Industrial waste management practices seek to handle the various types of waste produced during industrial processes. 32.8 mega tonnes of waste is produced by the industrial sector of Australia in just a single year. It’s safe to say that there’s a lot of waste to manage!
Added to this are the various laws and regulations that come with large industrial companies. Improper disposal can result in fines due to their potential for great environmental damage.
Like all waste types, it is important for people to understand industrial waste management. However, given the inherent complexity of industrial practices, it is essential that business owners working with industrial waste read this blog.
What is Industrial Waste?
Industrial waste refers to all of the waste produced during any industrial process. This is somewhat self explanatory. However, it should be remembered that the industrial sector comprises of various different companies who all produce various types of waste.
Hazardous waste is a common byproduct of many manufacturing processes. This type of waste can have a negative effect on human health and the environment. Hiring a waste management company like Cleanway can help to mitigate many of these risks.
Common industrial wastes also include organic waste, chemical waste, as well as non hazardous waste. They can come in different forms, like solid waste or liquid waste. The risks of improper management here include soil contamination from residual materials.
Industrial Waste Management
Industrial waste management techniques understand these risks and how to prevent them. But it should be remembered that dealing with waste is more than managing their potential environmental harm and to protect human health.
Proper waste management practices are in and of themselves efficient and environmentally friendly. They help to provide companies, and the subsequent industry, with the means to become more efficient, safe, and effective.
They can also work alongside existing waste infrastructures. Municipal sewage treatment plants, for instance, are capable of managing liquid industrial waste. By using existing infrastructure, companies can see their waste management systems improve.
Businesses working with industrial waste should consider conducting waste audits to better understand their current waste streams. Read more about waste audits here.
Environmental Impact of Industrial Waste
The industrial waste industry impacts the environment. While this is true of all waste types – as well as all businesses – the industrial sector has a unique place.
The Impact of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
The environmental protection agency (EPA) in Australia monitors both the environment and the environmental impact of businesses. They provide guidelines and set regulations that help to build a greener economy across the country.
Companies like Cleanway receive waste management accreditation from the EPA. Be sure to work with EPA approved companies when planning an industrial waste management system.
The Impact of Waste Recovery.
Waste recover is a relatively modern waste management practice. It seeks to reduce the total amount of waste produced by recovering resources through practices like recycling.
A major benefit of waste recovery is that is highlights the benefits of properly managed waste. Less resources means cheaper production costs, more effective manufacturing processes, and less initial resources needed from the environment.
The Impact of Resource Conservation
Recourse conservation, like waste recovery, seeks to lessen the burden of minerals needed during industrial and manufacturing processes. Less resources, in short, means less extraction from the environment.
This has a positive impact across the economy. Less mining of precious metals, for instance, means that there is less risk of water pollution in the mines. The overall industrial activity sector becomes more green.
Economic Impact of Industrial Waste
Effective management of industrial waste has numerous economic impacts. This comes about in part because of their environmental impact. Many of the benefits of resource recovery and protecting against contamination have a positive effect on economic outputs.
Additionally, many industrial activities relate to industrial waste management. This includes hazardous waste management practices like emergency spill cleanup, septic tank pump outs, and non destructive digging.
Non Destructive Digging
Non destructive digging is an excavation technique that safely removes soil so that the underground infrastructure can be repaired and maintained. This process minimises the amount of industrial waste produced by not creating contaminated soil during the excavation process.
Hydro Excavation
Hydro Excavation is a non destructive digging process. It uses water to create a sludge that can be sucked up to uncover underground infrastructure. This same sludge is then returned to where it came from. It is an industrial waste management practice that does not utilise chemical waste materials.
Emergency Spill Response
Emergency spill kits are essential for any company working with or producing liquid industrial waste. These wastes have the risk of spillage, so an emergency spill response plan is an essential part of a company’s waste management system.
Hazardous Waste
The creation of hazardous waste is a real risk for industrial companies. While not all industrial waste is necessarily hazardous, it does have the potential to become harmful to human health and the surrounding environment.
This is because of the toxic materials and harmful chemicals used in some industrial practices. Many of these chemicals might be harmless in one form, but over time they could have the propensity to become dangerous.
It’s important to remember that all waste a business generates should be handled with the potential environmental impact in mind as well as the potential harm to human health. Disposal facilities who work with industrial waste management teams are generally more knowledgeable of these potential dangers.
Industrial Solid Waste
Industrial solid waste refers to non gaseous and non liquid forms of industrial waste. Even though it is solid, improper disposal can have serious impacts on surrounding water bodies in the form of water pollution.
The handling and disposing of solid industrial waste, like most waste, should be done in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Cleanway’s team of waste management experts can provide advice on how to mitigate these potential hazards.
The last thing that any business owner wants is for harm to come to their employees or to the surrounding environment. If you are dealing with industrial waste of any form, be sure to contact Cleanway today.