Growing EnviroServ’s talent pool through investment in research

All business units were invited to apply and had to submit a project proposal in an area of expertise across Water, Recycling and Recovery and energy management for environmental activities, carbon solutions and greenhouse gas monitoring.

EnviroServ’s project submission in the Recycling and Recovery category, titled ‘Optimisation of Hazardous Waste Treatment’ was among the top 30 selected, and a recruitment process for a Master of Science (MSc) Chemistry graduate started. Applicants had to submit a case study which was reviewed by the Suez Technical Expertise Development Director.  With the assistance of EnviroServ’s Training and HR Departments and Suez’s Innovation Unit, Boitumelo Tlhaole was appointed in January.

A graduate chemistry researcher with an MSc from the University of the Witwatersrand who is in the final stages of her PhD thesis, Tlhaole has been exploring alternatives and solutions in hazardous waste management, looking at odour abatement solutions using chemical and physical methods.  In addition to odour challenges, EnviroServ’s landfill facilities use ash and cement to stabilise liquid wastes and studies are underway to find alternatives to the use of expensive commercial-grade cement.

The programme runs for two years and Mahmood Patel , EnviroServ’s National Laboratory Manager, is confident that Tlhaole will come up with innovative and creative solutions for hazardous waste management. “We wish Tumi continued success in her endeavours to increase EnviroServ’s technical expertise to meet our customers' growing expectations for dealing with complex environmental challenges,” he said.