Detailed Analysis and Report: Waste and Pollution Management

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of waste and pollution management strategies within the paper and pulp industry and broader environmental contexts. It begins by examining waste minimization techniques, such as the application of green chemistry and byproduct recovery, highlighting their economic and environmental benefits. The report then evaluates the cost-effectiveness of different battery types, contrasting conventional and nickel-cadmium batteries. It further explores the advantages of clean technology over end-of-pipe treatment, discussing human barriers to waste minimization and the significance of housekeeping practices. The report details wastewater treatment processes, including equalization tanks, phosphate/urea usage, and sodium hypochlorite disinfection, along with waste minimization programs like substitution and process modification. Additionally, it addresses water mining, waste audit methodologies, and mass balance calculations, comparing solid and bacterial waste concentrations in treated sewage effluent versus drinking water. The report also assesses incineration and composting methods, including their advantages, disadvantages, and applications, and concludes with a discussion on landfill management and a comparison of incineration and composting.

Waste and Pollution Management 1
WASTE AND POLLUTION MANAGEMENT
By Name
Course
Instructor
Institution
Location
Date

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Question 1
i) The best example in paper and pulp industry of minimization measure in process chemical
change is the use of green chemistry which involves use of chemistry and methodologies which
can help in reduction in production of toxic substances during chemical production (Nathanson,
2015, p.152). Green chemistry encourages the prevention of pollution during chemical
manufacturing process.
ii) The recovery of lignosulphonates of the molecular weight fractions using an evaporator is an
example of by product waste minimization process in the paper and pulp industry. In this
process, ultrafiltration is used to aid the separation of lignosulphonates of high molecular weight
from those of low molecular weights. This process has been established to be economical as well
as environmental friendly and thus lowering the levels of pollution. This process is applicable in
industrial products among them spinning solvent as used for ploy acrylonitrile fibers and
dispersing agents (Westlake, 2014, p.204).
Question 2
Annual Cost of Nickel-Cadmium AA=6*3.60*14*200=$60480
Cost of conventional AA=6*0.6*7*12*6= $18014.
From the calculations of the annual costs, conventional AA batteries are cheaper that Nickel-
Cadmium AA. Whereas the lifespan of the conventional batteries is just one month, their usage
is more economical and thus associated with more cost benefit factors than Nickel-Cadmium
AA.

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Question 3
a) Advantages of clean technology over end of pipe treatment
 Cleaner production reduces material and energy consumptions while end-of-pipe
treatment increases material and energy consumptions.
 End-of-pipe treatment requires experts for environmental protection unlike clean
production where anybody can do the environmental protection.
 Cleaner production is an innovation generated within the company hence convenient
while end-of-pipe treatment comes from outside with much complications.
 Cleaner production generally leads to reduced costs as opposed to the end-of pipe
treatment which leads to increased costs.
b)
 Human barriers to waste minimization efforts in industries
 Poor communication i.e. people are not informed on time as to how to manage waste
properly.
 Inadequate policy that are put in place to guard the waste minimizations (Acton, 2013,
p.125).
 Space limitations are another barrier as people lack places of dumping wastes due to
population densities.
 Improper waste separation facilities that make it difficult to handle all types of waste
properly.
 Inadequate access to waste bins in some places.
 Inadequate waste collection vehicles in some areas

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 Irregularity in waste collection that leads to some places being ignored for a while.
 Lack of waste collecting points especially in urban centers.
c) Housekeeping refers to the activities and measures that are put in place in industries to
improve productivity by creating ease of operation while ensuring a lot of safety (Yung-tse,
2013, p.258).
Question 4
i) Function of:
a) Equalization tank is used as a buffer. This is achieved through collection of incoming raw
effluents and letting it out during non-peak time when there is little incoming effluents.
b) Phosphates/ urea are chemical in water treatment that is used in rectifying problems that
originate from contaminants of inorganic groundwater (Hung, 2012, p.288). They are also used
in the maintenance of the quality of water by inhibiting corrosion, scale, biofilm, as well as
lowering the levels of copper and lead.
c) Sodium hypochlorite is used as a disinfectant of wastewater during wastewater treatment.
ii) Waste Minimization Program
 Substitution: This would involve replacing the chemical wastes using materials that are
either non-hazardous or less harmful in the chemical processes. An example of such a
program would be using waster based solutions instead of solvent based solutions. Still,
the use of solvents that are not halogenated for example ethanol instead of halogenated
ones among the tricholoroethyne or even chloroform in the chemical processes (Yoshida,
2013, p.145).

