By Victoria Agyemang, GNA
Cape Coast, Feb. 28, GNA - As part of efforts to rid the country of the growing menace of insanitary conditions, the Cape Coast Technical University (CCTU) has invented four machines for collecting waste.
The machines, largely powered by agricultural waste are Double Acting Pedal Dustbin (DAPED), Aluminum Can Crusher (ACAC), Agricultural Waste Oven (AWO) and Agricultural Waste Stove (AWAS).
Mr Enock Teye Boye-Doe with the Department of Mechanical Engineering, told the GNA in an interview on the sidelines of the University's maiden ‘Departmental Fair' for Senior High School students across the Central Region.
It was to enable the students familiarize themselves with the concept of technical education to disabuse their minds on the erroneous misconception that Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) was for the academically weak.
Explaining the rationale behind the invention, Mr Boye-Doe said the move was to save the country huge sums of monies spent annually to manage waste.
He enumerated a number of negative impacts on the health of the citizenry, as a result of improper disposal of waste -infectious and transmitted diseases such as typhoid fever, malaria, Hepatitis B & C; risk of infections and injury, especially to children, who are more vulnerable.
He revealed that, poor sanitation cost the country more than $290 million annually, an equivalent of $12 per person, per year and translated into 1.6 percent of the national GDP.
Touching on the modus operandi of the machines, he said the Double Acting Pedal Dustbin, comprised of a metallic body with hydro pump that regulated its opening and closing to elongate their lifespan and drastically reduce the stench often associated with refuse.
The metallic garbage bins have specialized can liners to control leakage, prevent pests and insects invasion and also reduces odour.
The handles and wheels of the cans facilitate easy movement and were suitable for the street, homes, schools and institutions.
Using the Aluminum Can Crasher, had a tremendous benefits of making the crushing process a lot more efficient, which made recycling faster and easier.
Again, the sound it generates during crushing made it fun for children to love the satisfaction that came with smashing a used can, hence inculcating in them the spirit of environmental cleanliness.
"Whether you use an automatic or manual can crusher, you will be able to compress a lot more cans in much less time, using very little force," he noted.
The other machines - Agricultural Waste Oven and Agricultural Waste Stove, use any gricultural waste that was combustible as sources of heat for various uses including baking bread, cake, pastries without using electricity or gas.
In all, the common agricultural waste used included maize cob, groundnut shells, palm oil waste, among other, which were readily available across the country and less expensive.
Mr Boye-Doe said using agricultural waste to produce long-burning fuel will reduce deforestation, improve public health, cheaper and nearly smokeless.
He indicated that the University was ready to produce the bins in quantities to help resolve the sanitation challenges in the country.
"It takes a four to five hours to produce one dustbin. However, we can produce not less than 60 bins given the needed resources," he said as he called for stakeholders support to scale-up production.
GNA
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