Chemicals

The Maseru Aloe s process of making agave gels from the leaves results in very strong natural fibres as by-products. The fibres are currently discarded as waste. They have a potential to be used in strengthening plastics to make strong composite materials. Research has shown that these fibres could be used to reinforce high density polyethylene to make very strong insulating ceiling tiles. Studies (2002) have also found that waste paper and waste plastic made 53.5% and 36% of the total solid waste generated in Maseru and Maputsoe respectively. These figures may be presently higher due to an increase in industrial and commercial activities since then. In the absence of a standard landfill, the waste undergoes a limited recycling or mainly goes to dumpsites. For instance Tsosane dumpsite is the main dumpsite in Maseru. It is situated 25m from residential housing and has waste burning 24 hours. Helping reduce the sources of POPs such as open burning of waste in Lesotho could help the country in its efforts to meet its obligations to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

Lesotho