Grantee Research Project Results
Sustainable Design and Implementation of a Solid Waste Management System in Kratovo, Macedonia: A Learning Partnership between University of Florida and Macedonia through Engineers without Borders
EPA Grant Number: SU833152Title: Sustainable Design and Implementation of a Solid Waste Management System in Kratovo, Macedonia: A Learning Partnership between University of Florida and Macedonia through Engineers without Borders
Investigators: Lindner, Angela S. , Schert, John D. , Roberts, Mark , Kelner, Rebecca , Townsend, Timothy
Current Investigators: Lindner, Angela S. , Schert, John D. , Kerkez, Branko , Rokicki, Chris , Smillova, Diana , Fisch, Jessica , Perry, John , Vernon, Julianne , Hodoval, Kelly , Hink, Kristin , Nolan, Lindsey , Fortier, Marie-Odile , Roberts, Mark , Wangusi, Nathan , Indeglia, Paul , Kelner, Rebecca , Keddy, Scott , Nepal, Smiti , Bailey, Tanner , Townsend, Timothy , Pineda, Vanessa
Institution: University of Florida
Current Institution: University of Florida , Florida Center for Solid and Hazardous Waste Management , HDR Engineering Inc. , Jones Edmunds & Associates Inc. , Peak Development Consulting, Inc.
EPA Project Officer: Page, Angela
Phase: I
Project Period: January 31, 2006 through December 31, 2009
Project Amount: $10,000
RFA: P3 Awards: A National Student Design Competition for Sustainability Focusing on People, Prosperity and the Planet (2006) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: P3 Challenge Area - Chemical Safety , Pollution Prevention/Sustainable Development , P3 Awards , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Description:
This proposal seeks funding to support an existing Engineers Without Borders (EWB) project awarded to the University of Florida (UF) student chapter (EWB-UF). The technical challenge that this project addresses is the urgent need to develop and implement a long-term, sustainable solid waste management program in Kratovo, Macedonia, a city of approximately 10,000 people where solid waste is currently disposed of in the streets, in its Tavacka River, and in an illegal landfill. Another challenge of this project is to effectively transfer information to the community of Kratovo, including the city government officials, its citizens, and Peace Corps volunteers, the impacts of their current method of solid waste disposal on human and environmental health. The existing team involved on this project, composed of academics, professionals, and students from various engineering fields, are currently focused on the first year of this project (covering this funding request), which involves a less technical, more conceptual approach to solid waste management, where the EWB team must first evaluate not only the extent of the waste problem but also the characteristics of the region’s topology and geology and the social fabric of the city in order to assess the most economical and appropriate method for waste disposal. Sustainable methods, such as biogas collection systems and bioreactor systems, will be among the options evaluated, and the method chosen, with the aid of the Kratovo community and Peace Corps volunteers, including economic and life cycle analysis methods, will be fully designed and implemented in subsequent years of this project. The student members of this team will earn six hours of design credit upon completion of this project through a special topics course at UF, entitled “Engineers Without Borders.” Findings and experiences from this project will be directly applied to various existing courses taught by the investigators, including “Green Engineering Design and Sustainability” (ENV 4612), “Solid and Hazardous Waste Management,” (ENV 4351), and “Solid Waste Treatment Design” (ENV 5305).
Supplemental Keywords:
Leachate, Waste Minimization, Pollution Prevention, Community-Based Decision-Making, Eastern Europe,, RFA, Scientific Discipline, Geographic Area, Sustainable Industry/Business, Sustainable Environment, Technology for Sustainable Environment, International, Environmental Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning, sustainable development, Macedonia, education, environmental sustainability, community based, biowaste, solid waste management, pollution preventionProgress and Final Reports:
The perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.