Waste Management in Indian Chemical Industries

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 INDEX

S.NO. TITLE PAGE

NO.
ABSTRACT 3
1. INTRODUCTION 4
2. Literature Review 7
2.1. Process 7
2.2. Management Techniques
9
2.2.1. Waste Minimization
A. Green Chemistry 9
B. Best Available Techniques (BAT) 16

2.2.2. Treatment of Waste 17

A. Treatment Stabilization and Disposal 17
Facility
B. Multi- Objective Optimization Technique 18
C. Physical Treatments
19
D. Chemical Treatments
E. Biological Treatments 20

2.2.3. Disposal of Waste 21

3. Conclusion 25
4. References 30

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 Abstract

The chemical industries are one of the most diversified and economically important

production units, that along with numerous useful chemical products, generates tons of waste

including liquid, solid as well as gaseous wastes that when left untreated or ill managed

results into a tremendous hazard for life on the earth. Hence, it is extremely imperative for

managing the waste generated from the chemical industry in today’s world. Therefore, the

present study aimed to highlight the importance of management of waste from chemical

industry, additional to emphasizing the diverse management techniques practised in current

times. The methodology for present study included the review and analysis based on

numerous existing researches, that helped in reaching the conclusion that there are several

integrated and management techniques that are clustered together to manage and treat several

chemical effluents from the chemical industries.

Keywords: Chemical Industries, Management of Waste, Effluents/ Wastes, Integrated

Management Techniques

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 1. Introduction

Post industrialisation it has become precisely clear that world has been facing a vital problem

with management of waste generated from chemical industries. In developing countries such

India, itself the inefficient waste management from chemical industries pose as an alarming

problem specifically in urban cities (Kumar, Smith, et al.,2017). As urbanization has

significantly increased, the problem of waste management in mega cities have vastly risen

with 5 percent rise in waste every year since the year 2013 (Associated Chambers of

Commerce of India,2017).

With rise in generation of waste, a tremendous amount waste remains unprocessed at the

chemical industries which are directly dumped into natural reservoirs around the industrial

area as well as in open spaces. This specific action of disposing of waste without being

treated into natural environment results into vast pollution in terms of air, soil and water

pollution, that consequently have immense risk to public as well as animals’ health

(Karthikeyan, Suresh, Krishnan, Tudor, and Varshini, 2018).

Thus, to control the persisting problem, the management of this hazardous waste is the

necessity of the hour. The 3Rs, i.e., Reduce, Reuse, as well as Recycle, is the effective

strategy that must be implemented as a part of a country’s policy framework for reducing the

chemical wastes. In India, the regulatory bodies such as Ministry of Environment and Forests

(MoEF & CC) address the issue of waste management, however the effectiveness of the

regulations are variable and limited (Karthikeyan, Suresh, Krishnan, Tudor, and Varshini,

2018).

The purpose of the study is to highlight the importance of management of waste generated by

the chemical industries. For this, the chemical waste management is studied in respect to

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developing countries such as India, Bangladesh as well as developed countries such as United

States, China, etc.

A chemical waste or waste generated from chemical industry is any sort of solid, liquid, or

gaseous material that if not managed or disposed of improperly may lead to substantial

hazards to public health as well as environment (Environmental Organic Chemistry for

Engineers, 2017). According to OECD (2001), chemical waste consists of a wide variety of

wastes including commodity chemicals waste, agrochemicals, waste from pharmaceutical

chemicals, specific polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), air

pollutants and much more. That may persist in the environment for longer period of time as

they are characteristically resistant to decomposition and are highly acidic and toxic nature,

which pose an immense threat to living beings, hence, it is extremely vital for managing this

waste before disposing off into the environment.

Speaking of chemical industry, it is one of the most diversified manufacturing business in the

world, which isn’t limited to only one type of production unit but consists of several forms of

industries such as production units working with raw materials of oil, coal, gases, as well as

fossils, and minerals. It is also considered as a key employer in the world, with over 10

million individuals employed globally (CMA, 1999a), that generates numerous chemical

products that is consumed at a large scale worldwide, which is also an advantage in growing

economy.

That being said, the effluents from these industries on the other hand pose an immense risk

and hazard to life on the planet, including lives of human beings, aquatic animals, land

animals, plants, etc. That is why, a sound management of chemicals is proposed by every

nation in the world (Programme, United Nations Environment, 2017).

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According to National Academies Press (US) (2011), for any sound management of chemical

waste, there are four tiers to be considered, these four tiers include the reusability of surplus

as well as unwanted material, recycling of useful materials within the waste generates,

treatment of effluents, and further reclamation of wastes. The four tiers commencement takes

place with the application of green chemistry principles, the second being reusability of

material, moving on with third tier to be recycling phase, while last tier consists of complex

treatment processes.

