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I am a globally recognized Ecological Engineer and sustainability professional where I have innovated and contributed to world-class products and services in ecological engineering and sustainability in specifically the USA, Europe, Russia, Australia and Africa. My track record includes developing global innovations, service excellence, and building networks that continue to play a critical role in repairing, designing and building ecological infrastructure, ecological services, and sustainability initiatives to benefit the environment and the people living in that environment. I also specialize in water-energy-food accounting, deciphering coupled human and natural systems and ecosystem valuation and repair.
The study aimed to investigate the waste characteristics and management activities in the iron and steel industry in Southern Africa based on a case study in South Africa. A four-phased decision-support framework (DSF) has been suggested to approach industrial waste management in Southern Africa’s iron and steel industry, consisting of a desktop-based waste management audit, waste generation investigation, waste streams sampling and analysis, and waste risk profiling. Results indicate that the global average of 0.3 tons of waste generated per ton of crude steel produced is exceeded. Annual average process waste generation amounted to 1510 million tons, and general waste generation amounted to 872 tons, with respective recycling rates of 22% for process waste and 40% for general waste. Furthermore, 54% of the waste streams were found to have a moderate to high-risk profile, where the rest of the waste streams were found to have a low-risk profile. The suggested DSF, as a guide, can lead to decision outcomes to position industrial waste management in the iron and steel industry in Africa towards a circular economy.
Yolandi Schoeman; Paul Oberholster; Vernon Somerset. A decision-support framework for industrial waste management in the iron and steel industry: A case study in Southern Africa. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 2021, 3, 100097 .
AMA StyleYolandi Schoeman, Paul Oberholster, Vernon Somerset. A decision-support framework for industrial waste management in the iron and steel industry: A case study in Southern Africa. Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering. 2021; 3 ():100097.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYolandi Schoeman; Paul Oberholster; Vernon Somerset. 2021. "A decision-support framework for industrial waste management in the iron and steel industry: A case study in Southern Africa." Case Studies in Chemical and Environmental Engineering 3, no. : 100097.
The iron and steel industry is a major global industry that consumes vast quantities of energy and causes environmental degradation through greenhouse gas emissions and industrial waste generation, treatment, and disposal. There is a need to manage complex iron and steel industrial waste in Africa, which requires a system engineering approach to zero waste management as informed by multi-criteria decision-making. The purpose of the current study was to develop a hybrid four-step multi-criteria decision-support model, the i-ZEWATA (Industrial Zero Waste Tiered Analysis). I-ZEWATA acts as a road map to understand, design, assess, and evaluate the iron and steel industrial waste systems with the ultimate objective of moving towards and achieving a zero-waste footprint. The results demonstrate that iron and steel waste can be identified, visualized, prioritized, and managed to promote zero-waste by applying a system-engineered approach. Additionally, relationship patterns to environmental, social, operational, and economic aspects with system behavioral patterns and outcomes were identified. It was clear from the case study in South Africa that, although technology and solution investment is essential, waste management, valorization, and treatment components require a concerted effort to improve industrial waste operational management through effective zero-waste decision-support towards a circular economy.
Yolandi Schoeman; Paul Oberholster; Vernon Somerset. A Zero-Waste Multi-Criteria Decision-Support Model for the Iron and Steel Industry in Developing Countries: A Case Study. Sustainability 2021, 13, 2832 .
AMA StyleYolandi Schoeman, Paul Oberholster, Vernon Somerset. A Zero-Waste Multi-Criteria Decision-Support Model for the Iron and Steel Industry in Developing Countries: A Case Study. Sustainability. 2021; 13 (5):2832.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYolandi Schoeman; Paul Oberholster; Vernon Somerset. 2021. "A Zero-Waste Multi-Criteria Decision-Support Model for the Iron and Steel Industry in Developing Countries: A Case Study." Sustainability 13, no. 5: 2832.
The Value Stream Mapping (VSM) method was applied to a case study in the iron and steel industry in Southern Africa as a supporting management tool to identify, demonstrate, and evaluate industrial waste and comprised of three steps. The first step included collecting and verifying waste generation and flow data as the VSM data input step. The second step comprises three phases: mapping waste generation and fractions and horizontal and vertical performance analysis. The third step is comprised of actual and future state maps compilation. Following the first year of implementation, waste was reduced by 28%, and waste removal cost by 45%. Implementing the VSM method demonstrated cost savings and reduced waste flow within the study’s first year. The initial waste generation reduction target of 5% per annum was exceeded. The VSM method application proved to be a practical method for the iron and steel industry to visualize and analyze waste flows, identify opportunities and challenges in waste management operations, reduce waste, promote lean manufacturing, and achieve an environmentally responsible zero-waste environment.
Yolandi Schoeman; Paul Oberholster; Vernon Somerset. Value Stream Mapping as a Supporting Management Tool to Identify the Flow of Industrial Waste: A Case Study. Sustainability 2020, 13, 91 .
AMA StyleYolandi Schoeman, Paul Oberholster, Vernon Somerset. Value Stream Mapping as a Supporting Management Tool to Identify the Flow of Industrial Waste: A Case Study. Sustainability. 2020; 13 (1):91.
Chicago/Turabian StyleYolandi Schoeman; Paul Oberholster; Vernon Somerset. 2020. "Value Stream Mapping as a Supporting Management Tool to Identify the Flow of Industrial Waste: A Case Study." Sustainability 13, no. 1: 91.
After briefly reviewing key resilience engineering perspectives and summarising some green infrastructure (GI) tools, we present the contributions that GI can make to enhancing urban resilience and maintaining critical system functionality across complex integrated social–ecological and technical systems. We then examine five key challenges for the effective implementation of GI that include (1) standards; (2) regulation; (3) socio-economic factors; (4) financeability; and (5) innovation. We highlight ways in which these challenges are being dealt with around the world, particularly through the use of approaches that are both context appropriate and socially inclusive. Although progress surmounting these challenges has been made, more needs to be done to ensure that GI approaches are inclusive and appropriate and feature equally alongside more traditional ‘grey’ infrastructure in the future of urban resilience planning. This research was undertaken for the Resilience Shift initiative to shift the approach to resilience in practice for critical infrastructure sectors. The programme aims to help practitioners involved in critical infrastructure to make decisions differently, contributing to a safer and better world.
Chad Staddon; Sarah Ward; Laura De Vito; Adriana Zuniga-Teran; Andrea K. Gerlak; Yolandi Schoeman; Aimee Hart; Giles Booth. Contributions of green infrastructure to enhancing urban resilience. Environment Systems and Decisions 2018, 38, 330 -338.
AMA StyleChad Staddon, Sarah Ward, Laura De Vito, Adriana Zuniga-Teran, Andrea K. Gerlak, Yolandi Schoeman, Aimee Hart, Giles Booth. Contributions of green infrastructure to enhancing urban resilience. Environment Systems and Decisions. 2018; 38 (3):330-338.
Chicago/Turabian StyleChad Staddon; Sarah Ward; Laura De Vito; Adriana Zuniga-Teran; Andrea K. Gerlak; Yolandi Schoeman; Aimee Hart; Giles Booth. 2018. "Contributions of green infrastructure to enhancing urban resilience." Environment Systems and Decisions 38, no. 3: 330-338.