A new cleaning system that separates water and oil, has been adapted in Nelson Mandela Bay – a device that could help curb further damage to the environment.
Recycling Waste Treatment directors Kevin Kelly and Odwa Mtati have found a well-researched solution to help reduce the amount of waste being deposited into landfills.
Kelly and Mtati have taken a water cleaning system used on ships and vessels worldwide, adapted it for land use and placed it at their demarcated wastewater recycling and treatment facility in Uitenhage.
The Alfa Laval PureBilge cleaning system is a highly efficient stand-alone mechanism that separates oil from water.
The pair have placed the PureBilge into a fully functional water cleaning and storage operation which includes heating and sludge tanks, filtering water for reuse.
And according to Kelly, 11 Bay companies are already using the Recycling Waste Treatment system to have their industrial water recycled.
The separated oil can also be reused.
“We can clean up to 5,000l an hour,” Kelly said.
“In my view, a landfill site just means you are moving waste from one area to another.
“This system not only reduces costs to the company and the environment, but it also enables industry to reuse their industrial water for purposes other than drinking.
“This saves on the amount of potable [drinking] water being used for wetting grounds, dust suppression or wash bays.
“As opposed to dumping their dirty water down sewerage pipes or even illegally, we urge people and businesses to rather call us.
“We can take the water away and clean it. Should they want the water back, they can come fetch it – there is no charge for water.
“The only charge would be for transport,” Kelly said.
Mtati, who is also a project manager for the South African International Maritime Institute, said there was a call for the public and industry to help preserve nature using alternative methods.This business initiative, he said, responded to that call.“Nelson Mandela Bay’s ocean presents many opportunities in this regard.“The more people know about the oceans economy, the more they will be aware of the possibilities that may arise.“This system also speaks to the overall sustainable goals associated with the oceans economy,” Mtati said.In the event of an oil-spill emergency around the Bay or country, the system could be mobilised as it had been fitted into a container, Kelly said.The current system, which has an overall investment of about R3.8m, is still being monitored and adjusted.Kelly said the team’s longterm goal was to introduce smaller versions of the PureBilge to companies and they could then facilitate their own water cleaning operations.