Module 3

Pollution Control

Course Instructional Developer

Environmental ENGR. MONICA S. SOLIVA, MBA
Management System Faculty CBA
 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Course Description

The course will introduce participants to the dominant management models that have been applied historically. This work
will set the scene for an analysis of contemporary approaches to environmental policy making, planning and management.
Discuss aspects and impacts, such as the pressures and responses of human activities on the natural environment. Tools and
techniques for environmental management, as they apply to organizations and companies, are introduced. Examine the
reasons and strategies for resource conservation, pollution prevention and environmental protection related to business.

Course Outline
Module 3:
Air Pollution Technologies
Wastewater Management
Solid Waste Management
Hazardous Waste Management

2
 Study Review Guide

MODULE 1 MODULE 2 MODULE 3 COMPLETION

INTRODUCTION TO EMS NATURAL RESOURCES & POLLUTION CONTROL OF REQUIREMENTS
BIODIVERSITY
Aug 14 – Virtual Meeting Aug 28 – Virtual Meeting Sep 04 – Virtual Meeting
Aug 21 – Virtual Meeting

Date Wk Topic Date Wk Topic Date Wk Topic

Module 1
Introduction Air Pollution
Introduction Close on Sep 3, 2021
Aug 14-20 1 Water Pollution Aug 21-27 2 Aug 28-Sep 3 3 Technologies

Module 2
Natural Resources Wastewater
Air Pollution Close on Sep 10, 2021
Aug 14-20 1 Aug 21-27 2 Conservation & Aug 28-Sep 3 3 Management
Management

Solid Waste Module 3

Aug 28-Sep 3 Management Close on Sep 17, 2021
Biodiversity
Land Pollution Hazardous
Aug 14-20 1 Aug 21-27 2 Conservation & 3 All missed requirements
Waste
Management Close on Oct 01, 2021
Management

Aug 14-27 Submit requirements Aug 21-Sep 3 Submit requirements Aug 28-Sep 10 Submit requirements Oct 02, 2021
Aug 21-Sep 3 Submit missed Sep 4-10 Submit missed Sep 11-17 Submit missed COURSE CLOSE
requirements requirements requirements

3
POLLUTION CONTROL
https://youtu.be/e6rglsLy1Ys Source YouTube

Learning Objectives
1. Identify how globalized processes impact socioecological systems.
2. Describe cultural and organizational role in environmental protection.
3. Apply critical thinking skills to provide sustainable solutions and build resilient communities.

Air pollution control

WRITTEN BY
Jerry A. Nathanson
Professor of Engineering, Union County College, Cranford, New Jersey.
Author of Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply, Waste Disposal, and Pollution Control

Air pollution control, the techniques employed to reduce or eliminate the emission into the atmosphere of
substances that can harm the environment or human health. The control of air pollution is one of the principal
areas of pollution control, along with wastewater treatment, solid-waste management, and hazardous-waste
management. Air is considered to be polluted when it contains certain substances in concentrations high
enough and for durations long enough to cause harm or undesirable effects. These include adverse effects on
human health, property, and atmospheric visibility.
The atmosphere is susceptible to pollution from natural sources as well as from human activities. Some natural
phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions and forest fires, may have not only local and regional effects but also
long-lasting global ones. Nevertheless, only pollution caused by human activities, such as industry and
transportation, is subject to mitigation and control. 4
Most air contaminants originate from combustion processes. Beginning in the 19th century, in the wake
of the Industrial Revolution, increasing use of fossil fuels intensified the severity and frequency of air
pollution episodes. The advent of mobile sources of air pollution—i.e., gasoline-powered highway
vehicles—had a tremendous impact on air quality problems in cities. It was not until the middle of the
20th century, however, that meaningful and lasting attempts were made to regulate or limit emissions of
air pollutants from stationary and mobile sources and to control air quality on both regional and local
scales.

The primary focus of air pollution regulation in industrialized countries has been on protecting ambient,
or outdoor, air quality. This involves the control of a small number of specific “criteria” pollutants
known to contribute to urban smog and chronic public health problems. The criteria pollutants include
fine particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, and lead. Since the end of
the 20th century, there also has been a recognition of the hazardous effects of trace amounts of many
other air pollutants called “air toxics.” Most air toxics are organic chemicals, comprising molecules that
contain carbon, hydrogen, and other atoms. Specific emission regulations have been implemented
against those pollutants. In addition, the long-term and far-reaching effects of the “greenhouse gases” on
atmospheric chemistry and climate have been observed, and cooperative international efforts have been
undertaken to control those pollutants. The greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide,
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), methane, nitrous oxide, and ozone. In 2009 the U.S. Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) ruled that greenhouse gases posed a threat to human health and could be
subject to regulation as air pollutants.
Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/air-pollution-control/Control-of-gases 5
Air Pollution Technologies

Control of Particulates
Airborne particles can be removed from a polluted airstream by a variety of physical processes.

Common types of equipment for collecting fine particulates include cyclones, scrubbers, electrostatic
precipitators, and baghouse filters. Once collected, particulates adhere to each other, forming
agglomerates that can readily be removed from the equipment and disposed of, usually in a landfill.
Because each air pollution control project is unique, it is usually not possible to decide in advance what
the best type of particle-collection device (or combination of devices) will be; control systems must be
designed on a case-by-case basis. Important particulate characteristics that influence the selection of
collection devices include corrosivity, reactivity, shape, density, and especially size and size distribution
(the range of different particle sizes in the airstream).