The initial phases or tiers focuses on managing and minimizing the hazardous waste, while

the last ones focus on eliminating the stranded wastes and further disposing it off completely.

The present study would dive into each phenomenon in detail, that would help in

understanding the entire process of waste management in chemical industries.

Objectives

1. To study the process of waste management in the chemical industries.

2. To determine the segregation procedure of the waste generated in chemical industries.

3. To study in detail different management of waste techniques and strategies being

performed in chemical industries.

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 2. Literature Review

2.1. Process of Waste Management

The notion of ill-managed waste being highly dangerous for the society has become

relevantly common in today’s world, which is why every nation be it developing or

developed is looking for suitable practices to manage and treat waste generated from several

chemical industries. For this effective waste management, the first step is to be aware of the

process of waste management that is incorporated by numerous chemical industries around

the world.

The process of waste management as mentioned above takes place in a hierarchy manner or

in form of tiers. As a research conducted by Wolf (1998), the management of waste works in

a hierarchical manner, where the foremost phase or the primary tier is of source reduction as

well as pollution reduction of waste reduction in the process of management. In this the

applications of green chemistry are the primary strategy applied by various nations. In this

method, the focus is on reducing the generation of the waste at its core, suggesting that the

chemical industries are advised to identify processes or equipment that are able to produce

chemical products with limited generation of waste (Seyler, Capello, Hellweg, et al., 2006).

Moving to the next hierarchy, is the preparation for reusability, in this method the industries

are recommended to buy material which is truly needed, and maintain an efficient and

updated inventory, so that the chemical industry personnel may efficiently determine which

surplus materials might end up as waste while which would be used in production of

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chemical products. The unwanted materials are circulated in the market for reused by other

industries for their production units.

The next tier, or hierarchy represents the treatment of waste generated by the chemical

industries. As many a times the chemical industries fail to prevent generation of waste or

unable to reduce the quantity of waste generated and fails to redistribute in the market. Then

substantial treatment strategies are required for degrading the waste into end products that

when disposed off or reclaimed in natural environment, doesn’t risk the lives of others and

isn’t responsible for causing pollution in the ecology.

The fourth hierarchy is of disposal techniques, here several forms of disposal methods can be

applied such as land disposals (National Academies Press (US), 2011), or incineration, etc.

this is a crucial process as if any ill management at this step may result in huge environmental

risk and pollution. Hence, the chemical industry management must be extremely cautious at

this stage for welfare of the society as well as for protection of their own corporation’s name.

In India, the waste management of chemical industry generated effluents works under the

principles of waste management hierarchy. As according to Devi, Syamala, Oggu, and Singh

(2018), the process of waste avoidance as well as waste minimization is positioned at

foremost phase, which is subsequently trailed by reuse, recycling as well as recovery of

chemical waste.

This process of reusing, recycling, additional to recovery of chemical wastes, in accordance

to MoEF (2019) guidelines is essential part of waste management strategy. Here special task

forces must be appointed in the chemical industries organizational structure, which then

deliberate on the materials that can be redistributed or reused by other industries, recycled in

same industry or recovered in the process of producing chemical goods.

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Moving on with this strategy, Indian chemical industry also acknowledges the importance of

treatment of waste as a part of waste management. Therefore, according to several regulatory

bodies in the country, the chemical industries practice numerous treatments and storing

methods known as “Common Treatment, Storage and Disposal Facility (TSDF)”. In which,

the waste which is not minimized or reused in the process, is treated with the help of several

chemical, biological as well as physical techniques, that after being processed are stored in

safe containment tanks.

In India, there are currently 25 TSDF established, spread over in 13 states in the nation.

These facilities successfully treat, store and dispose off the hazardous waste generated from

chemical industries (Devi, Syamala, Oggu, and Singh, 2018).

2.2. Waste Management

As previously mentioned in the study, the first step in effective management of the waste

generated from the chemical industries is the source reduction or also known as waste

minimization. Hence, the present research will study elaborate that step before moving on to

other forms of management technique.

2.2.1 Waste Minimization

Waste prevention united with recycling has been considered as an effective strategy to

resolve the ecological problem in the chemical division. Waste prevention denotes the

decrease of quantity as well as quality of waste at its very source, decrease in the usage of

raw materials as well as energy, additional to the advancement in the process of re-using of

surplus materials. It is extremely imperative to attain industry’s approval in the direction of

waste minimization. As even in current times, industry is observed to have insufficient

assumption regarding waste minimization. According to García, Pongrácz, and Keiski (2004)

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industry still signifies waste management as a process incorporated only to reduce the

quantity of waste directed towards landfill, therefore any sort of activity, specifically off-site

utilization as well as incineration, is observed as a means of waste minimization. An

environmental manager at the chemical industry, must be aware of a complete

implementation of a waste minimization procedure, which entails to fully comprehend the

notions of waste minimization, including green chemistry as well as Industrial Ecology,

additional to their utilization in modern world. The industry must also be aware of different

techniques utilized under the notions of green chemistry for source reduction of the waste.

