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New facility enhances responsible waste management at UFS

12 August 2021 | Story Leonie Bolleurs | Photo Supplied

Chemical waste_web copy — Tinus Viljoen (second from the left) is responsible for waste management at the university. Here he is pictured at the new chemical waste facility on the western side of the Bloemfontein Campus. With him, on his left, is Nico Janse van Rensburg, Senior Director, University Estates; Prof Danie Vermeulen, Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences; and on the far right is Benedict Mochesela, officer at University Estates.

A new chemical waste facility on the western side of the Bloemfontein Campus started functioning in July 2021 and will enhance the safe storage of hazardous materials on campus.

Since the safety of its staff and students are a key priority for the university, as stipulated in its strategic plan, a facility such as this plays an essential role in reducing any health risks and even the possibility of an explosion.

Tinus Viljoen, a Lecturer in the Department of Genetics, concurs that this facility makes the university a safer place because there are less toxic and flammable waste lying around in the labs.

Besides his role as lecturer, he is responsible for waste management, including the collection of hazardous waste internally, classifying it, and arranging for it to be collected by accredited waste companies.

A safer space

Waste previously stored in the Genetics Building is now kept at the new facility. Viljoen is of the opinion that this new space is safer because fewer students and staff have access to the western campus. “The chemical waste tends to smell, and on this part of the campus it is out of the way,” he says.

He also says that it helps to have a central place to store the waste, because of logistical reasons. “It makes the overall waste management easier.”

It is mainly inorganic and organic liquid/solid waste, contaminated glass, contaminated solids (e.g., filter paper and gloves), acid waste, and expired chemicals that are stored at the facility.

This facility makes the university a safer place because there are less toxic and flammable waste lying around in the labs. – Tinus Viljoen

Adhering to legislation

He explains that he is notified by departments in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences when they have waste to collect and that he then collects it on Fridays.

Viljoen continues: “The chemical waste is then classified according to the various waste streams and stored in large 210 l drums. When the drums are full, I contact an accredited hazardous waste company to remove, transport, and dispose of the various waste according to strict legislation, constituting the National Environmental Management Act (Act 107 of 1998), the National Environmental Management: Waste Act, 2008 (Act 59 of 2008), the Hazardous Substances Act (Act 5 of 1973), and the National Road Traffic Act, 93 of 1996 (NRTA).”

“The majority of the waste is transported to a hazardous landfill in Gauteng and the rest are incinerated,” he concludes.

News Archive

Kovsie Tennis team defends proud USSA record in Cape Town

2015-12-01

In 2014, Kovsies won gold at the USSA Tennis Tournament for the eighth consecutive time. Six players from last year's 12-man squad are in 2015 in Cape Town again available. Photo: Johan Roux

Duke Munro already has six gold medals from the USSA Tennis Tournament in his cupboard, and the Kovsie Tennis team would wish to bid him farewell in a fitting manner during what will probably be his last tournament in Cape Town.

This year's tournament, taking place from 30 November to 4 December 2015, will probably be Munro's last, since he is completing his Master's degree in Quantity Surveying at the University of the Free State (UFS).

He has competed in the USSA Tournament since 2009, and would like to help his team defend its proud record.

UFS aim for ninth consecutive title

Kovsies have won gold at the USSA Tournament for the last eight years. They are the only team who have been able to win the tournament since the combined format was adopted in 2010. In 2007 and 2008, their Women's team won the tournament, and in 2009, their Men's team.

Kovsies will play in group matches against the Universities of Venda and Wits on 30 November 2015, against the University of Cape Town's (UCT's) second team on 1 December 2015, and against UCT's first team on 2 December 2015. The cross and knockout matches will be played on 3 and 4 December 2015.

Other sporting codes

The Sevens Rugby team from the UFS will compete in the USSA Tournament in George on 30 November and 1 December 2015.

For the past two years, the team has won bronze, and will be playing three league matches on 30 November 2015 against the North-West University's Vaal Campus, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Port Elizabeth Campus, and the Vaal University of Technology.

Kovsies are the current Varsity Sevens Champions after winning the title in Cape Town in April 2015.

Ten Kovsie swimmers took part in the USSA Tournament in Johannesburg from 28 November to 30 November 2015. Last year, Kovsies came third, but unfortunately some of their leading swimmers were unable to take part this year.

The Kovsie Table tennis team will participate in the USSA Tournament in Kimberley from 30 November to 4 December 2015.

Most of the USSA Tournaments in the other sporting codes were either postponed or cancelled because of the recent nationwide student protests. As a result of the protests, exams were written later, and tournaments would have taken place during the holidays.

Only the tennis, table tennis, Sevens rugby, swimming, and cricket B Division in East London will continue.

The USSA Soccer Tournament, to take place at the UFS and the Central University of Technology in Bloemfontein, was postponed until March 2016.

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