Land Conservation
Sawdust Project
Project Start Date: 2022
PURPOSE: Oil Spill Cleanup & Mulch for Rehabilitation Purposes
Abstract
Despite many techniques to clean up oil spills, sorbents are considered one of the most attractive due to their high absorption rate and ease of application. Based on their abundant resources and biodegradability, organic-based sorbents have become the best type to use. Among the many natural organic sorbents available, sawdust has significant potential to be used as an oil absorbent due to its advantages of being a low-cost source and its low density.
Objective
The objective of this project is 2-fold.
- OIL SPILL CLEANUP
- REHABILITATION MULCH
Firstly, to minimize the costs of replacing “absorbent fibre” in the Oil Spill Kits. Secondly, for rehabilitation purposes.
It has been placed in workshops, diesel bays, and areas where oil spills frequently occur.
One Mans Waste Is Another Man’s Treasure
Saw dust is a byproduct for DIY businesses that must be loaded and transported to the Sol Plaatje Waste Site, which involves transportation costs.
Ekapa arranged with a DIY store in Kimberley to collect one telekon of sawdust per week at no cost.
DIY has reduced transport costs, and Ekapa has gained a useful product.
Horse manure from the Kimberley Equestrian Club is collected and stockpiled with sawdust to make a mulch.
Benefits Of Horse Manure
Horse manure is a valuable resource in rehabilitation projects.
It is rich in nutrients, such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, providing essential elements for enhancing soil fertility. The organic matter in horse manure improves soil structure, water retention and drainage, making it ideal for the rehabilitation purposes identified by Ekapa
Rehabilitaton Mulch
Using sawdust serves multiple purposes in ecosystem restoration.
It acts as a protective layer on bare soil, reducing erosion and preventing water runoff and retaining moisture.
Decomposing sawdust contributes organic matter to soil, enhancing its fertility and structure.
Surplus sawdust that is not needed at the various business units for oil clean-up is stockpiled.
The stockpiled sawdust together with horse manure from the Equestrian club has been blended together to make a mulch.
The mulch will be used for rehabilitation purposes for sidewalls on the FRD dams and other areas identified for rehabilitation.
Stockpiled sawdust for rehabilitation mulch purposes
Stockpiled saw dust available on the Shafts
Saw dust is covered to protect it from weather conditions. Mining, Engineering and TMM collect sawdust as needed in their sections.
FRD Sidewalls where mulch will be applied.
Horse manure is used for mulch.
Kimtri Project
With environmental conservation as a top priority for our company, Ekapa is a proud participant in the sixth and final EFTEON (Expanded Freshwater and Terrestrial Environmental Observation Network) landscape project, called KIMTRI.
This EFTEON was announced by the NRF (National Research Foundation) and is managed by SAEON (South African Environmental Observation Network).
The aim of an EFTEON is to provide an instrumented platform for the South African environmental research community, focused on socially-relevant terrestrial landscapes and their coupled hydrological systems, to provide supporting data at a broader scale.
The landscapes include representatives of major biomes in South Africa and human transformed ecosystems.