A. Green Chemistry

Green chemistry, also known as green engineering is the process that signifies “the design of

chemical products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use and generation of hazardous

substances” additional to “identifies methods of using renewable feed stocks, minimizing

energy usage and decreasing negative impacts on human health and environment” (Allen, and

Shonnard, 2001; Anastas, Heine, and Williamson. 1974).

According to Manahan (2005), Green chemistry might be defined as the exercise of chemical

science as well as manufacturing in a way that is sustainable, benign, as well as non-

polluting, additional to minimum consumption quantities of materials as well as energy

despite the fact creating little or else no waste material in the chemicals production. The

exercise of green chemistry commences with acknowledgement that the creation,

dispensation, usage, as well as ultimate disposal of products manufactured at various

chemical industries might cause damage once executed incorrectly. In achieving its purposes,

green chemistry, additional to green chemical engineering might adapt or completely

redesign products and chemical processes with the aim of minimizing wastes production as

well as its usage or else specifically production of predominantly dangerous wastes or

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unwanted materials. Further, Manahan (2005) added that people or industries who practice

green chemistry recognizes that they are accountable for any influences on the world that

their industries or chemical procedures might be having. Additional to environmental

sustainability, green chemistry is economically regressive as well as an effective effort on

increasing profits, by promoting innovation, invention and also by shielding human health,

lives of animals, plants and the environment in whole.

Anastas, and Warner (1998), compiled the basic principles of green chemistry, that stated in

today’s world it is healthier to avert waste rather than to dispose or clean up waste

subsequently it has remains created. For effective management through green chemistry,

synthetic approaches must be planned to make the most of the integration of every material

utilized in the formation of final products in chemical industries. Further, anywhere feasible,

use of synthetic approaches must be considered for usage as well as generation of substances

which hold slight or no toxicity at all to human lives and health, additional to minimum

pollution to the environment.

Anastas, and Warner (1998), further added that chemical products ought to be premeditated

to outcome their anticipated purpose while diminishing their degree of toxicity. The usage of

auxiliary materials (for instance, solvents, or separation agents, etc.) must be made needless

anywhere probable and harmless whenever used. Moreover, energy necessities of chemical

procedures must be standardized and recorded for their ecological and financial influences

could be minimized. If likely, synthetic approaches must be directed at ambient temperature

as well as pressure.

Green chemistry also directs the usage of raw material or else feedstocks, according to its

principles they must be of renewable nature instead of depleting nature whensoever

realistically and financially practicable. Redundant derivatization (usage of blocking groups,

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or else protection/ deprotection, additional to temporary modification of physical or chemical

procedures) must be curtailed or evaded if conceivable, since these steps necessitate

supplementary reagents, that are responsible for generation of additional waste. Catalytic

reagents are considered superior to stoichiometric reagents in the process of green chemistry.

Nevertheless, chemical products must be premeditated so that at the termination of their

function they must be broken down into harmless degradation goods, which do not continue

in the environment for longer times. Analytical practices are needed to be additionally

advanced to permit for real-time, as well as in-process monitoring, additional to controlling

of prior formation of hazardous materials. Substances along with the kind of a substance

utilized in a chemical procedure must be selected to curtail the probability for chemical

accidents, consisting of releases, detonations, as well as fires.

García, Pongrácz, and Keiski (2004), stated that green chemistry can be efficiently practised

with the help of substitute feedstocks or starting resources (example, biomass), substitute

reagents, substitute solvents (for instance, solventless chemicals, or ionic liquids, or

supercritical solutions, substitute goods (i.e., forming safer chemicals), analytical procedure

chemistry, as well as alternative catalysts. These processes are further explained in details.

Feedstock Process

Since any substance added on, or formed in, a procedure of chemicals production would

eventually be released into the environment, the dangerous characteristic of the feedstock to a

chemical procedure should be taken into deliberation. According to Mulholland, Sylvester,

and Dyer (2000), whenever a toxic substance is obligatory, at that point only slight amounts

must be taken. It was found that green chemistry research was primarily attentive to

plummeting the characteristic toxicity of feedstocks substances via structural modification or

else replacement process, additional to the toxic feedstocks from in-situ manufacturing

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through nontoxic feed resources (Anastas,1994). Few examples of such substitute feedstocks

consists of “ Monsanto’s direct reaction of carbon dioxide with amines, instead of with

phosgene, to produce isocyanates, along with urethanes” ; while “University of

Massachusetts’ use of polysaccharides from biological/agricultural wastes to make new

polymeric substances”; additional to “ DuPont’s development of a process for the in-situ

manufacture of methyl isocyanate in a small reactor, instead of purchasing and storing larger

quantities of the material as a feedstock”. (Dartt, and Davis, 1994).

