Earlier this year Dr. Keith Bolton (Ecoteam) and Tony Gilding (Acting President, BOS Australia) visited Nyaru Menteng to see what can be done to assist with waste water.
Nyaru Mentang is an integral part of BOS and a refuge for rescued and ex-captive orangutans. Over the last twenty years the complex has grown from zero to housing more than 600 orangutans.
However, the systems supporting waste water (including sewerage, sink water, and hospital outputs) have not kept pace with its growing colony and are badly overloaded.
Vets at the facility, are very concerned that this could affect the health of the orangutans, many of whom are scheduled for release over the next year.
This earlier visit by Keith and his team has seen the design of a waste management system that can improve conditions immediately and be monitored for future growth. This new system, comprising concrete tanks and a wetland, can be constructed from readily
available local materials.
Ecoteam has graciously offered its services, including the design and implementation, at no charge while the materials will be financed by BOS Australia. Stage one of the operation is being constructed this August/September, during the dry season.
Keith, along with Lismore plumber, Nik Hyde and a team of local tradespeople, are aiming to complete the work in about a week. Future visits will see the system expanded across the entire facility.
Dr Keith Bolton is a Director of Ecoteam (Lismore, NSW) and
a specialist in eco-friendly waste management systems.
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