Application of the Dome Aeration Method in South Africa

The Dome Aeration Method, developed at the Technical University Dresden, is an accelerated composting method for the pre-treatment of domestic solid waste before landfilling. It is particularly suitable for developing countries because it is based on lowtechnology. This paper explores the suitability of this method for application in rural South Africa.

by Prof. Kobus Vorster, Tshepo Magongwa

South Africa is a unique country in many ways. On the one hand we have a first world community driving a vibrant economy with excellent opportunities for entrepreneurs; on the other hand we have a third world community largely unaffected by the world economy. The first-world community enjoys excellent infrastructure comparable to that of firstworld countries; the third world community lives to large extent as they did for many centuries. In the first-world part of the community waste disposal is regulated by the Government's Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal, of which the fourth version was published in 2005. In the country's economic heart, the province of Gauteng, and in the other major metropolitan areas such as Durban and Cape Town, municipal solid waste is disposed of in state-of-the art landfills which are properly designed and managed. These landfills probably handle a major proportion of the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generated in South Africa, but they nevertheless number only about 600 out of the estimated total of 15 000 refuse dumps scattered all over the country.

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published: Wasteconsult international, MBT 2005 (November 2005), 11|2005
Keywords: Material Recovery, South Africa