Other design factors include airstream characteristics (e.g., pressure, temperature, and viscosity), flow
rate, removal efficiency requirements, and allowable resistance to airflow. In general, cyclone collectors
are often used to control industrial dust emissions and as pre-cleaners for other kinds of collection
devices. Wet scrubbers are usually applied in the control of flammable or explosive dusts or mists from
such sources as industrial and chemical processing facilities and hazardous-waste incinerators; they can
handle hot airstreams and sticky particles. Electrostatic precipitators and fabric-filter baghouses are often
used at power plants.
6
Cyclones
https://youtu.be/BrGXXurZers Source YouTube

A cyclone removes particulates by causing the dirty airstream to flow in a spiral path inside a cylindrical
chamber. Dirty air enters the chamber from a tangential direction at the outer wall of the device, forming a
vortex as it swirls within the chamber. The larger particulates, because of their greater inertia, move outward
and are forced against the chamber wall. Slowed by friction with the wall surface, they then slide down the
wall into a conical dust hopper at the bottom of the cyclone. The cleaned air swirls upward in a narrower
spiral through an inner cylinder and emerges from an outlet at the top. Accumulated particulate dust is
periodically removed from the hopper for disposal.
7
Scrubbers
https://youtu.be/sPnb1SqpHGA Source YouTube

Devices called wet scrubbers trap suspended particles by direct contact with a spray of water or other liquid.
In effect, a scrubber washes the particulates out of the dirty airstream as they collide with and are entrained
by the countless tiny droplets in the spray. Several configurations of wet scrubbers are in use. In a spray-
tower scrubber, an upward-flowing airstream is washed by water sprayed downward from a series of nozzles.
The water is recirculated after it is sufficiently cleaned to prevent clogging of the nozzles. Spray-tower
scrubbers can remove 90 percent of particulates larger than about 8 micron (μm).
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Venturi Scrubbers

In orifice scrubbers and wet-impingement scrubbers, the air-and-droplet mixture collides with a solid surface.
Collision with a surface atomizes the droplets, reducing droplet size and thereby increasing total surface
contact area. These devices have the advantage of lower water-recirculation rates, and they offer removal
efficiencies of about 90 percent for particles larger than 2 micron (μm).

Venturi scrubbers are the most efficient of the wet collectors, achieving efficiencies of more than 98 percent
for particles larger than 0.5 μm in diameter. Scrubber efficiency depends on the relative velocity between the
droplets and the particulates. Venturi scrubbers achieve high relative velocities by injecting water into the
throat of a venturi channel—a constriction in the flow path—through which particulate-laden air is passing at
high speed.
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Electrostatic Precipitators
https://youtu.be/6Mou9adOc Source YouTube

Electrostatic precipitation is a commonly used method for removing fine particulates from airstreams. In an
electrostatic precipitator, particles suspended in the airstream are given an electric charge as they enter the
unit and are then removed by the influence of an electric field. The precipitation unit comprises baffles for
distributing airflow, discharge and collection electrodes, a dust clean-out system, and collection hoppers.

A high voltage of direct current (DC), as much as 100,000 volts, is applied to the discharge electrodes to
charge the particles, which then are attracted to oppositely charged collection electrodes, on which they
become trapped.
10
Baghouse Filters
https://youtu.be/4mohzczShuk Source YouTube

One of the most efficient devices for removing suspended particulates is an assembly of fabric-filter bags,
commonly called a baghouse. A typical baghouse comprises an array of long, narrow bags—each about 25 cm
(10 inches) in diameter—that are suspended upside down in a large enclosure. Dust-laden air is blown upward
through the bottom of the enclosure by fans. Particulates are trapped inside the filter bags, while the clean air
passes through the fabric and exits at the top of the baghouse.

A fabric-filter dust collector can remove very nearly 100 percent of particles as small as 1 micron (μm) and a
significant fraction of particles as small as 0.01 μm. Fabric filters, however, offer relatively high resistance to
airflow, which leads to substantial energy usage for the fan system. In addition, in order to prolong the useful
life of the filter fabric, the air to be cleaned must be cooled (usually below 300 °C [570 °F]) before it is passed
through the unit; cooling coils needed for this purpose add to the energy usage. (Certain filter fabrics—e.g.,
11
those made of ceramic or mineral materials—can operate at higher temperatures).
Control of Gases
Gaseous criteria pollutants, as well as volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other gaseous air toxics,
are controlled by means of three basic techniques: absorption, adsorption, and incineration (or
combustion).
These techniques can be employed singly or in combination. They are effective against the major
greenhouse gases as well. In addition, a fourth technique, known as carbon sequestration, is in
development as a means of controlling carbon dioxide levels.

Wet scrubbers and packed scrubbers

Wet scrubbers similar to those described above for controlling suspended particulates may be used for
gas absorption. Gas absorption can also be carried out in packed scrubbers, or towers, in which the liquid
is present on a wetted surface rather than as droplets suspended in the air.

A common type of packed scrubber is the countercurrent tower. After entering the bottom of the tower,
the polluted airstream flows upward through a wetted column of light, chemically inactive packing
material. The liquid absorbent flows downward and is uniformly spread throughout the column packing,
thereby increasing the total area of contact between gas and liquid.

Thermoplastic materials are most widely used as packing for countercurrent scrubber towers. These
devices usually have gas-removal efficiencies of 90–95 percent.
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Absorption
In the context of air pollution control, absorption involves the transfer of a gaseous pollutant from the air
into a contacting liquid, such as water. The liquid must be able either to serve as a solvent for the pollutant
or to capture it by means of a chemical reaction.