Molecule Development Process

The perfect situation might be to form molecules, those aren’t considered as toxic, and do not

undergo via a toxic state throughout metabolism, plus aren’t tenacious, aren’t bio

accumulative, along with possess the anticipated efficiency for which the chemical product is

produced. IN reality, several molecules do have an intended toxicity, for instance pesticides

wastes; nevertheless, they must be controlled by substitution method with a substitute

molecule with described properties (Garrett, 1996; DeVito, 1996).

For instance, substituting benzene with toluene is a standard case of the process of molecular

modifications aids in altering the toxicity of the chemical products as well as its waste

generation, but do not make alteration in its intrinsic efficiency of the molecules (in this

circumstance, its solvency features). Many a times, during the production of chemicals,

molecules those aren’t toxic at low concentrations might turn toxic during bioaccumulation.

Therefore, microbial degradation is considered as a foremost vanishing mechanism for

maximum organic chemicals in both liquid as well as in solid state, microbial biodegradation

aids in preventing bioaccumulation, leading an aversion of molecules to turn toxic. The

formation of “linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (US) laundry detergents” is a suitable specimen

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of the molecular modifications process altering a chemical’s biodegradable features or

tenacity (Mulholland, Sylvester, and Dyer, 2000).

Reactor System Procedure

In dissimilarity to feedstock as well as molecule development processes, green chemistry’s

emphasis on the reactor system procedure additional to it influences on the environment

through waste minimization. The emphasis is on the reaction circumstances as well as the

media, for instance, catalysts as well as solvents.

Substitute Catalysts

Catalysis might lead to the formation and application of ecologically-benign procedures by

creating reaction pathways, those would achieve 100% discernment in the direction of the

anticipated product (Mulholland, Sylvester, and Dyer, 2000). Catalysis might also be able to

decrease the quantity of energy essential for transforming feed resources into products, that

would allow reactions to continue rapidly at inferior pressures as well as temperatures.

The capacity to operate a system adjacent to ambient circumstances is one of the rudimentary

principles of green chemistry and inherently safer processing. Few instances of such

operations are (Anastas, and Farris, 1994; Dartt, and Davis, 1994): The “Hoechst route to

ibuprofen” decreased a number of reaction stages, compacting it from six steps to three

(consisting of all catalytic processes) as well as eradicated the essential to production of the

chemical products by means of acids, bases, plus other chemicals that usually cause

production of large amounts of waste, thus, efficiently minimizing the waste production with

the help of a substitute.

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In India, the tragic incident of methyl isocyanate (MIC) release at Bhopal, caused massive

pollution and danger to living beings. Prior to the event, DuPont was been developing a

catalytic way for the” in-situ manufacture of MIC”. And after six months of the occurrence,

DuPont installed an on-line small, catalytic pipeline reactor, which produces MIC, ensuing in

effective inventory management, a process used by several chemical industries in the nation

for waste minimization.

At the University of Connecticut, visible light substituted a heavy metal catalyst in the centre

of a variability of dithiane as well as oxathiane ring systems, as a means of waste

minimization in green chemistry.

Substitute Media

The exploration for solvents as well as solvent alternatives is one of the utmost vigorous

research zones. Eradication of solvents has not only proven efficient in eliminating of waste

generation, but has also significantly reduced the manufacturing cost at chemical industries

(Mulholland, Sylvester, and Dyer, 2000). A supercritical liquid, for instance, carbon dioxide

(CO2), is a suitable sample of an extremely desired solvent alternative. According to

researchers conducted by “Virginia Polytechnic Institute” along with State University, studies

states that free-radical halogenations (for instance, bromination) in supercritical liquids were

found equivalent to, or superior to, the solvents that are used as conventional solvents at

chemical industries in United States.

Waste Solvent Management Technique

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Waste-solvent management notions those have the competency to curtail dangerous waste, to

decrease raw material contribution, additional to lowering down the emission of toxic matters

must consequently be involved in ecologically friendly chemical production and progression

design. It is known fact that not every time it is possible to make the accurate decisions at

primitive design stage. Hence, it is imperative to augment waste-solvent management in

regular operation. Frequently the diverse treatment choices develop clearly at different stages,

which has been observed specifically true for chemical procedures run as batch processes in

chemical industries (Seyler, Capello, et al., 2006).

