where will be much worse than those of any nuclear accident we have seen or will see. Nuclear power does not generate ‘greenhouse gases’ such as C02that could warm the Earth’s climate significantly and affect many more people far more adversely than nuclear power ever will.” Asked about energy from renewable sources to fuel the world’s economy, Miettinen said, “It will come, but we will not have them on-lime on the large scale needed for at least another century. We need nuclear power as a bridge to take us to a renewable energy future without causing profound changes in the world’s climate.”
Cooperation welcome Many Finnish environmental scientists and engineers welcome and
en-
courage professional contacts and CD operation with their American counterparts. Members of the American environmental community who are interested in working with their Finnish
coUeagues should contact the Office of the Counselor, Science and Technology, Embassy of Finland, 529 14th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20045; telephone (202) 662-1240. Acknowledgments I wish to thank Jorma Heinonen, coun-
selor, Science and ?&hnolopy, Embassy of Finland, for making ES&Ts trip to Finland possible and for arranging my meetings with scientists and engineers there. I also want to thank David Haworth of the Embassy of Finland and Joe Brady of FINNFACTS Institute (Helsinki) for their assistance regarding travel and logistics. References ( I ) Josephson. 1. Environ. Sci. Tcchnol. 1W5,9, 710. (2) Environrnenfalpolicies in Finland; Organimtion for Eeonomic Cooperation and Development: Paris. 1988: pp. 81-94, (3) Kran rg L Ph D Thesis. Ab0 Akademi?& (krkuj, Finland, 1987. (4) Vartiainen, T. Ph.D. Thesis. University of Kuopio, Finland; National Public Health InstiNte: Helsinki. 1988. (5) Hemming. 1. et al. Chemosphere 1986, I S , 549-56.
(6) Apajalahti, J.H.A.; Salkinoja-Salonen. M.S.J. Bacferiol. 1987,169, 5125-30. (7) Apajalahti, J.H.A.; Karpano’a P
Salkmoja-Salonen. M.
.
S . Inf.
Rnrm n.l.~. 1%. 36. 2M 1.. ..i.. .. .,. ...S.
1. ’sys;:’
(8) Valo, R.; Salkinoja-Salonen. M.S . Appl. Microbid. Biofechnol. 1986.25, 68-75. (9) Hisinen. E. et al. Sci. T o l d Environ. 1986.54.29-51. (IO) “Symposium of the Finnish Reasarch Project on Acidification (HAPRO).” 6411987: Anltila, ;!F Kauppi, .!F Us.; Ministry of the Environment. Government Printing Center: Helsinki, 1987. (11) Hari. P et al. “The Effects of Air Pollution on Forests in Finland.” 5811987; Ministry of the Environment. Government Printin Center: Helsinki, 1987. (12) Savolainen, Tihtinen, M. Presentedat the NlLUlllASA Task Force Meeting on Accuracy of Emission Inventories. Laxenburg, Austria, March 1988. (13) “The Huurre En dition to the North Pole at 1984.’’ research Notes 685: Nordlund, 0-P,Ed.; Technical Research Center of Finland. Government Printing Center: Helsinki, 1987.
f;
J u l h Josephson is the assoCinre editor of W T .
Wwte minimization in the chemical industry By Geraldine I!Cox The Chemical Manufacturers Association (CMA), which represents the chemical manufacturing industry in the United States, has a waste minimization program that emphasizes voluntary waste reduction efforts. CMA stresses the importance of minimizing waste before generation, which is the most effeaive way to protect the environment and keep industry’s wastes out of the regulatory system. In addition, this association encourages recycling, reuse, and treatment of waste generated. CMA has surveyed its members’ hazardous-waste management practices annuallv since 1981. In 1986. 58 companies 735% of CMKS meibers) responded to the survey conducted by CMA and TischledKocurek Associates (Round Rock, TX). Among the respondents were 33 of the top 50 chemical companies in chemical sales. Results of
1
-
1
have reponed since the survey began. Between 1981 and 1985 the value of chemical shipments in the United States rose from $180.5 billion to $214 billion; simultaneously, waste generation decreased 51.8%.
Generation
Geraldine 1! Cox
the 1986 survey include a compilation of data on disposal facilities and on waste generation, treatment, and storage. The survey results also include an analysis of trends from 221 plants that
W 1 ~ ~ ~ 1 o 0 3 1 B0 1988AmericanChemical 1 . ~ Society
In 1986 the chemical industry generated 220.5 million tons of waste. Of that, 98% was wastewater and 2% was solid waste. At that time the chemical industry treated 92% of the wastewater generated (216.2 million tons) and injected the remaining 8% into deep wells. Of the 4.3 million tons of solid waste generated, 69.1% was recycled, 15.3% was treated, 14.3% was disposed, 0.5% was injected, and 0.4% was stored. Of the treatment and disposal fractions, 40% was incinerated, 11.2% received other treatment, Envimn. Sci. Technol.. MI. 22. No. 9,1988 1W3
FIGURE 1
Production and hazardouswaste geneatiorf Production Hazardous waste index (millions of tons)
I
140 120
-
100
140 -
-
80
100 -
60
60 -
40
-
a20
0-
.221 Chemical plants surveyed.
Analysis of trends The chemical industry tracked 221 plants for their hazardous-waste management practices. (The number of plants decreased in recent years because corporations merged, changed ownership, or ceased operation.) Total waste generation decreased 11% during the past six years. In 1986 the amount of waste generated increased slightly from 1985, but this increase was caused by the reclassification of wastewater as a hazardous waste. The reader may ~ t ~ ~ aask, l l Is y generation down because production is down? The answer is an emphatic, No! During the first three years of the survey the generation of wastes increased as pmduction increased, but this is not hue ofthe past three years (Figure 1). For example, during the six-year period surveyed, the solid-waste component of hazardous waste was reduced 56% (1.25 million tons), and disposal of hazardous solid waste decreased
tified under this plant's NPDES permit decreased 21% between 1981 and 1986, when the wastewater was reclassified as a hazardous waste. ("DES permits are EPA's National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System.) Underground injection of wastewater dropped 20% between 1981 and 1986; a 12% decrease occurred in 1985. The volume of wastewater generated is so large that it mash the trends in solid waste, which usually has a greater environmental impact. One primary objective of the CMA is to reduce the industry's dependence on landfills. During the six-year span of the survey, the use of landlills for disposal was down 6496,and other methods of disposal decreased 80%. Since 1986 incineration has been used increasingly, and the use of land disposal has decreased dramatically.
74%. 22.3% was placed in landfills, 22.2%
was placed in surface impoundment, 1.7% was injected, and 2.6% was disposed in another manner.
The volume of pretreated wastewater discharged to publicly owned treatment works remained unchanged until 1985, when it decreased. At this time one wastewater was reclassified, which accounted for this drop. Wastewater iden-
Geraldine I! Cox, vice president and technical director of CMA, received a Ph.D. from Drerel Universiry in 1970. Her current interests are photography and g e m o l o ~ .
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