Adsorption
Gas adsorption, as contrasted with absorption, is a surface phenomenon. The gas molecules are sorbed—
attracted to and held—on the surface of a solid. Gas adsorption methods are used for odour control at
various types of chemical-manufacturing and food-processing facilities, in the recovery of a number of
volatile solvents (e.g., benzene), and in the control of VOCs at industrial facilities.

Activated carbon (heated charcoal) is one of the most common adsorbent materials. It is very porous and has
an extremely high ratio of surface area to volume. Activated carbon is particularly useful as an adsorbent for
cleaning airstreams that contain VOCs and for solvent recovery and odor control. A properly designed
carbon adsorption unit can remove gas with an efficiency exceeding 95 percent. 13
Flue Gas Desulfurization

Sulfur dioxide in flue gas from fossil-fuel power plants can be controlled by means of an absorption process
called flue gas desulfurization (FGD). FGD systems may involve wet scrubbing or dry scrubbing.

In wet FGD systems, flue gases are brought in contact with an absorbent, which can be either a liquid or a
slurry of solid material. The sulfur dioxide dissolves in or reacts with the absorbent and becomes trapped in
it. In dry FGD systems, the absorbent is dry pulverized lime or limestone; once absorption occurs, the solid
particles are removed by means of baghouse filters (described above).

Dry FGD systems, compared with wet systems, offer cost and energy savings and easier operation, but they
require higher chemical consumption and are limited to flue gases derived from the combustion of low-
sulfur coal. 14
Incineration

The process called incineration or combustion—chemically, rapid oxidation—can be used to convert VOCs
and other gaseous hydrocarbon pollutants to carbon dioxide and water. Incineration of VOCs and hydrocarbon
fumes usually is accomplished in a special incinerator called an afterburner. To achieve complete combustion,
the afterburner must provide the proper amount of turbulence and burning time, and it must maintain a
sufficiently high temperature. Sufficient turbulence, or mixing, is a key factor in combustion because it
reduces the required burning time and temperature. A process called direct flame incineration can be used
when the waste gas is itself a combustible mixture and does not need the addition of air or fuel.

An afterburner typically is made of a steel shell lined with refractory material such as firebrick. The refractory
lining protects the shell and serves as a thermal insulator. Given enough time and high enough temperatures,
gaseous organic pollutants can be almost completely oxidized, with incineration efficiency approaching 100
percent. Certain substances, such as platinum, can act in a manner that assists the combustion reaction. These
substances, called catalysts, allow complete oxidation of the combustible gases at relatively low temperatures.

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Carbon Sequestration

16
Carbon Sequestration

The best way to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the air is to use energy more efficiently and
to reduce the combustion of fossil fuels by using alternative energy sources (e.g., nuclear, wind,
tidal, and solar power).

In addition, carbon sequestration can be used to serve the purpose. Carbon sequestration involves
the long-term storage of carbon dioxide underground, as well as on the surface of Earth in forests
and oceans. Carbon sequestration in forests and oceans relies on natural processes such as forest
growth. However, the clearing of forests for agricultural and other purposes (and also the pollution
of oceans) diminishes natural carbon sequestration.

Storing carbon dioxide underground—a technology under development that is also called geo-
sequestration or carbon capture and storage—would involve pumping the gas directly into
underground geologic “reservoir” layers. This would require the separation of carbon dioxide
from power plant flue gases (or some other source)—a costly process.

Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/air-pollution-control/Control-of-gases

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Wastewater Management

Wastewater Management
Environment Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps
Updated Aug 16 2020

Wastewater is any water that requires cleaning after it is used. This includes water that has been used for
laundry, bathing, dishwashing, toilets, garbage disposals, and industrial purposes. Wastewater also includes
rainwater that has accumulated pollutants as it runs into oceans, lakes, and rivers. Pollutants are unwanted
chemicals or materials that contaminate air, soil, and water.

Wastewater is usually divided into two major groups: point source wastewater and non-point source
wastewater. Point source wastewater includes wastewater that enter natural waters (such as lakes, rivers, and
oceans) from defined locations.

The most common point sources are sanitary sewers and storm drains. Non-point source wastewater is
wastewater that is not connected to a specific source. This includes runoff (water that drains away) from
agriculture and urban (city) areas, and acidic waters from mines.

In many ways, point source wastewater is much easier to manage because its source and the pollutants it
contains are known. Non-point source wastewater, on the other hand, is both hard to identify and treat.
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Sewage treatment
One of the largest sources of wastewater is that which comes from homes and industries. These
wastewaters all flow into sanitary sewers, which direct them into sewage treatment plants. Wastewaters
from homes contain human waste, food, soaps, and detergents. They also contain pathogens, which are
organisms that can cause diseases. Industrial wastewaters contain toxic (poisonous) pollutants, which can
endanger human health and harm other organisms. These include pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs,) and heavy metals like lead, mercury, and nickel. These metals are generally toxic to plant and
animal life. The goal of sewage treatment is to remove all of these pollutants from the wastewater so that
it can be returned to natural waters.
Sewage treatment involves three stages: primary treatment, secondary treatment, and tertiary treatment.

Primary treatment physically separates solids and liquids. The wastewater passes through a grating that
strains out large particles. The remaining water is left to stand in a tank, where smaller sediments
(particles of sand, clay, and other materials) settle to the bottom. These sediments are called sludge. At
this point, the liquid part of the wastewater still contains many pollutants and is not safe for exposure to
humans or the environment.

