Pollution Prevention
lopezi690s
MEE 6201, Advanced Pollution Prevention 1
Course Learning Outcomes for Unit IV Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:
4. Evaluate economics of pollution prevention strategies.
6. Describe pollution prevention strategies for various industries.
7. Identify best available technologies for various industries.
Reading Assignment In order to access the resource below, you must first log into the myCSU Student Portal and access the GreenFile database within the CSU Online Library. Bari, M. E., Zietsman, J., Quadrifoglio, L., & Farzaneh, M. (2011). Optimal deployment of emissions reduction
technologies for construction equipment. Journal of the Air & Waste Management Association, 61(6), 611-630.
In order to access the resources below, you must first log into the myCSU Student Portal and access the General OneFile database within the CSU Online Library. Harding, A. K, & Jones, C. L. (1997, Jan.-Feb.). Pollution prevention practices in Oregon's electronics
industry. Journal of Environmental Health, 59(6), 21. Srivastava, R. K., & Jozewicz, W. (2001). Flue gas desulfurization: The state of the art. Journal of the Air &
Waste Management Association, 51(12),1676-1688.
Unit Lesson Unit IV starts our section on pollution prevention in particular industries. While we can't cover every industry, we have selected a few that are familiar. This unit covers construction, electronics, and coal-fired power plants. Since you will learn a lot about P2 in those industries by reading the required articles, this lecture takes a different tack by looking at a simpler situation. Let's look at P2 opportunities in a very simple everyday process like washing household dishes. You can achieve pollution prevention (P2) by “reducing or eliminating waste at the source by modifying production processes, promoting the use of non-toxic or less-toxic substances, implementing conservation techniques, and re-using materials rather than putting them into the waste stream" (EPA, 2015, para. 1). Some specifics include:
1. eliminating waste at the source by modifying production processes, 2. reducing waste at the source by modifying production processes, 3. promoting use of less-toxic substances, 4. implementing conservation techniques, and 5. re-using materials rather than putting them into the waste stream.
What are some P2 opportunities for washing household dishes?
UNIT IV STUDY GUIDE Pollution Prevention in Specific Industries – Construction, Electronics, and Coal-Fired Power Plants
MEE 6201, Advanced Pollution Prevention 2
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Here are some general P2 opportunities:
Using less water accomplishes numbers two and four.
Using less dish soap accomplishes number four and possibly number three.
Using less fuel (electricity and possibly gas) accomplishes number four.
Washing and re-using the dishes accomplishes number five. Now, let's get into more detail. Itemize the processes used: Washing dishes by hand
Gather dirty dishes
Turn on hot water
Obtain wash cloth
Get soap
Fill sink or do not fill sink
Immerse dishes
Scrub dishes
Set dishes in drying rack
Optionally dry dishes (or let air dry) Using dishwasher
Gather dirty dishes
Load dishwasher
Add dishwashing detergent
Add optional finishing rinse aid
Turn on dishwasher
Dishwasher runs a preset amount of time
Optionally have dishwasher dry dishes Solutions Use fewer dishes. More specifically, use fewer pans for cooking. Is it possible to use fewer or smaller plates and glasses? This will accomplish numbers one, two, and four. Reducing water use could come from the use of fewer and/or smaller dishes since less water is required to wash a reduced volume of dishes. If dishes are washed by hand, observe the process. Is the water left running when dishes aren't being washed? Is it hard to scrub dried food off the dishes? Water can be conserved by washing dishes before food has had a chance to harden to the dishes. If possible, install a flow meter at the sink. This will allow monitoring of the water use. With the flow meter, compare water use using various washing techniques – such as filling the sink and washing the dishes versus not filling the sink. Implementing P2 on water use will accomplish number four. Dish cloths are typically reused. They periodically need to be washed as they can attract bacteria and dirt. Re-using dish cloths as many times as possible will accomplish numbers four and five. Washing dishes by hand consumes less electricity than using a dishwasher. Some dishwashers use energy to heat the water. Others rely on a hot water heater to heat the water. Energy is used to circulate the water and dry the dishes. Air drying is the better alternative from a P2 perspective and accomplishes number four. Use biodegradable dish soap or detergent. These are less toxic than conventional soaps. Also, try to avoid anti-bacterial soaps. These are bad for the environment since bacteria develop resistance to them. Hot water will normally be sufficient for killing bacteria. This will accomplish Item 3. Wastewater from dishwashing is typically piped to a municipal wastewater treatment plant or to a home septic/aeration tank. Ultimately, the treated wastewater is discharged to streams or rivers where it is used for water supply downstream.
MEE 6201, Advanced Pollution Prevention 3
UNIT x STUDY GUIDE
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Most of the P2 solutions listed here will also save money. P2 options have been listed for washing dishes by hand and using a dishwasher. A separate P2 question would be whether to wash them by hand or use a dishwasher. The answer to that question would involve analyses of equipment costs versus labor cost, plus factoring in the value of time-savings to complete the task. We have presented a simple example showing a P2 analysis. The unit readings cover three industrial P2 situations to help simulate a pollution prevention manager's role in a corporation.
Reference U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (2015, April 17). Pollution prevention (P2). Retrieved from
http://www.epa.gov/p2/
Suggested Reading The chapter includes detailed costs, mechanical, thermal, electrical, and eco properties of many materials, which are useful to a P2 analysis and/or audit. Chapter 15: Material profiles