The two main treatment choices that chemical industries, especially in Switzerland uses for

solvents includes; recycling (or the process of distillation) as well as incineration. These two

treatment choices with optimized waste-solvent management are proven to have substantial

benefit for environment.

Waste-Solvent Treatment has been observed vital, as subsequently usage of a solvent in a

chemical process, it is rendered insufficient to be reused deprived of preceding treatment

since it might (1) be blended with water or supplementary solvents, (2) comprise of

particulate matter or else salts, otherwise (3) be polluted with educts, other chemical

products, or by-products, or with substitute catalysts, or additional auxiliaries. These solvents

are then processed or treated with the help of integrated recycling allowing it to be reused at

chemical industry itself, thus minimizing the generation of chemical waste. The numerous

recycling techniques that are used in such treatments are, “distillation (comprising of flash

distillation, as well as rectification), extraction, stripping, decantation, adsorption, or

membrane techniques since the waste solvent has a persistent composition” (Smallwood,

1993; Cheremisinoff, 2003). This technique when accompanied with the principles of green

chemistry yields lesser quantities of waste, which is an efficient result for managing waste in

chemical industry.

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 B. Best Available Techniques (BAT)

Noteworthy benefaction of sustainable chemical waste management for less production or

waste minimization has also been attained by utilization of Best Available Techniques (BAT)

that have been identified by several industry sectors including chemical industries in several

parts of the world, but predominantly in Europe (European Commission Joint Research

Centre, 2012). Bazzanella, Zeschmar-Lahl Friege (2017) stated that there are several methods

concerning waste reduction (for instance, new production processes, as well as usage of

provincial waste streams acting as raw material for industrial productions, that are efficient in

reducing waste generation in several industries including agricultural, pharmaceuticals,

chemicals, etc. further it was stated that use of multi-layer or else composite material, such as

carbon fibre have also significantly reduced gaseous waste such as carbon dioxide emission

during the production in several industries. According to Friege (2017), besides the efficiency

of these methods for minimization of waste, the products left behind after the process aren’t

capable for recycling, and thus at the end of life, recovery of these resources from these

materials is approximately impossible. It is therefore extremely significant to develop other

means for minimizing waste in several industries.

2.2.2. Treatment of Waste

The above listed practices all helped in minimizing the waste generation in numerous

chemical industries, but waste management isn’t restricted to limiting generation of waste,

but also includes recycling the waste by storing it safely, and treating it before storage. The

unwanted materials left even after the treating process which cannot be stored is then

disposed of. Hence, this particular section of the study will elaborate on the ways of treating

waste generated by chemical industries.

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A. Treatment Stabilization and Disposal Facility

In India, Gujarat was the foremost state to report the issue of hazardous chemical waste and

came up with a fresh concept of “common treatment stabilization and disposal facility

(TSDF)” for several industries including the chemical industries in the nation (Karthikeyan,

Suresh, Krishnan, Tudor, and Varshini, 2018). According to Ahuja, and Abda (2015), India

consists of total 27 TSDF sites, among which eight is present at Gujarat itself. It was further

added that these sites use “online live tracking of the transport as well as disposal of

dangerous waste via the extended Green Node (XGN) List of Registered industries and daily

quantity (MT) by all TSDFs, with more than 18,000 facilities including treatment plants and

recyclers, and handlers and registered recyclers included in XGN”.

TSDFs main approach is Co-processing, which is the process of using of waste as raw

material, and as a basis of energy, to substitute natural mineral reserves as well as fossil fuels,

for instance, petroleum, coal, as well as gas in industrial processes, that helps in reusing of

materials stored after treatment on the waste, that has also significantly increased pollution as

there is less emission of dangerous waste into the environment (Mahajan, 2016).

B. Multi- Objective Optimization Technique

It is an industrial used technique for waste management and treatment of Liquid waste

generated from chemical power plants. According to Rerat, Papadokonstantakis, and

Hungerbühler (2013), This technique consists of three kinds of waste treatment, including,

“incineration (INC), biological wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), and wet air oxidation

(WAO)”, and recycling choices consisting of batch as well as continuous distillation (DIST).

Additional to this, to attain a comprehensive inventory of materials as well as energy streams,

a “life cycle impact assessment (LCIA)” approach is utilized for treating of waste, in

18
collaboration with wastewater treatment as well as wet air oxidation procedures (Köhler et

al.,2006), incineration procedures (Seyler et al.,2005), plus distillation procedures (Capello et

al.,2005).

