Industrial effluent control and waste minimisation: Case studies by UK regulators

• Published in: Water Science & Technology Vol. 39; no. 10-11; pp. 281 - 287
• Main Authors: D’Arcy, B.J., Todd, R.B., Wither, A.W.
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.01.1999; Pergamon Press; IWA Publishing
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Benefits; British Isles; Case studies; cost savings; Effluents; environmental impact; Exact sciences and technology; Industrial effluents; Industrial wastewater; Industrial wastewaters; lateral thinking; Materials recovery; Pollution; Raw materials; Receiving waters; Recovering; recycling; Regulators; Waste management; waste minimisation; Waste recycling; Wastewaters; Water treatment and pollution; United Kingdom; Europe; United Kingdom > UK; waste minimisation; lateral thinking; cost savings; environmental impact; recycling; Benefits; regulators; Water pollution; Industrial waste water; Environment impact; Legislation; Pollution prevention; Waste reuse
• ISBN: 0080428185; 9780080428185
• ISSN: 0273-1223; 1996-9732
• DOI: 10.1016/S0273-1223(99)00306-6

Most current discussion on the techniques for effluent control emphasise the sophisticated approach most appropriate to advanced industrial operations in prosperous environments. This paper aims to demonstrate that a more basic approach still has a valuable role to play. A series of case studies from the United Kingdom examine how the application of simple techniques were able to provide significant environmental benefits at minimal net cost to the discharger. The examples ranged from raw materials recovery and waste recycling, to lateral thinking and the development of non polluting processes. The consequent reductions in effluent load to receiving waters have been found to be highly significant for the environment.