Industrial waste is any material rendered useless during manufacturing processes. It includes waste from mining, metallurgy, power plants, chemical plants, oil and gas industries, and light industries. There are seven main types of industrial solid waste. Industrial waste management involves segregating waste for recycling, composting, or disposal in landfills. Recyclable materials are separated and recycled. Compostable organic waste is turned into fertilizer. Non-hazardous, non-recyclable waste is buried in specially designed landfills.
2. INTRODUCTION
Industrial waste is the waste produced by industrial activity which includes any material
that is rendered useless during a manufacturing process such as that of factories, industries,
mills, and mining operations. It has existed since the start of the Industrial Revolution.
Some examples of industrial wastes are chemical solvents, paints, sandpaper, paper
products, industrial by-products, metals, and radioactive wastes.
TYPES OF INDUSTRIAL SOLID WASTE
1. Solid waste from the mining industry
2. Industrial solid waste from the metallurgy industry - slag from the metallurgy
procedure and processing of metals and non-metals.
3. Solid waste from power industry - includes coal fly ash, coal slag, flue ash from
power plants
4. Solid waste from chemical industry – includes semi-finished products, waste
additives, impurity in raw materials etc.
5. Solid waste from oil chemical industry - include oil mud, tar shale, waste catalysts,
etc.
6. Solid waste from light industry – includes sludge, animal residue, waste acid, waste
alkali, etc.
7. Other industrial solid waste – mainly include metal doors from mechanical processing,
planting sludge, construction wastes, and slag from other industries.
4. INDUSTRIAL WASTE MANAGEMENT - METHODS OF DISPOSAL
1. Segregation and recycling – much of the waste that is generated by
company’s production, shipping and packaging needs is not reusable or
compostable, but it is recyclable. The first step in industrial waste
management program is to identify which items can be recycled, and set up
recycling binds or dumpsters into which they can be stored. All the items
must be segregated and separated from hazardous waste, compostable
waste, and non- hazardous waste.
2. Use of landfills – The only waste that should be sent to landfills is that
which is non-hazardous, non-recyclable, and non-compostable. When waste
is sent to a landfill, it is confined to a small area, compacted when
necessary, and then buried in the earth. As the waste decomposes, it
releases gases that can be converted to natural gas used for power and fuel.
Landfills are cost-efficient and are designed to minimize the harm done to
environment.
3. Composting – The composting process turns organic waste into fertilizer
that can be used to nourish plants. Most food waste can be composted, and
even unsafe organic food items can be turned into safe composting. You
can compost food waste, leaves, newspaper, small pieces of cardboard,
straw and sawdust. Compost is then added to soil to provide nutrients and
encourage growth. Composting is one of the most effective ways to reuse
and recycle waste.