In the second step, called secondary treatment, the liquid part of the wastewater passes through a trickling
filter or an aeration tank. A trickling filter is a set of pipes with small holes in it that dribbles water over a
bed of stones or corrugated plastic. Bacteria in the stones or plastic absorb pollutants from the water and
break them down into substances that are not harmful.
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An aeration tank is a tank that contains bacteria that break down pollutants. The liquid part of the wastewater
from primary treatment is pumped into the tank and mixed with the bacteria. Air is bubbled through the tank
to help the bacteria grow. As bacteria accumulate, they settle to the bottom of the tank and form sludge. The
sludge is removed from the bottom of the tank and buried in landfills.

After secondary treatment, the water is generally free from the majority of pathogens and heavy metals. It
still contains high concentrations of nitrate & phosphate, minerals that can over-stimulate the growth of algae
and plants in natural waters, which can ultimately cause them and the surrounding organisms to die.
Tertiary treatment removes these nutrients from the wastewater.

One method of tertiary treatment involves using biological, chemical, and physical processes to remove these
nutrients. Another method is to pass the water through a wetland or lagoon (shallow body of water cut off
from a larger body).

Storm sewers
In most cities in the United States, the sewers that carry storm waters are routed through sewage treatment
plants. Much of the runoff from storms contains fertilizers, oils, and other chemicals that should be removed
from the water before it enters lakes, rivers, and oceans. When there are very heavy rainfalls, however, the
sewage treatment plants can become overwhelmed by the volume of water entering the facility. At these
times, sewage and wastewater from storms may be dumped directly into natural water bodies. Many cities
have programs underway to separate the storm sewers from sanitary sewers, but these projects are very costly
and time consuming.
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Agricultural runoff
Agricultural runoff occurs when rain falls to the ground and then runs through agricultural fields or livestock-
raising farms. The rainwater can accumulate fertilizer, oils, and animal wastes before it runs into rivers, lakes,
and oceans. These materials pollute natural waters and can cause fish to die, contaminate drinking water, and
speed up the rate of sedimentation (particles settling to the bottom of a waterway) in lakes and streams. In the
summer of 1995, runoff from hog farms in North Carolina caused the rapid growth of the algae Pfisteria. This
algae released toxins that affected the nervous system of fish as well as humans in the area.

In an attempt to manage agricultural runoff, the Office of Wastewater Management (OWM) of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency has designated farms as Animal Feeding Operations (AFOS). As of 1998,
nearly half a million AFOS had been identified. By designating AFOS, the OWM can regulate the disposal of
animal waste products. This moves a large portion of agricultural runoff from the non-point source category to
the point source category, and allows for better management of agricultural pollutants.

Acid mine drainage

In places where coal is mined, the mineral pyrite is a waste material. A series of complex reactions between
pyrite, oxygen, and water result in acid mine drainage. Acid mine drainage is wastewater that is extremely
acidic and contains high concentrations of heavy metals. Acid mine drainage is one of the major sources of
stream pollution in the Appalachian mountain region. Acid mine drainage has severely damaged more than
half the streams in Pennsylvania and West Virginia. There are at least 200,000 abandoned mines throughout
the United States that produce acid mine drainage.
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Acid mine drainage can be treated using chemical treatments that decrease the acidity of the water, and allow
the heavy metals to precipitate (separate from the water). This type of treatment is often very expensive.
Another way to treat acid mine drainage is by passing it through a lagoon or wetlands, which removes heavy
metals and decreases the acidity of the water. Acid mine drainage is also treated by passing it through a
channel of limestone (a rock that is very alkaline), which also neutralizes the acidity of the water.

Urban runoff
When rain falls on natural lands such as forests and meadows, some of it soaks into the soil and then slowly
makes its way to rivers, lakes, and oceans. In cities, much of the land is paved with cement and asphalt, and
water is unable to sink into the ground. Instead, it quickly moves to storm drains and then into natural
waterways. This great volume of water causes much erosion (wearing away of the land) and sedimentation. In
addition, as the rainwater runs over paved surfaces, it gathers oil and grease from cars, fertilizers and
pesticides from gardening, pathogens form animal wastes, road salts, and heavy metals. These are dumped
directly into natural waters with urban wastewater. Runoff from urban areas is the largest source of pollution
in estuaries (the wide part of a river where it nears the sea) and the third largest source of pollution in lakes.
Controlling urban runoff is extremely difficult because its sources are hard to identify. The Environmental
Protection Agency works to influence developers to take into account urban runoff when planning new
buildings. Some ideas to minimize runoff include adding vegetation and drainage areas to new construction
sites. Some cities have instituted sewer-stenciling programs that remind people that rainwater flows directly
into natural waters. Gas stations have also been targeted as businesses that can help control car oils and grease.
Schools have also developed programs to teach students about urban runoff and non-point source wastewater.

Juli Berwald, Ph.D.

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Retrieved from https://www.encyclopedia.com/environment/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/wastewater-management
4 Advanced wastewater solutions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6S0MxUfNc8 Source YouTube

Multiple advanced treatment solutions are available, driven by the need for improved operational cost
(OPEX), smaller plant footprints and more stringent regulations governing discharge. Highlighted below
are four key wastewater solutions.

