approaches to waste management and recycling in urban settings, focusing on the application of new technologies, citizen participation, and collaborative efforts. A qualitative research design was employed, utilizing semi-structured interviews as the primary method of data collection. Participants included experts, city managers, environmental activists, and individuals with experience and knowledge in waste management and related technologies. Content analysis was conducted to identify main themes, subthemes, and related concepts. The analysis revealed five main themes: New Technologies in Recycling, Citizen Participation, Sustainable Waste Management, Circular Economy, and Culture and Society. These themes encompassed various subthemes such as Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Internet of Things (IoT) for New Technologies in Recycling; Education and Culture-Building, Rewards and Incentives, and Community Initiatives for Citizen Participation; and Government Policies, Infrastructure, and Waste Reduction Strategies for Sustainable Waste Management, among others. The study highlights the importance of adopting multidimensional approaches to waste management that incorporate technology, community engagement, and inter-sectoral collaboration. It underscores the potential of innovative technologies and citizen participation in enhancing recycling processes and promoting sustainable urban development.

Utilizing digital technologies for waste management

This article is aimed at applying a new mechanism for improving an automated control system through methods for creating useful products from waste and developing innovative projects in a digital economy.

Reverse vending machines vs. other ways of selective waste collection – research results

Purpose: The paper presents outcomes of the qualitative research on the use of reverse vending machines (RVMs) as equipment to facilitate the segregation and disposal of beverage packaging in Poland, in comparison with other ways of selective waste collection. The topic of innovative tools to support waste management gains particular importance in the context of the introduction of the deposit system for packaging in Poland. Design/methodology/approach: Our qualitative research aimed at identifying consumer behaviour and preferences regarding the selective waste collection. Simultaneously we evaluated experiences with the RVMs and related incentive programs. The research technique was focus group interview, supported by perceptual mapping. 5 interviews were conducted with citizens of Malopolska & Silesia Provinces, in localities where recyclomats from the pilot program were installed. Findings: The results show positive attitudes towards the RVMs among participants of pilot testing of such devices. RVMs are perceived as easy-to-use and environmentally friendly. Compared to other methods of selective waste collection, the highest rated in terms of cost to the user and suitability for the user were the containers for segregated waste. When evaluating incentive systems, respondents accepted only financial benefits. It can be assumed that RVMs can support the newly introduced deposit system for beverage packaging in Poland. Research limitations: Most of the focus group participants had been familiar with RVMs from the pilot program, but the mobile app dedicated to the devices was inactive during the study. This affected the overall user experience. Practical implications: The outcomes suggest that the comprehensive waste collection and recycling system in Poland should be supported by RVMs, and that such devices should be popularized. Social implications: RVMs could play an important role in environmental education for children and young people. The dissemination of recyclomats by retail chains and local governments will increase their availability and influence the formation of pro-environmental behavior of other consumer groups. Originality/value: The originality of our study is based on identifying Polish individuals' views toward innovative waste management technologies and demonstrating their influence on sustainable consumption. Keywords: reverse vending machines, recyclomats, consumer behavior, selective waste collection, research, Poland. Category of the paper: research paper.

Optimization of the protein product formulation based on safflower production waste

The global volume of feed production is growing annually, for example, in 2021 it increased by 2.3%, to about 1.2 billion tons against 1.19 billion tons in 2020. The production of compound feeds is a complex technological process that allows you to obtain a final feed product with the required characteristics from several types of raw materials. The effectiveness of the finished feed depends on its chemical composition, nutritional value, form of release, etc. Each type of feed mixture is made according to a certain recipe, taking into account the type of animal or bird, breed, direction, age and contributes to the maximum disclosure of the genetic potential of an individual. The main indicator of the high quality of compound feeds is their balance in accordance with the needs of animals in irreplaceable nutrition factors. Compliance with this provision ensures a high conversion of compound feeds into livestock products. Therefore, along with the expansion of the feed base at the expense of traditional types of feed, it becomes obvious that there is a need to expand the possibilities of using non-traditional feed products, especially of plant origin. However, there is currently no effective and simple technology for recycling waste after processing oilseeds, which is an effective and simple method with significant innovative potential in the feed industry. One of the promising directions in the development of waste management technology for processing oilseeds is the use of extrusion after rational preparation of this process, which includes an even distribution of waste and valuable components.

A Study on non Destructive Tests and Flexural Strengths of Geopolymer Concrete Using Combination of Different Fine Aggregates

Geopolymer concrete is a new technology that deserves more attention in the rapidly evolving sustainable construction industry. Furthermore, to avoid the depletion of natural resources, by-product waste management technologies are essential. Today, river sand is in short supply. DMS (Dredged Marine Sand), on the other hand, which faces disposal and land acquisition issues, proves to be a viable alternative to river sand. In this paper, a mixture of M-Sand and DMS was used in place of river sand, and non-destructive, Flexural strength of beam by monotonic loading and cyclic loadings were investigated. The findings indicated that DMS has attained flexural characteristics and with regard to cracks, very minor and vertical cracks are observed in all beams as in the case of monotonic loading. Further, they originate from the tension zone

Analysis of Sanitation Technology for Waste Management and Drainage Using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) Method in Bangko City

Sanitation in Indonesia is defined as efforts to dispose of liquid waste and domestic waste to create a clean and healthy living environment both at the household and settlement levels Domestic waste management needs to be considered in managing a settlement Domestic waste products, especially those containing human feces, contain dangerous pathogens. If it is released directly into water bodies without processing it will result in environmental pollution Technology and knowledge are needed to accelerate the implementation of development states that technology options are highly dependent on technical and non-technical aspects; environmental factors, cultural and behavioral factors, as well as capital and recurring cost factors To analyze the choice of technology, determined based on perception using the Process Hierarchy Analysis (AHP) method. the AHP method can be used in determining sanitation technology in specific areas in order to obtain the most suitable sanitation technology for use in specific areas. The selected sanitation technology is a recommendation that is acceptable to the local population. Based on this, in order to accelerate the implementation of development, it is necessary to determine the right choice of sanitation technology for slum settlements in Bangko City, Merangin Regency. The selection of sanitation technology in the most effective waste treatment technology in Bangko uses the AHP method, namely conducting sewage treatment by suctioning feces with 31% and good drainage by making grase traps as much as 28%.

Resource recovery from organic wastes using Black Soldier Fly Larvae

Solid waste management is a cross-cutting issue impacting many aspects of the environment, society and economic development. Cities of low- and middle-income countries are currently facing severe challenges in management of the increasing amount of solid waste produced, particularly the organic waste fraction. This review presents information in literature about the utilization of Black soldier fly (BSF) in managing organic waste. It summarizes the approaches in organic waste management, use of BSF in organic waste management, life cycle and growth conditions of BSF and the benefits of utilizing BSF for resource recovery. Organic waste treatment using BSF is an emerging waste management technology with minimal global warming potential. The BSF larvae helps in carbon sequestration and is a protein source which can help alleviate the raising global demand for animal feed. The BSF larval model provides for nutrient recycling, waste reduction and value addition significantly contributing to economic viability, competitiveness and strategic development in environmental management and agriculture.