ERT 417WASTE TREATMENT IN BIOPROCESS INDUSTRY

WASTE MINIMIZATION & MANAGEMENT

SUB-TOPICS

Waste Minimization Strategy Waste Management Practice:

i) Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)

ii) Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)

WASTE MINIMIZATION Reasons of waste minimization:

1. Energy requirement- rises exponentially with increasing waste

2. Reduce total cost- for collection, segregation, intermediate storage, transport, treatment and final storage

3. Profitability - waste = inefficiency- reduce waste = efficiency & profitability

CLEAN TECHNOLOGY Generation of less waste Consumption of fewer raw materials Less energy

1. Cannot be zero waste from any manufacturing process

2. Once created, waste cannot be destroyed

- waste can be minimized in terms of both quantity and toxicity.

WASTE REDUCTION TECHNIQUES

4 major categories:

1. Inventory management

2. Production process modification

3. Volume reduction

4. Recovery

i) Inventory management

Inventory management is divided into two: inventory control materials control

Inventory Control involves techniques to reduce inventory size and

hazardous chemical use while increasing inventory turnover.

proper inventory control help reduce wastes method that can be used are purchasing in small

quantities, purchasing in appropriate container sizes and just-in-time purchasing

Materials Control proper control over the storage of raw materials,

products and process waste and the transfer of these items within the process and around the facility.

Minimize the losses through spills, leaks or contamination

Ensure the material is efficiently handled and used in the production process and does not become waste

ii) Production process modification

3 techniques for production process modification:

a) operation and maintenance procedures

b) material change

c) equipment modifications

a) operation and maintenance procedures

- corrective and preventive maintenance can reduce waste generation caused by equipment failure.

- can help spot potential sources of release and correct a problem before any material is lost.

b) material change

- the replacement of materials used in either a product formulation or in a production process, can either result in elimination of a hazardous waste or facilitate recovery of a material.

- Example: 1. In pharmaceutical company – replace solvent based tablet coating process with a water based process

c) equipment modifications

- installation of more efficient equipment or modification of equipment can reduce the generation of waste.

- installation of completely new equipment may be involved.

iii) Volume reduction

a) source segregationb) concentration

a) Source segregation- segregation of wastes allows them to be more readily removed or recovered.

b) Concentration- concentrate waste through separation processes

such as filtration, centrifugation, membrane separations and evaporations

iv) Recovery- on-site- off-site

On-site Recovery- reduce possible handling losses and allow the management

of the waste to remain within the compass of the producer.- Recovered material can be reused as raw material- Example: in printing industry, use vapor recovery system to

recover solvents

Off-site Recovery- if on-site recovery is not feasible, for economic or other

reasons, off-site recovery should be considered.- Waste may be transferred to other company for use as a raw

material in the other company’s manufacturing process.

LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT

Definition: an evaluation of the environmental effects associated with any given activity from the initial gathering of raw material from the earth until the point at which all residuals are returned to the earth.

LIFE-CYCLE ASSESSMENT Definition: a systematic inventory and

comprehensive assessment of the environmental effects of two or more alternative activities involving defined product in a defined space and time including all steps and co-products in its life cycle.

STAGES IN LIFE CYCLE:

LIFE CYCLE OF CHOCOLATE

Cocoa Cultivation

Bagging and storage

Harvesting, Fermentation and Drying

Transport of beans to processing factory

Mixing of cocoa liquor, cocoa butter, milk, sugar and other ingredients

Expired food & packaging disposal

Tempering and Moulding

Distribution and Retail

Industrial cleaning, roasting, breaking and winnowing, and grinding of cocoa beans

Conching and Refining

Chocolate packaging

Consumption phase

Fertilizer production

Sugar production Milk production

Jute bag cultivation and Manufacturing

Pesticides production

Production of packaging

REFER EXAMPLE OF LCA OF CHOCOLATE PRODUCTION

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) Is a process that requires consideration of the environmental

and public participation in the decision-making process of project development.

"the process of identifying, predicting, evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social, and other relevant effects of development proposals prior to major decisions being taken and commitments made“-The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA)

to ensure that decision makers consider the ensuing environmental impacts when deciding whether to proceed with a project.

EIS – environmental impact statement – a review document prepared for assessment in EIA process.

STAGES IN EIA

LEGAL FRAMEWORK

Related to legislations Example: In Malaysia,

Environmental Quality (Industrial Effluent) Regulations 2009

Environmental Quality (Clean Air) Regulations 1978

Environmental Quality (Control of pollution from solid waste transfer and landfill) Regulations 2009

Environmental Quality (Refrigerant Management) Regulations 1999

etc.

FOR OTHER REGULATIONS, visit www.doe.gov.my

Example: treatment of waste (sludge) through landfilling – comply with Environmental Quality (Control of pollution from solid waste transfer and landfill) Regulations 2009.

Treatment of scheduled waste – comply with Environmental Quality (Scheduled waste treatment and disposal facilities ) Regulations 1989

ASSIGNMENT

Submit by Monday of week 15 Questions: 1) Demonstrate stages in the life cycle of a

product. Give an example of product life cycle (excluding example in the lecture note)

2) List all environmental regulations (Malaysia) related to waste treatment and management.