1) Moving Bed Biofilm Reaction (MBBR) Technology

MBBR technology employs thousands of polyethylene biofilm carriers operating in mixed motion within
an aerated wastewater treatment basin. Each individual biocarrier increases productivity through
providing protected surface area to support the growth of heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria within
its cells. It is this high-density population of bacteria that achieves high-rate biodegradation within the
system. MBBR processes can self-maintain an optimum level of productive biofilm which, when
attached to the mobile biocarriers within the system automatically responds to load fluctuations,
according to Headworks International.
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2) Membrane Bioreactors (MBR)
https://youtu.be/nOt8HjGiIAM Source YouTube

Membrane bioreactor (MBR) is generally a term used to define wastewater treatment processes where a perm-
selective membrane, e.g. microfiltration or ultrafiltration, is integrated with a biological process − specifically
a suspended growth bioreactor, according the MBR site. MBRs differ from ‘polishing’ processes where the
membrane is employed as a discrete tertiary treatment step with no return of the active biomass to the
biological process. Almost all commercial MBR processes available today use the membrane as a filter,
rejecting the solid materials which are developed by the biological process, resulting in a clarified and
disinfected product effluent.
24
3) Membrane Aerated Biofilm Reactor (MABR)
https://youtu.be/GNhoWTdre20 Source YouTube

MABR systems passively circulate oxygen through a spirally wound membrane at atmospheric pressure.
MABR’s self-respiring membrane allows bacteria to consume oxygen more readily for a 90% reduction in
energy used for aeration. The membrane surface accumulates a biofilm of bacteria that establishes a
simultaneous nitrification-denitrification (SND) process to produce a high-quality, low-nitrogen effluent
suitable for reuse in irrigation.

25
4) Ultraviolet (UV)
https://youtu.be/fmjYF7zoBO4 Source YouTube

For advanced wastewater treatment plants, ultraviolet (UV) technology has been included in the tertiary
treatment process. This can allow the wastewater treatment plant to meet even more stringent requirement, in
some cases for indirect and direct potable reuse and water reclamation. The wavelengths of UV light range
between 200 and 300 nanometers (billionths of a meter). Special low-pressure mercury vapor lamps produce
ultraviolet radiation at 254 nm, the optimal wavelength for disinfection and ozone destruction. Categorised as
germicidal, this means they are capable of inactivating microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses and protozoa.
The UV lamp never contacts the water; it is either housed in a quartz glass sleeve inside the water chamber or
mounted external to the water which flows through UV transparent Teflon tubes. One notable development to
UV systems is the scaling up of light-emitting diode technology, known as UV-LED, with 2018 witnessing a
tipping point on power density and purchasing price.
26
Wastewater recovery
Water reuse is a form of wastewater recovery whereby water can be extracted for purposes such as agricultural
and golf course irrigation, rather than being discharged to the environment. This ties in with a growing trend to
see wastewater treatment plants instead as resource recovery centers. Recovering the water, energy, nutrients
and other precious materials embedded in wastewater is a key opportunity, according to the IWA.
Used water is one of the most under-exploited resources available. Water from industrial or domestic use
contains energy, water, organics, phosphates, nitrogen, cellulose, rare earths, and other resources. The IWA said
technologies are increasingly making resource recovery from wastewater commercially feasible, including bio-
gas, fertilizer, paper, metals, plastics and, perhaps most importantly, it is a source of ‘new’ water.

Industrial Wastewater Treatment

Most water reuse applications prior to the last decade were producing secondary quality water for industrial or
agricultural purposes. These will still provide major uses for lower grade reused wastewater. However, for
potable and some industrial purposes, a high level of treatment is required.
When addressing the question of why reuse wastewater, one answer is because you've already paid for the
treatment so why not make the most of this resource.
Techniques for potable water reuse can involve membrane-based techniques such as ultrafiltration (UF) and
reverse osmosis (RO), and using ultraviolet (UV) light or ozone for disinfection. Lately, these are finding other
applications in industry. Other techniques such as electro-dialysis, ceramic membranes and advanced oxidation
are also being used in novel ways to enable wastewater reuse.

Retrieved from https://www.aquatechtrade.com/news/wastewater/wastewater-essential-guide/ 27

Watch video
UF https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U8aAq3jAe4 Source YouTube
RO https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RDA_B_dRQ0 Source YouTube
Electro-dialysis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW5efz2LTOo Source YouTube
Ceramic https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwJGT-pgUFY Source YouTube
Oxidation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7ZKYcWvAqk Source YouTube

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Solid Waste Management
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9STFO5HjuP8 Source YouTube

An Introduction to Solid Waste Management

BY RICK LEBLANC
Updated October 11, 2019

Solid waste management is an essential service in any society. Before introducing the process, however, let's
start with a discussion of the material being managed—solid waste.

Solid waste refers to the range of garbage materials—arising from animal and human activities—that are
discarded as unwanted and useless. Solid waste is generated from industrial, residential, and commercial
activities in a given area, and may be handled in a variety of ways. As such, landfills are typically classified as
sanitary, municipal, construction and demolition, or industrial waste sites.

Waste can be categorized based on material, such as plastic, paper, glass, metal, and organic waste.
Categorization may also be based on hazard potential, including radioactive, flammable, infectious, toxic, or
non-toxic wastes. Categories may also pertain to the origin of the waste, whether industrial, domestic,
commercial, institutional, or construction and demolition.
Regardless of the origin, content, or hazard potential, solid waste must be managed systematically to ensure
environmental best practices. As solid waste management is a critical aspect of environmental hygiene, it must
be incorporated into environmental planning. 29
What Is Solid Waste Management?
Solid waste management is defined as the discipline associated with control of generation, storage, collection,
transport or transfer, processing and disposal of solid waste materials in a way that best addresses the range of
public health, conservation, economic, aesthetic, engineering, and other environmental considerations.

In its scope, solid waste management includes planning, administrative, financial, engineering, and legal
functions. Solutions might include complex inter-disciplinary relations among fields such as public health, city
and regional planning, political science, geography, sociology, economics, communication and conservation,
demography, engineering, and material sciences.

Solid waste management practices can differ for residential and industrial producers, for urban and rural areas,
and for developed and developing nations. The administration of non-hazardous waste in metropolitan areas is
the job of local government authorities. On the other hand, the management of hazardous waste materials is
typically the responsibility of those who generate it, as subject to local, national, and even international
authorities.

