In protection of environmentInnovated project for garbage disposal [Archives:2005/845/Health]

Collecting garbage from cities and town quarters and dumping it in certain sites is one of the most important services offered to inhabitants. It is part of efforts to keep urban areas clean and free from diseases as well as looking neat and beautiful. Authorities worldwide allot large sums of money in their budgets for this service that includes creation of special departments undertaking this task and recruiting workers and employees to run them. This service also requires the supply of special vehicles designed for the purpose of gathering trash and wastes in addition to setting up special containers where people would drop their garbage before being collected by authorities entrusted with the task.

Some countries, and from economic standpoint, have for long time thought of using garbage and waste through recycling for other economic purposes and benefiting from them for any possible goals to help reduce as much as possible expenses burdens on state budgets. Many countries have built different installations for recycling garbage of different sorts and also for treatment of industrial wastes and sewage waters to be used in other useful purposes that have yielded good amounts of economic returns, providing state budgets with new revenues.

In collateral of this subject, an Iraqi citizen Ehsan Jaber Mehdy al-Khafagy, living in Yemen for more than ten years has come out with a project plan related to garbage collection and treatment of wastes to be studied and included in plans and work of municipal authorities undertaking these services.

Yemen Times reporter Yasser al-Mayassy has conducted with him an interview giving full picture and vision of Mr. al-Khafagy proposed project. Here is the text of the interview.



Q: Could you give our readers an idea about your identity?

A: My name is Ehsan Jaber Mehdy al-Khafagy, an Iraqi national living in Yemen and working as an English teacher in secondary schools.



Q: You say you have a creative idea of a plan regarding garbage and wastes, what is it?

A: In the first place, let me express my gratitude to the Yemen Times Newspaper for granting me this opportunity to talk about my plan and to register it as letters patent exclusively granted to me. This plan is purely and exclusively innovated by me after long observation and thinking about the topic of tackling garbage problems, its effect on environment and how to benefit from it economically. Presenting this plan of mine is also meant to block the road before anyone could claim this idea and attribute it to him.



Q: Could you please give us a brief account about your project and its implementation plan?

A: Historically, the first sewers were built during the era of Queen Victoria of England in the nineteenth century. An underground network of sewers was built to carry off wastewaters and refuse from houses and industrial sites to places outside residential areas to keep those areas free from wastes and refuse. The aim also was an act for the protection of environment and avoiding diseases that may affect people's health. Since that date none has thought of using such sewers for carrying off garbage and refuse other than liquid wastes. I have therefore thought of an underground sewage system to carry off garbage through conduits especially constructed for this purpose. I think this project would be useful to countries financially, environmentally and health-wise, for all countries, whether rich or poor.



Q: You have mentioned that your project would have economic, health and environmental benefits, could you elaborate?

A: With pleasure. From the economic point of view, governments and tax payers would save millions of dollars as expenses spent on providing vehicles and containers used for carrying off garbage. Such vehicles need fuel, maintenance and workers recruited for that purpose. In addition, specialized administrations and departments have to be established to carry out the task. All those expenses and costs could be reduced. From health point of view, carrying off garbage through underground conduits would reduce risks of people exposed to dangers resulting from direct exposure to refuse and prevent disease-communicating insects from direct contact with garbage and consequently communicate germs and microbes causing diseases to people. As for the environmental positive impact, there would be no garbage collecting vehicles and garbage containers placed in cities , towns street corners and residential areas. There would not be such harmful odors emitted from garbage as well as there would be no scenes of garbage containers and garbage vehicles harming the beauty of cities environment. Even garbage dumping sites are not safe and damage attractiveness of cities and towns outskirts in addition to their being breeding places for injurious insects. By connecting conduits carrying off garbage to installations for treatment of garbage, we could avoid such dangers and their consequences.



Q: Do you think this project is workable in Yemen?

A: Definitely. I had discussed the idea earlier with Mr. Muhsin al-Hamadani, former minister of environment in Yemen and he has taken a favorable view of it and encouraged me to go ahead with it.

Q: Did you make any contacts with foreign countries or organizations about this project?

A: I did send an email to the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, explaining my idea and then received a reply from the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of Japan. The Secretariat informed me that my opinion “will serve as reference for future policy planning and administration of the Japanese government. We will collate all opinions received and report them to the Prime Minister Juicier Koizumi as well as transfer them to ministries and agencies concerned.”



Q: Could you explain the technical characteristics of your plan?

A: Rubbish conduits system is made workable in both poor and rich countries. The system project that can be implemented in poor countries for carrying off garbage consists of:

1- A pipe of various lengths according to its distance to the main conduit is fitted vertically at street corners of buildings blocks. The pipe raises 1-1.5 meters above ground level, it is 1-1.5 meters underground and provided with two covers, as shown in diagram (1). The cover (a) moves up and down to prevent bad smells and entering of injurious insects. Cover (b) is 50cm lower to cover (a) fitted with a spring to allow it move down only. The purpose of this cover is also to prevent entrance of insects and germs.

2- The second part of the pipe is slantwise to the vertical part, the length of which depends on its distance from the main underground conduit, and it is meant for allowing garbage to run down to the main conduit. Rubbish slides down to its destination without the need of a pushing factor.

3- The main conduit for carrying off garbage receiving rubbish from those whose beginning ends are fitted above the ground, is usually wider in diameter than others and also slanting towards the final destination to where the rubbish to be delivered. In case there is difficulty in extending the main pipe a sloping form, the pipe can be built horizontally and equipped with a moving belt to carry garbage to the end of the conduit. The belt could be run with solar system power.

As for rich countries, the conduction system is clarified in the diagram (2). In this system there are three pipes fitted together, each carries off garbage of different sort. For instance one pipe for carrying glass rubbish, another for carrying off plastic rubbish and a third for carrying off other sorts.

I hope this project would be studied by concerned parties in various countries and to be considered as a scientific addition serving protection of environment and preservation of human health as well as its economic benefits.



For further information about the project, please contact on the following email address: [email protected]
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