Civil Engineering October 2022 | Vol 30 No 9

S urface mines should take the lead and help find solutions to the mounting waste crisis that threatens to engulf municipalities throughout the country. This is according to Anthony Bowen, a well-known environmental consultant and lead environmental auditor for sur- face mining industry association ASPASA. Although smaller scale mines and quarries are generally not big polluters, they do generate some waste that is harmful to the environment, including lubricants and fuels for equipment, as well as general industrial and domestic types of waste. Legislation requires these to be appropriately handled and sent to waste disposal or recycling plants. However, what comes after the disposal is of most concern to the associa- tion, as many of the municipal and other sites used are inappropriate, full, or poorly managed. In some areas waste disposal infrastructure is almost non-existent and poses a conundrum for those who are environmentally conscious. “Whether its plastic bags strewn from the disposal site by the wind or unsealed hazardous waste landfill sites that contaminate ground water, the combined effect is a catastrophe waiting to happen unless we act now,” says Bowen. “Our mines can offer a number of solu- tions in terms of expertise, organisational abilities, loan equipment and may even have suitable facilities to recycle building rubble. In rare instances, quarries’ rehabili- tation plans may even be designed for them to be used as landfill sites after mining activities have been completed. “These are just some examples that indicate a number of ways that our surface mining industry can help to clean up our towns, cities and environments. But, perhaps the most important role they can play is to rally business and the com- munity to hold municipalities accountable and to work with authorities to find solu- tions to waste,” he says. Bowen concludes that ASPASA mem- bers in each district of the country are faced with different challenges and should investigate what happens to their waste after it has been collected or disposed of. If there are breaches of legislation, then they should hold the relevant authorities accountable.  South Africa is drowning in rubble Environmental auditor Anthony Bowen Is battery-powered construction equipment the future? T he construction industry has been an integral part of South Africa’s economy, contributing R134 billion in gross value added at current prices in 2020 (2.7% share of the total GDP). In keeping up with global market trends, the industry has been going through a significant change. In the past construction professionals relied heavily on diesel and petrol-powered machinery. However, with the advent of electrified construction machinery and availability of modern lithium-ion batteries with high energy density for small as well as large vehicles, there has been steady progress towards usage of batterification in construction equipment for building resilient infrastructure – be it for commercial, residential, geotechnical or infrastructure construction. According to Lionel Zietsman, National Sales Manager at Husqvarna Construction, the shift from traditional tools to battery-powered equipment can benefit the industry through zero emissions, increased efficiencies, lower maintenance costs and zero reliability on fossil fuels. “The flexibility to use battery power at urban job sites and in noise- or pollution-sensitive environments like hospitals and schools has made battery power impossible to ignore. The rise in popularity is especially visible in interior demolition, where battery-powered tools have revolutionised timetables and reduced human demand. Small home to large interior projects also benefit from the quiet operations and reduced dust emissions,” he says. Zietsman adds that advancements in construction machinery are mainly focused on equipment that will help drive the change in the industry with more environmentally-friendly and efficient ways of working. “Battery-powered hand tools and other lighter-duty tools and equipment have been used on jobsites for years. However, they were typically viewed as options for intermittent rather than continuous use because of performance limitations, battery life and/or charging times. Advances in equipment design and battery technology has enabled enhanced capabilities, more efficient power generation and utilisation as well as opportunities to power larger construction tools,” says Zietsman. The innovations in this industry clearly represent advance- ment. In the near future, the industry will likely witness a surge in demand for battery-powered machinery as both an environmen- tally friendly and economically sustainable solution for construc- tion equipment.  Civil Engineering October 2022 51 Battery powered tools are gaining popularity on construction sites