Natural resources and the environment

Sewage can decontaminate polluted soil Sewage sludge is not known to have an affirmative social status. Not influenced by this, CSIR scientists have proved that adding sewage to petroleum-contaminated soil results in improved remediation and a cost-effective process, ascribed to the nutrients and carbon content of sewage sludge.

Research to support sustainable bio-energy supply interventions The bio-energy industry is advancing rapidly in response to policies such as the Biofuels Industrial Strategy, the rise in the fuel price and mandatory blends of fuel. New technologies and potential feedstocks are being proposed, which will require trade-offs between technical advantages, and socio-economic and environmental consequences.

CSIR experts share new climate change knowledge with international politicians Although the links between climate change and ecosystems management are generally regarded as a relatively new area of research, the CSIR has been doing extensive research in this domain for a number of years, under the guidance of international climate change expert Dr Bob Scholes.

Are developing countries ready for first-world waste policy instruments? Developing countries such as South Africa face many challenges to successfully implement alternative, first-world waste policy instruments, such as waste information systems and economic instruments.