Industrial wastewater: No room for afterthoughts
The world of water and wastewater management as it is known is changing. Publicly-owned water treatment plants can now be owned and operated by private corporations, a move that will change how POTWs are legislated and regulated, but not their purpose. Treating and controlling industrial wastewater is no different: the methodology may change or evolve, but the purpose remains the same. For years industry has been finding ways to comply with local, state and federal wastewater regulations to reduce effluent contaminants. As these standards become increasingly more strict, industry continues to find ways to lower contaminant levels by designing processes that reduce contaminant generation throughout the process. When a new technology becomes available, very often its first costs are prohibitive. But as volume increases and more efficient manufacturing techniques are found, prices come down and the technology becomes more readily available. Yet there are other reasons for innovation than money. Increased knowledge of the environment and its requirements, as well as better measurement techniques, also lead to new technology and equipment. In the past, removing VOCs from the influent typically meant air stripping. EPA has started taking a stance on cleaning up the water and then polluting the air. What you`re starting to see is the wastewater permit application asking about solid waste--what do you do with it? Do you have hazardous waste? What do you do with it? They`re not asking for amounts of anything, but it`s become key that when you answer yes to some of these, they start coordinating with other departments to make sure you`re not just transferring the problem from one area to another.
- OSTI ID:
- 128848
- Journal Information:
- Pollution Engineering, Vol. 27, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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