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AHP waste characterization and collections rationalization in Durban, South Africa
Kimberly-Clark has partnered with Global Health Engineering (GHE) at ETH Zurich and Green Corridors to conduct a hands-on study to pilot the safe disposal of absorbent hygiene product (AHP) waste in low income /informal communities in Durban, South Africa. Through evidence-based research findings, Kimberly-Clark aims to contribute towards addressing growing concerns globally around AHP in the environment and towards a circular economy for single-use AHPs in South Africa. Responding to this call, a multi-disciplinary team from Green Corridors and ETH Zurich, has been selected to design and pilot an AHP collection system in two different low-income, informal communities within Durban, at a workable scale. The intervention will be guided through innovative and appropriate research methodologies from psychology, geography, and engineering disciplines, which will generate research findings that can inform scaled up implementation of the system in comparable contexts within South Africa.
Keywords: AHP waste, waste characterisation, waste collection, valorisation, low-income, South Africa
Green Corridors will design, manage and execute the collection pilot, in partnership with the ETH team. The Global Health Engineering (GHE) Chair is looking for an MSc thesis student with experience/interest in either waste management, modelling, or logistics to form a part of this research team. The student would work with Green Corridors engineers to evaluate a pilot AHP collection system implemented in the Fall of 2023. Specifically, the student would be responsible for designing and implementing a characterization protocol for collected materials, rationalizing bin placement based on characterization data, and proposing valorisation/end-of-life pathways for collected non-AHP waste.
Green Corridors will design, manage and execute the collection pilot, in partnership with the ETH team. The Global Health Engineering (GHE) Chair is looking for an MSc thesis student with experience/interest in either waste management, modelling, or logistics to form a part of this research team. The student would work with Green Corridors engineers to evaluate a pilot AHP collection system implemented in the Fall of 2023. Specifically, the student would be responsible for designing and implementing a characterization protocol for collected materials, rationalizing bin placement based on characterization data, and proposing valorisation/end-of-life pathways for collected non-AHP waste.
In the course of the project, the student will be responsible for:
- Designing and implementing a waste characterization protocol for collected AHP waste
- Training and supervising a team of data collection assistants in waste characterization
- Modelling and logistics planning around bin placement and collection routes
- Granular characterization of recovered non-AHP waste
- Proposing contextually appropriate valorisation pathways for collected recyclables
- Proposing contextually appropriate end-of-life solutions for collected non-recyclable waste
The project is supported by funding by Kimberly Clark and would involve three months of fieldwork on-site in Durban. Experience with waste characterization or ArcGIS would be helpful, but is not mandatory. Interested students are invited to apply.
In the course of the project, the student will be responsible for:
- Designing and implementing a waste characterization protocol for collected AHP waste
- Training and supervising a team of data collection assistants in waste characterization
- Modelling and logistics planning around bin placement and collection routes
- Granular characterization of recovered non-AHP waste
- Proposing contextually appropriate valorisation pathways for collected recyclables
- Proposing contextually appropriate end-of-life solutions for collected non-recyclable waste
The project is supported by funding by Kimberly Clark and would involve three months of fieldwork on-site in Durban. Experience with waste characterization or ArcGIS would be helpful, but is not mandatory. Interested students are invited to apply.
For more information, please contact: Dr. Marc Kalina (ETHZ), mkalina@ethz.ch
For more information, please contact: Dr. Marc Kalina (ETHZ), mkalina@ethz.ch