Waste generation

In Chap. 2 the objective set was to maximize selectivity for a given conversion. This also will minimize waste generation in reactors for a given conversion. 

Reactor temperature and pressure. If there is a significant difierence between the effect of temperature or pressure on primary and byproduct reactions, then temperature and pressure should be manipulated to improve selectivity and minimize the waste generated by byproduct formation. d. Catalysts. Catalysts cam have a major influence on selectivity. Changing the catalyst can change the relative influence on the primary and byproduct reactions. 

Each vehicle generates 500—800 pounds of residue. The aimual U.S. total is about 3.5 million tons or about 1.3% of the municipal soHd waste generated aimuaHy (3). The mixture is too complex to separate and recycle. Depending on the amount of glass, water, metal, and dirt present, the residue... 

Regulations. In order to decrease the amount of anthropogenic release of mercury in the United States, the EPA has limited both use and disposal of mercury. In 1992, the EPA banned land disposal of high mercury content wastes generated from the electrolytic production of chlorine—caustic soda (14), accompanied by a one-year variance owing to a lack of available waste treatment faciUties in the United States. A thermal treatment process meeting EPA standards for these wastes was developed by 1993. The use of mercury and mercury compounds as biocides in agricultural products and paints has also been banned by the EPA. 

Funding for developing commercial waste disposal faciUties is to come from the waste generators. In the case of spent fuel disposal, a Nuclear Waste Fund is accumulating based on an assessment of one mill per kilowatt-hour of electricity. For low level wastes, surcharges on waste disposal and direct assessments of utiUties have been imposed. 

The use of alternative fibers depends on the abdity of the fibers to bond to one another with sufficient strength to form a cohesive sheet. However, practical considerations determine whether pulp from a particular plant source is commercially feasible. These include the characteristics of the fiber, such as strength and optical properties, supply, yield of desirable fibers, waste generated, and the abdity to store the fibers without degeneration. 

In 1980, Congress deterrnined that each state should be responsible for ensuring the proper handling and disposal of commercial low level nuclear wastes generated in their states. Regional disposal sites have also been estabHshed at BamweU, South Carolina, and Ward Valley, California. These wastes are handled by Hcensed disposal faciHties where they are packaged, placed in burial trenches, and covered with soil. Less than half of the low level nuclear waste produced annually in the United States comes from nuclear power plants. Low level nuclear power plant wastes include contaminated equipment. 

In-plant controls are perhaps the best approach to eliminate waste generation and pollution problems, and many times good payback exists on recovery of products lost because of poor process controls. If the production department is responsible for the generation and in-plant control of wastes, this will help ensure that initial standards for water use and process loss are reasonable and that they are maintained (33). 

Technology Reduction effectivenes s Recovery Waste generation Advantages Disadvantages... 

Promulgate standards governing hazardous waste generation and management... 

As discussed in the introduction, the hierarchy set forth by the USEPA in the Pollution Prevention Act establishes an order to which waste-management activities should be employed to reduce the quantity of waste generated. The preferred method is source reduction, as indicated in Fig. 25-1. This approach actually precedes traditional waste management by addressing the source of the problem prior to its occurrence. 

Ereduc tion of a product or service must be evaluated over its entire istoiy or life cycle. This life-cycle analysis or total systems approach (Ref. 3) is crucial to identifying opportunities for improvement. As described earher, this type of evaluation identifies energy use, material inputs, and wastes generated during a products hfe from extraction and processing of raw materials to manufacture and transport of a product to the marketplace and finally to use and dispose of the produc t (Ref. 5). 

Assessment Phase The assessment phase aims to collect data needed to identify and analyze pollution-prevention opportunities. Assessment of the facility s waste-reduction needs includes the examination of hazardous waste streams, process operations, and the identification of techniques that often promise the reduction of waste generation. Information is often derived from obsei vations made during a facihty walk-through, interviews with employees (e.g., operators, line workers), and review of site or regulatory records. One professional organization suggests the following information sources be reviewed, as available (Ref. 7) ... 

Managerial information environmental policies and procedures prioritization of waste-management concerns automated or computerized waste-management systems inventory and distribution procedures maintenance schediiling practices planned modifications or revisions to existing operations that would impact waste-generation activities and the basis of source reduction decisions and policies... 

By performing a material balance in conjunc tion with a pollution prevention assessment, the amount of waste generated becomes known. The success of the pollution prevention program can therefore be measured by using this information on baseline generation rates (i.e., that rate at which waste is generated without pollution prevention considerations). 

Liability reduction. Facilities are responsible for their wastes from cradle-to-grave. By eliminating or reducing waste generation, future liabilities can also be decreased. Additionally, the need for expensive pollution liability insurance requirements may be abated. 

Potential tax incentives. In an effort to promote pollution prevention, taxes may eventually need to be levied to encourage waste generators to consider reduction programs. Conversely, tax breaks could be developed for corporations that utilize pollution-prevention methods to foster pollution prevention. 

Decrea.sed energy consumption. As mentioned previously, methods of energy conservation are often interrelated and complementary to each other. Energy expenditures associated with the treatment and transport of waste are usually but not always reduced when the amount of waste generated is lessened, while at the same time the pollution associated with energy consumed by these activities is abated. 

---