In this method, the liquid waste is treated in the attendance of metallic catalysts in various

input waste streams of incineration (INC), where metal precipitation within the washing

water utilized to cleansed the flue gas of INC is achieved. Further, the remaining material

comprising of heavy metals is discarded in landfill technique, which is comparable to the

sludge produced by effluent treatment from steel rolling also comprising of heavy metals.

For the liquid output of wet air oxidation comprising of vestige of total organic carbon (TOC)

overhead the legal emission threshold, there in accordance to Ecoinvent database

classification, a WWTP of class-1 is used consistent with the treatment of streams at low

TOC composition (Rerat, Papadokonstantakis, and Hungerbühler,2013; Köhler et al.,2006).

For the remaining sludge resultant of the copper catalyst separation procedure of WAO, a

dangerous waste incineration apparatus is used, whereas the sludge formed in WWTP is

decomposed in an apparatus identical to a incineration apparatus of municipal waste.

In the instance of distillation, according to Capello et al. (2008) relations amid waste input as

well as utility consumption in the arrangement of statistical distributions was studied. Where

the solvent recovery well-defined as a proportion of the quantity of the waste solvent

approximately 80 percent in the situation of the batch distillation as well as 90 percent in case

of continuous distillation was found for the treatment of solvent with TOC overhead of legal

threshold values for releases to air as well as water (Swiss Government, 1985, 1998) were

levied as constraints.

C. Physical Treatments

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There are several methods or techniques used under the physical treatment processes that

focuses on eradicating suspended materials from the waste generated from the chemical

industries. One of the many techniques is in-line filtering which is a procedure for mounting

the solids composition of a waste stream as well as reduction of water quantity (IPIECA,

2014). This method is considered less efficient in treating oily wastes that inclines to bind to,

as well as clog, the filter materials used in this process. According to Alshammari, Gad,

Elgibaly, and Khan (2008) Putting up a filter arrangement which permits maximum of the oil

in the filter sludge itself upsurges the heat matter of the waste filters that hinders with the

final disposal methods, for instance incineration process.

Another method is of Filter presses technique that is characteristically used for sludge useful

in dewatering process to decrease waste transport costs. Severance of liquids into segments

subsequent filtering is frequently conceivable as soon as the stabilizing solids are eradicated.

Sludge that is calcium carbonated might be regarded as a valuable filter support while oily

sludge is treated in a filter press procedure. Similar to in-line filtering process, putting up a

filter press arrangement that permits maximum of the oil on the sludge part would be

responsible to upsurge the heat matter of the waste, hindering the final disposal treatments

(IPIECA, 2014).

D. Chemical Treatments

Physical treatments don’t work alone, and are usually accompanied by chemical treatment

process. In chemical treatments, three main techniques are used, chemical fixation,

encapsulation, and stabilization.

Chemical fixation, also known as Solidification is a procedure for creating waste material

handling simpler via altering it from a liquid or semi-solid condition to a solid content by

20
means of adding of matters that are responsible for binding the waste in a unit by chemically

fixing itself on forming a waste, ensuing in an extra effortlessly managed solid. This method

has proven to be highly effective in removing heavy metals from the waste (AZZELL, 1990).

Another technique in chemical treatment of waste is stabilization, which is the alteration of

waste to a synthetic stable arrangement of matter which would fight leaching of pollutants

from those waste materials once it is positioned to be in a landfill procedure. Stabilization is

frequently attained via the adding of substances that suggestively alters the ph. level of the

waste, trailed by bending to produce pellets or else a pillar of stabilized waste (IPIECA,

2014).

Further, Encapsulation procedure includes the adding of a substance which would coat the

waste, additional to binding to itself wholly enclosing the waste inside an impervious coating

of the encapsulating matter. This procedure is repeatedly accomplished by means of cement

to create a column of encapsulated waste, which are designed to be sent to landfills in

ultimate disposal process.

E. Biological Treatments

Biological treatment of dangerous waste from chemical industries includes natural as well as

engineered biological arrangements accompanied with living microorganisms for treating of

chemical waste (Zhang, Surampalli, Tyagi, and Benerji, 2017). Biological treatments usually

utilize microbial proceedings to alter hydrocarbons to form carbon dioxide as well as water at

higher paces in comparison to natural degradation process.

Bioremediation or bio composting are two techniques that applicable to certain wastes only,

chiefly oil-based wastes. The capability of usage these methods be contingent on the amount

of oil which could be metabolized via diverse bacteria, additional to the notion of waste

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containing the concentrations of alternative constituents that might poison or else sluggish

down the biological reactions taking place.

This kind of biological treatment is basically determined by two features: it is accomplished

in a liquid state (where the microorganisms can habitat) but it is suggestively reliant on gas to

liquid transformation for oxygen transfer rates. Significant strictures for fruitful biological

degradation of waste constituents comprise: oil composition; oxygen transfers; moisture;

maintenance of pH level; adequate temperature; along with nutrient concentrations traces.

