Environmental Protection Logo

Poll

Feature

The Last Word

October 1, 2007By Richard C. Giller, Esq.

Granular activated carbon reactivation saves money and generates less waste

For decades, granular activated carbon (GAC) has been recognized as an effective technology for removing organic chemicals in a variety of environmental applications. With strong demand for virgin activated carbon in both process and environmental applications, the use of carbon reactivation and recycling has become an increasingly important option for many companies that currently rely on activated carbon for their treatment needs.

The Public's Health Gets Taken to the Cleaners

October 1, 2007By Laurie Earl

Seeking a new approach to deal with groundwater pollution caused by dry-cleaning chemicals

Conquering Core Challenges

September 1, 2007By Angela Neville

Our five Facilities of the Year show that hard work and smart business practices can create better financial and environmental results

With great pride, we present the five winners of our annual Facilities of the Year Competition. These facilities represent a wide variety of industrial sectors and geographical locations.

Cultivating a Greener Bottom Line

September 1, 2007By Katie McCarthy

Businesses are starting to deal proactively with environmental issues

Radical change is coming to the business world. In the 21st century, many corporations are not just thinking about their bottom line, they also are thinking about their influences on the Earth. Public relations and marketing campaigns often focus on how companies are at the forefront of social responsibility.

Don't Let Your Energy Go Up In Smoke

September 1, 2007By Tim Golden

Well-managed VOC abatement systems can help capture process heat that can be reused

Competitive pressures and unpredictable energy costs continuously motivate us to examine our processes for opportunities to increase quality and productivity, and to decrease costs. Energy-intensive processes such as those associated with the manufacture of a wide variety of products utilizing water or VOC-based solvents offer opportunities to reduce operating costs through heat management or control.

Is Your Stormwater System a Washout?

September 1, 2007By Richard E. Ayres, JD

A guide to ensuring your pollutant removal system doesn't unintentionally release contaminants

Throughout the world, thousands of stormwater pollutant removal systems are being installed in an effort to prevent watercourses from being polluted. As supply has risen to meet demand, a variety of proprietary, chamber-based systems have emerged, including hydrodynamic separators, which are designed to settle out and store sediments and associated pollutants, preventing them from being discharged to the natural environment.

The Particulars on Particulates

September 1, 2007By Lucy H. Fraiser

New EPA rules allow continuous monitoring methods for fine particle pollution

Last September, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for particle pollution. As part of that measure, EPA issued revisions to the ambient air monitoring rules for fine particulate matter (PM-2.5). These actions were published in the Federal Register Oct. 17, 2006, and became effective Dec. 18, 2006.

Want to Delay? You'll Pay

September 1, 2007By Louis F. Centofanti

ABCs of CWT

July 1, 2007By Drew Frye

Centralized waste treatment: the guidelines for treating liquid wastes and how they affect you

As a part of the Clean Water Act, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is required to provide effluent guidelines to particular industries, whether they discharge wastewater to surface water or publicly owned treatment works (POTW).

Don't Waste Your Waste

July 1, 2007By Lori D. Pfeil

Pointers for setting up a solid waste recycling program at your facility

Now that you know the benefits of recycling industrial solid waste after reading the cover story “Renewable Refuse” in our magazine’s May 2007 issue, where do you start? Who should be involved? How do you implement recycling? So many questions… here are a few suggestions on how to effectively implement pollution prevention (P2) in your operations. Start now, make a plan, and make a difference.

Know Your Enemy

July 1, 2007By Steven A. Jaasund, PE

Understanding particulates smooths the operations of regenerative thermal oxidizers

Regenerativer thermal oxidizers (RTOs) that control volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by a wide variety of industrial processes are widely accepted. As a general rule, RTO technology has been very successful with most installations, operating trouble-free for extended periods. In some cases, however, operation has been troublesome, and a good proportion of these problem applications have been on biomass dryers.

Patently Good Business

July 1, 2007By Alan Seech

Honoring intellectual property rights within our industry benefits everyone

The first patent was issued in 1421, to an Italian architect for invention of a specialized boat to transport construction materials to building sites. In issuing it, the city-state of Florence recognized that inventors needed protection from those who would use their inventions without paying fair compensation. The document even spelled out consequences for illegal duplication: the copycat boat was to be publicly burned!

Time to Chill Out

July 1, 2007By Anthony J. Sadar

Freezing, thawing or just plain (political) climate change?

I am a child of the ‘70s, and just like the folks who came of age in the ‘60s, who were warned of global disaster from "too many people," I was told that the next ice age was just around the corner. This climate disaster would bring worldwide famine and, with it, the collapse of social order, or at least deconstruction of the status quo.

Cleanup Cost-cutter

June 1, 2007By Bob Kelley

A guide to the most efficient oxygen-release compound to use in the enhanced bioremediation of contaminated soil and groundwater

Unfortunately, many of the advances in our industrialized world have come at great expense to our environment. Currently, one of the biggest environmental problems in the United States and other developed nations is the contamination of soil and groundwater caused by accidental releases of hazardous chemicals and petroleum hydrocarbons.

Economic Survival in a Warming Market

June 1, 2007By H. Troy Stuckey, Hannah R. Kolni

With regulation of greenhouse gas emissions looming, states and businesses should act now

Economic prosperity is in the best interest of every United States citizen. Climate change due to human-caused greenhouse gases in the atmosphere may threaten the economic survival of this nation.