I.
Industrial Waste Management
Industrial waste management is essential for protecting the environment and public health.
Industrial waste can contain hazardous materials that can be harmful to the environment and
human health if not managed properly. Industrial waste can also contain pollutants that can
contaminate water and air, leading to health problems and environmental damage. Proper
industrial waste management helps to reduce the amount of waste produced, minimize the risk of
contamination, and ensure that waste is disposed of in a safe and responsible manner. Industrial
wastes must be compatible (treatable) with the sewage. Industrial wastes must be equalized and
proportioned to the flow and pollution load of the sewage. Industrial wastes should not contain
any material toxic or detrimental to the operational objectives of the sewage treatment plant.
Industrial wastes should not contain any substances hazardous to the operating personnel nor
those of the environment near the effluent discharges. Industrial waste by-passes to the treatment
plant must be provided if and when these wastes fail to meet the above four requirements. Proper
treatment of the by-passed industrial waste must be used to ensure environmental protection.
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i. Steps to Follow for Industrial Waste Management
While a huge amount of water is required for different industrial processes, only a small fraction
of the same is incorporated in their products and lost by evaporation; the rest finds its way into
the water courses as waste water. Thus the industries join the municipalities to contribute to the
“pollution” of the environment, thus to implement a waste management system we need to
follow the following steps:
1. Identify the Sources of Industrial Waste:
The first step in industrial waste management is to identify the sources of
industrial waste. This includes identifying the type of waste generated, the amount
of waste generated, and the sources of the waste.
2. Develop a Waste Management Plan:
Once the sources of industrial waste have been identified, the next step is to
develop a waste management plan. This plan should include the steps necessary to
reduce, reuse, and recycle the waste.
3. Implement the Waste Management Plan:
Once the waste management plan has been developed, it is important to
implement the plan.
ii. Waste Management Model
Various technological approaches have been developed to process wastes as categorizing and
transporting wastes to the right place hold the
most vital positions in our industrial world.
Industries play direct and significant roles in
human health and hygiene. An example of this
issue can be industrial wastes resulting from
human activities within the industry and
contaminants therefrom. In brief, the more
material is produced at high and more complex
volumes, the more challenging will be the waste
management. In this regard, measures should be
taken toward appropriate waste management as
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the ultimate goal is “protecting human beings, environment and natural resources”. To this end,
in the present study, a mixed integer programming (MIP) model was developed to account for
the problem and propose a potential solution to be applied in the real world.
iii. Waste Hierarchy
The “waste hierarchy” ranks waste management options according to what is best for the
environment. It gives top priority to preventing waste in the first place. When waste is created, it
gives priority to preparing it for re-use, then recycling, then recovery, and last of all disposal.
Following are the steps of the waste hierarchy
1. Reduce: Reduce the amount of waste
generated by using fewer resources and
avoiding single-use items.
2. Reuse: Reuse items whenever
possible, such as using refillable containers or
donating items to charity.
3. Recycle: Recycle items that can be
recycled, such as paper, plastic, and glass.
4. Compost: Compost organic
materials, such as food scraps and yard waste.
5. Dispose: Dispose of items that cannot be reused, recycled, or composted
in a safe and responsible manner.
II. Difference between National and International Model
The main difference between Pakistani and international models used for effective management
of industrial wastes is the level of enforcement and compliance. In Pakistan, there is a lack of
enforcement and compliance with environmental regulations, which leads to a lack of effective
management of industrial wastes. International models, on the other hand, are more stringent and
have higher levels of enforcement and compliance. This leads to better management of industrial
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wastes and a more sustainable environment. Additionally, international models often include
incentives for companies to reduce their waste production and to recycle or reuse materials.
III. Ways to Improve National Model
1. Establish a Centralized Waste Management System: A centralized
waste management system should be established to ensure proper collection,
transportation, and disposal of waste. This system should be managed by a
dedicated team of professionals who are responsible for the efficient management
of waste.
2. Implement a Waste Segregation System: Waste segregation should be
implemented to ensure that different types of waste are collected and disposed of
separately. This will help reduce the amount of waste that needs to be disposed of
and will also help reduce the environmental impact of waste disposal.
3. Establish Waste Recycling Facilities: Waste recycling facilities means
any facility employing a technology that is a process that separates or classifies
municipal waste and creates or recovers reusable materials that can be sold to or
reused by a manufacturer as a substitute for or a supplement to virgin raw
materials, this helps to reduce the amount of waste being generated.
IV.
References:
i. Mufara, K. (2022, July 7). How to Use Industrial Waste Management for Pollution
Prevention. https://www.era-environmental.com/blog/industrial-waste-management-
pollution-prevention
ii. Guide for Industrial Waste Management. (2022, June 16). US EPA.
https://www.epa.gov/smm/guide-industrial-waste-management
iii. Industrial Waste Mgt Methods | Southern Waste & Recycling. (2021, March 5).
Southern-waste. https://www.southernwasteandrecycling.com/blog/2016/10/methods-of-
industrial-waste-management
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