Objectives of Waste Management

The primary goal of solid waste management is reducing and eliminating adverse impacts of waste materials
on human health and the environment to support economic development and superior quality of life. This is to
be done in the most efficient manner possible, to keep costs low and prevent waste buildup.

30
6 Functional Elements of the Waste Management System
There are six functional components of the waste management system, as outlined below:
1. Waste generation: This encompasses any activities involved in identifying materials that are no longer
usable and are either gathered for systematic disposal or thrown away.

2. Onsite handling, storage, and processing: This relates to activities at the point of waste generation, which
facilitate easier collection. For example, waste bins are placed at sites that generate sufficient waste.

3. Waste collection: A crucial phase of waste management, this includes activities such as placing waste
collection bins, collecting waste from those bins, and accumulating trash in the location where the collection
vehicles are emptied. Although the collection phase involves transportation, this is typically not the main
stage of waste transportation.

4. Waste transfer and transport: These are the activities involved in moving waste from the local waste
collection locations to the regional waste disposal site in large waste transport vehicles.

5. Waste processing and recovery: This refers to the facilities, equipment, and techniques employed to recover
reusable or recyclable materials from the waste stream and to improve the effectiveness of other functional
elements of waste management.

6. Disposal: The final stage of waste management. It involves the activities aimed at the systematic disposal
of waste materials in locations such as landfills or waste-to-energy facilities. 31
Integrated Solid Waste Management (ISWM)

As the field of solid waste management advances, solutions are being looked at more systematically and
holistically. ISWM, for example, is an increasingly important term in the field of waste management. It
refers to the selection and use of appropriate management programs, technologies, and techniques to achieve
particular waste management goals and objectives.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) states that ISWM is composed of waste source reduction,
recycling, waste combustion, and landfills. These activities can be done in either an interactive or
hierarchical way.

In closing, it is important to stress that better solid waste management programs are urgently needed in some
countries. Only about half of the waste generated in cities and one-quarter of what is produced in rural areas
is collected.

Internationally, the World Bank warns that global waste could increase by 70% by 2050 in a business-as-
usual scenario. Ongoing efforts to improve the waste management system are an important part of preserving
a healthy human and ecological future.

Retrieved from https://www.thebalancesmb.com/an-introduction-to-solid-waste-management-2878102

32
Watch videos about solid waste management.

Best Practice in Solid Waste Management in the Philippines. Source YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EQBG5TdTn4&ab_channel=EUCLIDCEZAR

What Happens at the Landfill. Source YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RmLhY7f8WxQ&ab_channel=CityofSanDiego

Carbon Capture Technology Explained | Seachange. Source YouTube

https://youtu.be/XxjNhLZCae0

Soil Carbon Sequestration and the Soil Food Web. Source YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECHYChDUfhQ&ab_channel=Dr.ElaineIngham

33
Hazardous Waste Management
WRITTEN BY
Jerry A. Nathanson
Professor of Engineering, Union County College, Cranford, New Jersey.
Author of Basic Environmental Technology: Water Supply, Waste Disposal, and Pollution Control.

Hazardous-waste management, the collection, treatment, and disposal of waste material that, when improperly
handled, can cause substantial harm to human health and safety or to the environment. Hazardous wastes can
take the form of solids, liquids, sludge, or contained gases, and they are generated primarily by chemical
production, manufacturing, and other industrial activities. They may cause damage during inadequate storage,
transportation, treatment, or disposal operations.

Improper hazardous waste storage or disposal frequently contaminates surface and groundwater supplies.
People living in homes built near old and abandoned waste disposal sites may be in a particularly vulnerable
position. In an effort to remedy existing problems and to prevent future harm from hazardous wastes,
governments closely regulate the practice of hazardous waste management.

Hazardous Waste Characteristics

Hazardous wastes are classified on the basis of their biological, chemical, and physical properties. These
properties generate materials that are either toxic, reactive, ignitable, corrosive, infectious, or radioactive.

34
Toxic wastes are poisons, even in very small or trace amounts. They may have acute effects, causing death or
violent illness, or they may have chronic effects, slowly causing irreparable harm. Some are carcinogenic,
causing cancer after many years of exposure. Others are mutagenic, causing major biological changes in the
offspring of exposed humans and wildlife.

Reactive wastes are chemically unstable and react violently with air or water. They cause explosions or form
toxic vapors. Ignitable wastes burn at relatively low temperatures and may cause an immediate fire hazard.
Corrosive wastes include strong acidic or alkaline substances. They destroy solid material and living tissue
upon contact, by chemical reaction.

Infectious wastes include used bandages, hypodermic needles, and other materials from hospitals or
biological research facilities.

Radioactive wastes emit ionizing energy that can harm living organisms. Because some radioactive materials
can persist in the environment for many thousands of years before fully decaying, there is much concern
over the control of these wastes. However, the handling and disposal of radioactive material is not a
responsibility of local municipal government.

Because of the scope and complexity of the problem, the management of radioactive waste—particularly
nuclear fission waste—is usually considered an engineering task separate from other forms of hazardous-
waste management and is discussed in the article nuclear reactor.
35
Transport of Hazardous Waste
Hazardous waste generated at a particular site often requires transport to an approved treatment, storage, or
disposal facility (TSDF). Because of potential threats to public safety and the environment, transport is given
special attention by governmental agencies. In addition to the occasional accidental spill, hazardous waste
has, in the past, been intentionally spilled or abandoned at random locations in a practice known as
“midnight dumping.” This practice has been greatly curtailed by the enactment of laws that require proper
labeling, transport, and tracking of all hazardous wastes.

