Effective Waste Management Strategies of Bentonite in Sri Lanka

Abstract

One of the greatest challenges of Bentonite usage in construction industry is, managing the wastage created in sites thus, it has to be given attention. Therefore, the study would be conducted focusing on the domestic piling construction sites and the process followed by them. Although it is a chemical, it is recognized to be safe for both the environment as well as mankind in an ecological and health protection perspective. However, a proper disposal method in order to reduce the further issues as excessive waste in sites is needed. Therefore, this study aims to explore an effective method regarding the waste management strategies for Bentonite in Sri Lanka. The objectives of the study are, identifying the wasting methods of Bentonite, identifying causes of disposing Bentonite and determining the most suitable method for Bentonite disposal. Data for the objectives one and two were collected through a literature survey and analyzed by using NVivo which was validated using a questionnaire by majority of 5-10 years experienced professionals aligning to mixed method approach. Data for the third objective was found by aegis of the same questionnaire. Noticeably, it was validated through interviews by the industry experts with more than 30 years of experience. The study found that, site conditions are the most relatable reason for the Bentonite waste. Apart from that ‘weather’ and ‘manual handling errors’ can be additional reasons for the wastage. Moreover, most sites consider either ‘when the slurry forms into a cake’ or ‘silos are full’ as the causes for disposal. Furthermore, it has identified that the majority of sites dispose the waste to disposable lands using bowsers as of the disposal method after reusing 3-4 times. The suggested method appears to be cost effective and efficient in comparison to the others. Furthermore, it can be rather safe and environmentally friendly.