Usage of biological treatment approaches might need substantial space for treating as well as

storing of matter, additional to regulatory support or else a precise permit to conduct such

form of treatments (IPEC, 2014).

2.2.3. Disposal of Waste

Concluding disposal is destined to be a enduring repository for the waste from where it isn’t

anticipated to reappear or be moved again. The chemical industries who are characteristically

responsible for the creator of a waste to guarantee that the concluding disposal technique

designated is benign as well as would not be resulting in any hostile effects on the

environment. Chemical industries including petroleum refineries, agrochemical units, etc

ultimately dispose of their treated waste via the processes of landfills, incineration, as well as

deep well injection.

Landfills could be on-site or else off-site of the respective chemical industries. They are

classically classified by the kind of waste that might be accepted in that region, for instance

municipal waste, building waste, chemical waste or else manufacturing non-hazardous waste.

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It is observed that chemical industries usually to utilize off-site landfills for its concluding

disposal of waste streams, but in few circumstances a landfill might be situated within the

perimeters of the chemical industries itself refinery, specifically in the case when there are no

safe or else ecologically appropriate possibilities available elsewhere. Landfills are amenities

precisely intended and planned to comprise the waste as well as prevent the further migration

of the waste or other associated pollutants into the adjacent soil or else in groundwater and

land reservoirs. For landfills envisioned to encompass wastes that have leachable

constituents, that is attained by coating the base as well as sides of the landfill by an

impervious membrane additional to, wherever likely, positioning the landfill inside a resistant

geology (for instance, made of clay, or non-fissured rock). To minimalize water entrance,

non-operating zones of the landfill might be covered by an impervious layer, plus surface

water run-off from adjacent land must be side-tracked away from the site of the landfill.

Inside the landfill, any water existing (leachate) is controlled or preserved preceding the

release. Collection systems to capture as well as to utilize or securely dispose of methane gas

formed must be used wherever the landfill also contains biodegradable material, as the waste

decomposition in the landfill might be harmful for the environment.

Incineration of waste could be accomplished on-site or else off-site of the respective chemical

industries. Incineration technique is well-thought-out to be any procedure which ignites waste

matter in the occurrence of oxygen, usually accompanied with energy recovery. Industrial

wastes that have a high composition of hydrocarbons, or are flammable wastes could also

deliver a noteworthy serving of the fuel prerequisite for an incinerator technique. Waste

incinerators could also be the basis of substantial heat as well as energy recovery prospects.

Incinerators are contained by variable the quantity of ignition air, temperature of ignition,

along with residence time as well as blending to conduct effective incineration. Incinerators

originate in numerous designs, every kind of which are considered best matched for the

23
disposal of precise kinds of wastes grounded on the diverse parameters. All incinerators

create solid ash as well as air emissions, which every incinerator must control with the help

of some kind of air pollution control as well as monitor through some form monitoring

system on the carrying out of the ignition process, as well as pollution control apparatus to

confirm that they fulfil the regulations as well as permits held by the diverse chemical

industries. Throughout the waste classification procedure, the strengths of metalloids in

ashes, for instance “ As, Se and Hg”, must be enumerated to confirm the preventive strengths

for incineration, ensuing the standard procedures.

Inoculation of waste matters to deep formations via wells have historical relevance being

permitted in several locations. This technique of final disposal utilizes injection wells to store

treated or else untreated liquid waste inside the deep geologic creations which validate no

possibility for further migration of pollutants into latent drinkable water reservoirs. A

characteristic injection well must be penetrated to more than 1000 m depth inside a non-

potable, penetrable injection region which is limited precipitously through impervious rock.

The farthest covering of the well must be installed to encompass underneath the base of any

underground foundations of drinking water present as well as must be cemented back to the

surface to avert pollution of any valuable reservoir. Although deep well injection is a

conceivable way for disposing of some chemical refineries waste substance, its usage is

presently restricted owing to apparent risk as well as long-term accountability. Disposing

through deep well injection must not be a favoured choice in maximum scenarios and must

only use if other possibilities have been systematically reviewed. For prevailing deep

injection wells, usage must be distinct on the base of the all-inclusive danger on a short as

well as long-term origin.

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 3. Conclusion

The present study aimed to investigate the management of waste generated by diverse

chemical industries in India as well as in foreign countries. The purpose of the study was to

elaborate the diverse strategies that are adopted for managing the waste from chemical

industries to minimize the pollution and health hazards caused by it.

