DEVELOPMENT OF AN INDIGENOUS ENVIRONMENTAL FRIENDLY REFUSE PICKER

Abstract

Handling and removal of harmful waste from our environment is a collective responsibility that all must embrace to make the world a safe habitat. A low cost environmental friendly waste picker was devel-oped. Biometric force evaluation of the end user obtained averaged 469.73 N. The refuse picker was calibrated to obtain the spring constant of 3030.73 N/m. The tool was tested and found to perform well in picking objects of different weights and of regular and irregular shapes ranging from 0.12 g to 2.72 kg. Serrated jaw enhanced the picking performance of the unit whilst picking a circular object without slipping off. The maximum safe horizontal and vertical loading recommended for the tool at picking was 0.5 kg. The picker was used to pick the smallest item, a pin of diameter 0.70 mm and weight of 0.12 g successfully. This tool can be very handy in the hospital where harmful waste such as needles, syringes and other unhealthy substances and waste must be removed from the environment. The tool was made from low cost materials with 40% less than the existing ones.