3.A process plant with al inputs and outputs is illustrated in Figure Q3 SATURAT

Question

3.A process plant with al inputs and outputs is illustrated in Figure Q3 SATURATED WATER VAPOUR 100 C TO OUT-OF-SPEC PRODUCT WITH HIGH ORGANIC CONTENT TO LANDFILL MATERIALS WATER FROM PROCESS PLANT WASTE PACKAGING MATERIAL (MOSTLY PLASTICS) TO LANDFILL FROM GRID NATURAL GAS- WASTEWATER 65°C, HIGH COD, HIGH SUSPENDED SOLIDS SENT TO SEWER Figure Q3: Process plant (a) Briefly explain the potential environmental issues for each of the waste streams shown in Figure Q3 (8 marks) (b) Who enforces the environmental regulations relating to industrial processes in the UK? (1 mark) (c) What information would typically be required on an industrial permit application? (4 marks) (d) What is the waste minimisation hierarchy and how could this be applied to the plant shown in Figure Q3 to minimise the environmental impacts? (12 marks)

Explanation / Answer

a)There are various environmental issues caused by waste streams in the Industry

i)Wastewater

Freshwater bodies and salt water bodies both are polluted by wastewater.

Underground water is very scarce currently but wastewater which can seep into the soil can pollute or makes the underground water toxic.

Ecosystems are dependent on water and as the wastewater is introduced into the ecosystem all the plants and animals present in the ecosystem are vulnerable to it.

Soil pollution, bad odour etc are other matters of concern.

ii)Plastic waste

Plastic waste is a matter of concern in various ways

If they are burnt, toxic gases are released into the environment. Also the plastics take hundreds and thousands of year to decompose which will just block the soil and the lands will be utilised to fill in the plastics further they are very harmful for animals particularly stray animals as they tend to eat the plastic as well with the food.

b) In the UK, the body which enforces environmental regulations relating to industrial process is the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

c) Different Information required are as follows:

FACILITY/SITE INFORMATION
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) CODE
TREATMENT SYSTEM
IMPOUNDMENTS
OUTFALL/DISPOSAL METHOD INFORMATION
BLOWDOWN AND ONCE-THROUGH COOLING WATER DISCHARGES
STORM WATER MANAGEMENT
DOMESTIC SEWAGE, SEWAGE SLUDGE, AND/OR SEPTAGE DISPOSAL
IMPROVEMENTS OR COMPLIANCE/ENFORCEMENT REQUIREMENTS
TOXICITY TESTING
OFF-SITE/THIRD PARTY WASTES
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS

d) Waste management hierarchy is the preference order of actions which can be used to manage and reduce the waste. It is basically depicted in a pyramidal structure varying from most favorable step on the top to least favorable step on the bottom which goes with the most favorable step: prevention followed by minimization, reuse, recycling, energy recovery and disposal being the least favorable step.

This pattern can be easily followed in the plant.

Prevention of emission of waste or gas followed by minimized emission of waste or gases followed by reusing or recycling the material and recovering the heat through the waste and finally it is disposed off if cannot be used further.

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