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 Process Modification: Modification can aid in decreasing the quantity of harmful
chemicals that are being used or generated. The amount of wastes generated may be
reduced using such techniques as micro-analytical techniques. The company may resort
to using a micro as opposed to a macro Kjeldahi apparatus when analyzing nitrogen. This
would significantly lower the amount of wastes from mercury or selenium in the
analytical method (Acton, 2013, p.520).
iii) BOD5 of the combined wastewater
(500+10)=510 mg/L
Suspended solids (SS) of the combined wastewater
(200+50)=250 mg/L
Question 5
a) Water mining refers to extraction of water from groundwater reserves that are not replenishing
in regions where groundwater can still be found. This results in a decrease in the levels of
groundwater in such areas thereby making them not be active parts of the hydrological system.
b) Canberra's water mining processes

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Question 6
The three phases involved in a waste audit
1. Selection of a team and plan of the audit date: It is advisable that the team members are
drawn from all the organization level including financial department. The date should not
coincide with other important events (Acton, 2013, p.256).
2. Putting the equipment together: The following materials are commonly assembled;
camera, weighing scales, laptops to record data, protective clothes, permanent markers
for labels, large secure containers and garbage bags.
3. Handling of the waste: The bags should be removed from the secure container on the
audit day weighed. The visual assessment is done and the percentage of contamination
determined. The diversion rate which is a measure of the organization recycling program
performance is then taken (Yoshida, 2013, p.320)
Question 6
i. Total input=40000+19700+ (12.1*40) + (33.6*40) + (15.5*40) = 62148 kg/day
ii. Total output=9200+14600+13500+5600=42900 kg/day. It is assumed that there are no raw
materials that have not been processed which mean all the input has been processed.
iii. Mass balance does not satisfy as not the same mass of input is realized in the mass of output
iv. The BOD and SS loading to the wastewater treatment plant is estimated by finding the
loading per liter of water and multiplying by the quantity of water used=
(273+396)*(12.1+33.6+15.5)*1000=40942800 mg/L
v. Chemical wastes discharged= (4680+273) BOD and (6180+396) SS=4953 BOD +6576 SS

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vi. Substitution: This would involve replacing the chemical wastes using materials that are either
non-hazardous or less harmful in the chemical processes. An example of such a program would
be using waster based solutions instead of solvent based solutions (Acton, 2013, p.210). Still, the
use of solvents that are not halogenated for example ethanol instead of halogenated ones among
the tricholoroethyne or even chloroform in the chemical processes.
Question 8
The concentration of solid and bacterial wastes in treated sewage effluent is higher than that in
drinking water. Effluents of treatment sewage have undefined purposes and if defined may not
extend to drinking purposes. The concentration of bacteria in treated sewage effluents is higher
since the treatment is not highly refined. The amount of solid is less than that of bacteria as the
water undergoes numerous sieves before being released as treated sewage effluent (Yung-tse,
2013, p.130).
Question 9
a) Advantages of incineration of solid waste
 It helps to reduce the waste volume almost to zero
 It helps in treatment of hazardous and clinical wastes
 It can be used for energy generation e.g. for boilers (Letcher, 2011, p.210)
Disadvantages of incineration of solid wastes
 It produces carbon iv oxide which pollutes environment
 Possible generation of dangerous gases such as furans and dioxins
Advantages of composting used in solid management
 It helps in lowering greenhouse gases such as methane

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 Composting help in absorbing contaminated soil
 Facilitates the production of microorganism which in turns help in improving soil quality
 It helps in reducing cases of soil erosion
 As in composting we use by product which are naturally available such as dung money is
saved
Disadvantages of composting
 It is so expensive to transport due to it bulkiness
 The nutrients quantity in compost is low compared to the artificial fertilizers which
cannot satisfy the nutrient quantity needed by plant so may led to stagnant growth
 Occasionally led to accumulation of heavy metals if used for long which affect the plant
growth and soil organisms’ life
b) A landfill refers to an area that is used for the purposes of disposing waste materials through
burying such wasters into the soil. Landfills are the oldest way in which waste treatment is being
managed as they serve such purposes as temporary storage, waste material processing as well as
consolidation and transfer of waste products among other functions (Hung, 2012, p.271).
A secure land fill is a site that has carefully being engineered for the purposes of depositing
waste products. It is typically a hole dug in the ground but may at other time be constructed
above the ground. When sunken, the secure landfill has to have a provision of 3 meters
separation between the underlying rock or the groundwater table and the bottom of the landfill.
c) Incarnation is used when waste is to be treated using thermal treatment methods while
compositing is used when the aim is to recycle different organic wastes

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References
Acton, Q.A., 2013. Issues in Global Environment—Pollution and Waste Management: 2012
Edition. 4th ed. New York: ScholarlyEditions.

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Hung, Y.-T., 2012. Handbook of Environment and Waste Management: Air and Water Pollution
Control. 6th ed. Beijing: World Scientific.
Letcher, T.M., 2011. Waste: A Handbook for Management. 2nd ed. New York: Academic Press.
Nathanson, J.A., 2015. Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply, Waste Management,
and Pollution Control. 4th ed. Chicago: Pearson.
Westlake, K., 2014. Landfill Waste Pollution and Control. 3rd ed. London: Elsevier Science.
Yoshida, F., 2013. The Economics of Waste and Pollution Management in Japan. 4th ed.
London: Springer Science & Business Media.
Yung-tse, H., 2013. Handbook Of Environment And Waste Management - Volume 2: Land And
Groundwater Pollution Control. 5th ed. Beijing: World Scientific.