The chemical industry has been familiarized to be highly polluting segment, that has

expanded the distrust of civilization in it. The universal public associate’s chemical industries

with diverse processes such as waste disposal, cause of pollution, spreading of disease, as

well as hazard to the society, depleting of natural possessions, cause of cancer, increase of

25
landfill, causation of accidents as well as high degree of toxic release (Clarck, 2003). Despite

the public notion, chemical industry is defined with its characteristic of producing several

products that are being consumed at an alarming rate. The “Association of British Chemical

Manufacturers” categorized the chemical productions into three clusters, including inorganic

chemicals, organic chemicals as well as specialised products (Brown & Campbell, 1969.).

These production of chemical products does leave a large quantity of waste, that is normally

considered hazardous in nature. This hazardous waste when discharged into the environment

causes air, soil, as well as water contamination leading to substantial amount of pollution,

which results in risking the lives of humans, animals and plants.

Thus, to minimize the impact of these waste generated by chemical industries. It has become

a need of the hour to apply effective management to these wastes. For the effective

management of the chemical or hazardous waste, the present study found that strategies or

techniques are planned out and implemented in the form of a pyramid or a hierarchy.

The current study revealed that the waste management has subsequent four tiers or hierarchy,

that commences with the practise of waste minimization process. The waste minimization

procedure entails the capability of reducing the generation of the waste in totality, so that less

creation of waste would substantially lead to less treatment of the waste from the chemical

industries.

The waste minimization process predominately consists of application of sustainable

chemistry as well as green chemistry, which is a process envisioned to limit the generation of

waste at the first step for reducing the impact of hazardous waste on the environment and

living beings.

The green chemistry is being operated in several nations, including developing and developed

countries. Nations like India, Finland, United States, China, Iraq, and many more are known

26
for diligently practising the principles of green chemistry. Further, it was also observed that

under the assumptions of green chemistry, there are several techniques that are being used for

reducing the production of waste across worldwide.

These techniques incorporate alternative use of substitutes in water solvent processes, using

of substituent catalysts and media in reactor system productivity, use of alternative

feedstocks, etc that helps in altering the constituents of the chemical products with substituent

components that doesn’t really alters its efficiency and functions but only results into creation

of lesser quantity of waste in current times.

Further there are several Best Available Techniques (BAT) that few countries apply to

practise the strategy of waste minimization as a part of their waste management arrangement.

The study also revealed that the management of waste doesn’t stops at minimization process,

but continues with a treatment process, where the waste that has been generated by the

chemical industries undergo different forms of treatments, to be reused or recycled within the

functions of chemical industries or redistributed to other industries.

In this treatment phase, in India the provision of treatment stabilization and disposal facility

(TSDF) acts as a major contributor in waste management. The TSDFs accumulate the waste

in a safe location, where it is treated with the help of several techniques such as physical

technique, accompanied with chemical methods and sometimes with biological techniques as

well. The treated waste is then stored in safe containment tanks for reuse as well as recycle

with the functions of the industry itself, and in some cases redistributed to other industries.

Further the waste that cannot be reused or recycled owing to its characteristic compositions

are disposed of with the help of diverse techniques such as landfills as well as incineration

methods.

27
It was also observed that chemical industries especially in developed nations uses multi-

objective optimisation methods for treating ang managing its hazardous waste. In this

technique a combination of incineration process, with biological wastewater treatment, and

wet air oxidation is used along with recycling options entailing of batch or else continuous

distillation. The process has been observed effective by several countries for treating their

chemical wastes (Seyler, Hofstetter, and Hungerbuhler, 2005).

Along with the above listed facilities, various treatments such as physical, chemical as well as

biological treatment processes are also a major contributor in managing the waste in today’s

world. The physical treatment doesn’t normally used alone and is frequently paired with

chemical treatments which is at several times aided with biological treatments. The

commonly used techniques in physical treatments are in-line filtering and filter process,

accompanied by common chemical treatment techniques of solidification or chemical

fixation, process of stabilization and the method of encapsulation. The biological treatments

are conducted with the help of aerobic and anaerobic microbes in the process of

bioremediation or bio composting.

Last hierarchy for waste management where the waste that is treated but cannot be reused or

recycled is stored for long time or completely eradicated is disposal process. The disposal

process consists of techniques of landfills mostly for solid waste, incineration also for solid

waste and deep injection wells for liquid waste. The process of landfills and deep injection

wells securely store the waste substance for longer period of time in accordance to the

regulations laid down by respective countries, while in incineration process the waste is

ignited for permanent disposal.

In conclusion, there are several technique and strategies that are being used for effective

management of waste from chemical industries, but still in present times ther has been

28
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with the association of chemical industry must find out new ways for efficiently managing

the waste for safeguarding the environment and interest of living beings.

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