Transport Vehicles
Hazardous waste is generally transported by truck over public highways. Only a very small amount is
transported by rail, and almost none is moved by air or inland waterway. Highway shipment is the most
common because road vehicles can gain access to most industrial sites and approved TSDFs. Railroad trains
require expensive siding facilities and are suitable only for very large waste shipments.

Hazardous wastes can be shipped in tank trucks made of steel or aluminum alloy, with capacities up to about
34,000 liters (9,000 gallons). They also can be containerized and shipped in 200-liter (55-gallon) drums.
Specifications and standards for cargo tank trucks and shipping containers are included in governmental
regulations.

36
The manifest system
In the United States a key feature of regulations pertaining to waste transport is the “cradle-to-grave”
manifest system, which monitors the journey of hazardous waste from its point of origin to the point of
final disposal. The manifest system helps to eliminate the problem of midnight dumping. It also provides
a means for determining the type and quantity of hazardous waste being generated, as well as the
recommended emergency procedures in case of an accidental spill. A manifest is a record-keeping
document that must be prepared by the generator of the hazardous waste, such as a chemical
manufacturer.

The generator has primary responsibility for the ultimate disposal of the waste and must give the
manifest, along with the waste itself, to a licensed waste transporter. A copy of the manifest must be
delivered by the transporter to the recipient of the waste at an authorized TSDF. Each time the waste
changes hands, a copy of the manifest must be signed. Copies of the manifest are kept by each party
involved, and additional copies are sent to appropriate environmental agencies.

In the event of a leak or accidental spill of hazardous waste during its transport, the transporter must take
immediate and appropriate actions, including notifying local authorities of the discharge. An area may
have to be diked to contain the wastes, and efforts must be undertaken to remove the wastes and reduce
environmental or public health hazards.

37
The chemical, thermal, and biological treatment methods outlined above change the molecular form of the
waste material. Physical treatment, on the other hand, concentrates, solidifies, or reduces the volume of the
waste. Physical processes include evaporation, sedimentation, flotation, and filtration. Yet another process is
solidification, which is achieved by encapsulating the waste in concrete, asphalt, or plastic. Encapsulation
produces a solid mass of material that is resistant to leaching. Waste can also be mixed with lime, fly ash, and
water to form a solid, cement-like product.

Surface storage and land disposal

Hazardous wastes that are not destroyed by incineration or other chemical processes need to be disposed of
properly. For most such wastes, land disposal is the ultimate destination, although it is not an attractive
practice, because of the inherent environmental risks involved. Two basic methods of land disposal include
landfilling and underground injection. Prior to land disposal, surface storage or containment systems are often
employed as a temporary method.

Temporary on-site waste storage facilities include open waste piles and ponds or lagoons. New waste piles
must be carefully constructed over an impervious base and must comply with regulatory requirements similar
to those for landfills. The piles must be protected from wind dispersion or erosion. If leachate is generated,
monitoring and control systems must be provided.

Only non-containerized solid, non-flowing waste material can be stored in a new waste pile, and the material
must be landfilled when the size of the pile becomes unmanageable.
38
A common type of temporary storage impoundment for hazardous liquid waste is an open pit or holding
pond, called a lagoon. New lagoons must be lined with impervious clay soils and flexible membrane liners in
order to protect groundwater. Leachate collection systems must be installed between the liners, and
groundwater monitoring wells are required. Except for some sedimentation, evaporation of volatile organics,
and possibly some surface aeration, open lagoons provide no treatment of the waste. Accumulated sludge
must be removed periodically and subjected to further handling as a hazardous waste.

Many older, unlined waste piles and lagoons are located above aquifers used for public water supply, thus
posing significant risks to public health and environmental quality. A large number of these old sites have
been identified and scheduled for cleanup, or remediation.

Secure landfills
Land filling of hazardous solid or containerized waste is regulated more stringently than land filling of
municipal solid waste. Hazardous wastes must be deposited in so-called secure landfills, which provide at
least 3 meters (10 feet) of separation between the bottom of the landfill and the underlying bedrock or
groundwater table. A secure hazardous-waste landfill must have two impermeable liners and leachate
collection systems. The double leachate collection system consists of a network of perforated pipes placed
above each liner. The upper system prevents the accumulation of leachate trapped in the fill, and the lower
serves as a backup. Collected leachate is pumped to a treatment plant. In order to reduce the amount of
leachate in the fill and minimize the potential for environmental damage, an impermeable cap or cover is
placed over a finished landfill.
39
40
A groundwater monitoring system that includes a series of deep wells drilled in and around the site is also
required. The wells allow a routine program of sampling and testing to detect any leaks or groundwater
contamination. If a leak does occur, the wells can be pumped to intercept the polluted water and bring it to
the surface for treatment.

One option for the disposal of liquid hazardous waste is deep-well injection, a procedure that involves
pumping liquid waste through a steel casing into a porous layer of limestone or sandstone. High pressures
are applied to force the liquid into the pores and fissures of the rock, where it is to be permanently stored.
The injection zone must lie below a layer of impervious rock or clay, and it may extend more than 0.8 km
(0.5 mile) below the surface. Deep-well injection is relatively inexpensive and requires little or no
pretreatment of the waste, but it poses a danger of leaking hazardous waste and eventually polluting
subsurface water supplies.

Remedial Action
Disposal of hazardous waste in unlined pits, ponds, or lagoons poses a threat to human health and
environmental quality. Many such uncontrolled disposal sites were used in the past and have been
abandoned. Depending on a determination of the level of risk, it may be necessary to remediate those sites.
In some cases, the risk may require emergency action. In other instances, engineering studies may be
required to assess the situation thoroughly before remedial action is undertaken.

