ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH CHEMICAL WASTES

RECYCLING TECHNIQUES IN THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC

CONTEXT OF SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRIES

Tsunatu, D. Yavini¹*, Azuaga, I. Chia¹, and Blessed, D. Jen²

¹Chemistry Department, Taraba State University, Jalingo – Taraba State, Nigeria.

²Science Education Department, Taraba State University, Jalingo – Taraba State, Nigeria.

E-mail: tsunatu.danlami@yahoo.co.uk

ABSTRACT

Sustainable socioeconomic development advocates environmental sustainability through recycling of chemical wastes. This paper captures the environmental benign processes/techniques involved in achieving these materials salvage. The basic phases in recycling are the collection, processing or manufacturing and the purchase of those products. The materials reused in recycling serve as substitutes for raw materials obtained from such increasing scarce natural resources as petroleum, natural gas, coal, mineral ores and trees. The recycling of chemical waste can serve as a channel of providing solutions to many environmental and socioeconomic problems and challenges such as increasing cost of waste disposal and depletion of natural resources. The field of chemical recycling techniques of Iron and Steel Scrap (ISS), Aluminium Cans and Glass Bottles, Polymers, Textile Wastes, Old Papers and Wood, Cement Kiln Dust (CKD), Automobile Exhaust, Animal and Fish Wastes (AFW), Domestic and Municipal Organic Waste is reviewed in this study. Highlighted also are the prospects and problems of this exercise. The study concludes that the recycling of chemical waste is of great importance especially in solving the numerous environmental problems and hence increases the nation’s economy and social well-being of mankind. It recommends more serious measures at national and international levels especially developing nations of the Sub-Sahara to encourage and sensitize the government and private sector educationally on the importance of chemical waste recycling and to enhance the regulation of its practice.