CV of speaker – Chris A Buckley

Name: Professor Chris A Buckley
Qualifications: MScEng (Chem) UND
Phone: +27-31-260 3131
Fax: +27-31-260 3241
Room: 302 , Chemical Engineering

Synopsis:

Abstract

A Water Research Commission funded research project has been initiated following a request from eThekwini Water and Sanitation in response to the new DWAF Waste Discharge Charge policy. This new policy proposes to charge all discharger to the environment for using the natural assimilative capacity of the receiving water body (including the marine environment). At this stage it is envisaged that the costs will be based on chemical oxygen demand, nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorous, and conductivity). In the case of discharges to a municipal wastewater treatment works, this charge will be raised from the municipality, who in turn will pass the cost on to the industrial discharges. This raises the question, "... whose molecules were degraded, and whose molecules are discharged ...". The research project aims to answer these questions and in addition aims to address the effect of individual industrial effluents on the performance of the wastewater treatment works. This presentation will outline the problems being faced by municipal wastewater treatment organisations and the possible effect on the textile industry so that they can prepare for these changes.