Research project Trans4Biotec
Project name Know-how transfer in waste management for developing new biotechnology applications in developing countries
Acronym Trans4Biotec
Coordination TU Darmstadt, Institute IWAR, Chair of Material Flow Management and Resource Economy
Project partner
  • University Nangui Abrogoua (Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire)
  • University Cadi Ayyad (Marrakech, Morocco)
  • University Abdelmalek Essaadi (Tétouan, Morocco)
  • Eigenbetrieb für kommunale Aufgaben und Dienstleistungen (EAD)
  • Jager GmbH
  • Jager Biotech GmbH
Duration 01.01.2017 to 31.01.2021
Grantor
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (BMBF)
  • Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD)
Project content The Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) management remains now days, one of the major problems in developing countries. Currently, the MSW treatment in many of these countries consists mainly of an “All in one bin” collection and then a direct landfilling without a pretreatment. Therefore, the existing waste management concepts are mostly far away from a circular economy.
As part of the Trans4Biotec project, both Morocco and Côte d’Ivoire will be the focus of investigations on how to improve the current municipal solid waste treatments with a view to sustainable waste management. The actual status of the waste management is first analyzed via surveys and subsequently, optimization potentials are to be discussed by means with experts on the field as well as workshops with waste management stakeholders. Furthermore, the biological municipal waste of the both developing countries is investigated on whether or not it is suitable for an anaerobic treatment in order to produce bio-based products. In addition to the biological waste material, landfill leachate is also investigated. On the basis of the studies carried out on waste management and on the suitability of biological waste, recommendations for the optimization of the existing waste management system of the participating African cities and districts are formulated.

In addition to the above-mentioned research activities, the training of young scientists is a major goal of this project. At three cooperating African universities, Nangui Abrogoua (Abidjan), Abdelmalek Essaâdi (Tétouan) and Cadi Ayyad (Marrakech), courses in the field of recycling and waste management are offered, which will be continued locally by the participating universities after the end of the project. This is intended to stabilize the achieved project results and to establish a sustainable waste management.