Dr Jean Bosco Kazirukanyo, a chemical engineer from Burundi, has created a special type of cement which is capable of cleaning up lubricants and oil spills.
After the Oil Spillage cement (OSP) is sprinkled on the surface of oil spills and lubricants, the powdery substance reacts chemically with these impurities to form tiny lumps that can be easily disposed. These lumps can also be used as concrete additives in cement factories.
Dr Kazirukanyo is a specialist in cement process technology and chemistry. Spurred by the need to curb the effects of climate change in Africa, he ensured that this cement was capable of containing and ecologically recycling lubricants and oil spills.
With the frequency of land and water pollution in oil-rich African states, Kazirukanyo’s OSP cement, which has also earned him a place in the 2015 edition of Innovation prize for Africa, may be a possible solution to the age old issue.
Although companies like Shell and Vedanta are usually compelled to compensate the affected communities, it’s not a long term solution to the problem. As such, Dr Kazirukanyo’s OSP cement could be a wise investment for the oil companies since it is environmentally friendly and an effective way to protect the communities’ water sources against oil and other pollutants.