41
One option for remediation is to completely remove all the waste material from the site and transport it
to another location for treatment and proper disposal. This so-called off-site solution is usually the most
expensive option. An alternative is on-site remediation, which reduces the production of leachate and
lessens the chance of groundwater contamination. On-site remediation may include temporary removal
of the hazardous waste, construction of a secure landfill on the same site, and proper replacement of the
waste. It may also include treatment of any contaminated soil or groundwater. Treated soil may be
replaced on-site and
treated groundwater returned to the aquifer by deepwell injection.

A less costly alternative is full containment of the waste. This is done by placing an impermeable cover
over the hazardous-waste site and by blocking the lateral flow of groundwater with subsurface cutoff
walls. It is possible to use cutoff walls for this purpose when there is a natural layer of impervious soil
or rock below the site. The walls are constructed around the perimeter of the site, deep enough to
penetrate to the impervious layer. They can be excavated as trenches around the site without moving or
disturbing the waste material. The trenches are filled with a bentonite clay slurry to prevent their
collapse during construction, and they are backfilled with a mixture of soil and cement that solidifies to
form an impermeable barrier. Cutoff walls thus serve as vertical barriers to the flow of water, and the
impervious layer serves as a barrier at the bottom.

Jerry A. Nathanson
Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/technology/hazardous-waste-management/Remedial-action 42
What’s the Difference between Toxic and Hazardous Waste?
Many times the labels “toxic waste” and “hazardous waste” are used interchangeably. People outside the
hazardous waste industry often use them to label anything that poses environmental or public health
threat. It generally gets thrown under the umbrella of hazardous or toxic waste, even though it’s not truly
accurate. Even many people in the industry misuse these labels when referring to different wastes. It’s
important to know from federal and state regulatory standpoint, hazardous waste and toxic waste not
always the same thing. Since the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) monitors and enforces U.S.
regulation on different types of waste, we’ll use them as the source for our definition.

EPA Definition of Hazardous Waste

According to the EPA, “a solid waste is considered hazardous waste if it’s specifically listed as a known
hazardous waste or meets the characteristics of a hazardous waste.” Wastes listed come from common
manufacturing and industrial processes, can be generated from discarded commercial products or comes
from specific industries. A waste characteristic describes a specific way that the waste can be potentially
hazardous.
If waste doesn’t appear on listed in wastes group, it should be labeled hazardous if it meets 1 or more of
four (4) waste characteristics: Ignitability, Corrosivity, Reactivity, Toxicity

According to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), toxic waste is only waste “that is harmful or fatal
to living organisms when absorbed or ingested”.
Hazardous waste is the lower level of potentially harmful substances, toxic is higher.
Hazardous waste can be, but isn’t necessarily toxic. All toxic waste is hazardous.
43
How are Hazardous and Toxic Wastes Regulated?

RCRA- Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and CERCLA (Comprehensive
Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act) are the 2 main pieces of legislation that
regulate hazardous and toxic waste.

EPA generally uses the designation that any waste “potentially hazardous to human health or the
environmental if not properly managed” is considered hazardous waste. These materials are then
regulated using through the EPA to ensure safe disposal and management.

There is a specific act in place to monitor toxic wastes, called the Toxic Substances Control Act. This
law is constructed with a specific focus on reducing or eliminating harm to the public caused by toxic
materials such as asbestos, radon, lead-based paint, etc.

Retrieved from https://www.hwhenvironmental.com/%EF%BB%BFwhats-the-difference-between-toxic-and-

hazardous-waste/

44
Watch video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX9qzn8lkl4 Source YouTube

45
Retrieved from
https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk03CWlC_AxgmYdMEdQ1H0Ssh5iK2CA:1598154094522&source=univ&tbm=isch&q=H
ousehold+Hazardous+Waste+Symbols&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiUpub4s7DrAhVmzIsBHXqRALgQsAR6BAgKEAE&biw=768&bih=722

46
REFERENCES
Bermudez, N. et al (2017). Environmental Management. Unlimited Books.
Murali, K., Valli, M. (2017). Environmental Management 1st Edition. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Retrieved:
https://www.epa.gov/ems/learn-about-environmental-management-systems
https://isoconsultantkuwait.com/2019/06/21/iso-140012015-environment-management-system/
https://www.explainthatstuff.com/waterpollution.html
https://www.nrdc.org/stories/water-pollution-everything-you-need-know
https://www.thelancet.com/commissions/pollution-and-health
https://www.epa.gov/p2/learn-about-pollution-prevention
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solutions#:~:text=Air%20pollution%20can%20be%20defined,some%20constituents%20of%20the%20atmosphere.
https://www.britannica.com/technology/air-pollution-control/Scrubbers
https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/energy-and-the-environment/greenhouse-gases.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuV5GQFz0gg
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/hazardouswastemanagement#:~:text=
Sign%20inRegister,Hazardous%20Waste%20Management,eliminate%20exposures%20to%20these%20wastes.
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management#:~:text=The%20goal%20of%20wastewater%20management,after%20it%20has%20been%20used.
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file:///D:/Documents/30.%20WCC%201202021/WCC%20OPMGT1/Introduction%20to%20EMS.pdf 47
COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Module 3: Project
Project Title: What Can I Do to Control Environmental Pollution?
Your project should include the control of air, water, and land pollution
from your home up to the national level.
Tabulate the type of pollution, storage, transfer, and treatment.
Submit your answer in a pdf file format not more than 2 pages.

End of module 3

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