Suboptimal management of industrial waste causes the natural environment to be polluted by thousands of tons of hazardous waste generated as a result of industrial activity.
Statistics from the end of 2020 are alarming, showing that even 90% of waste generated in Poland is industrial waste, with some of it being hazardous waste, very harmful to the natural environment. For comparison, the current European average share of industrial waste in the total amount of waste is approximately 49%. Data published by the Central Statistical Office shows that over 20 years, between 2000 and 2019, the amount of waste generated (excluding municipal waste) was approximately 130 million tons!
There is no doubt that the biggest problem is not the very fact of generating significant amounts of waste, but the method of managing and disposing of it. Effective recycling allows for the use of waste as secondary raw materials, which radically changes the picture of the situation. The direction that industry should take to reduce the amount of wasted resources is the innovative circular economy.
In the following part of the article, we will discuss in more detail what industrial waste is and what its types are. We will also present what disposal is and which branches of industry generate the most waste.
What Is Industrial Waste?
Before we move on to considerations about disposal, recycling, and the dangers associated with waste generation in industry, we will answer the question – what is industrial waste?
According to the Act of December 14, 2012 on waste and the regulation of the Minister of Climate of January 2, 2020 regarding the waste catalog (Journal of Laws 2020 item 21), the above-mentioned term defines all kinds of unnecessary substances and items that the owner disposes of or is legally obligated to do so. In the case of industry, we apply the following classification and division of industrial waste:
- Waste generated during exploration and extraction work related to mining and ore and mineral processing.
- Production waste and post-production waste generated through the manufacturing of all kinds of organic and inorganic chemicals.
- Waste from thermal processes, generated among others in energy industry facilities.
- Hazardous waste originating from transportation, laboratories, veterinary, hospital, and medical facilities.
In essence, the definition of industrial waste is the totality of all kinds of by-products of manufacturing processes in industry – mining, metallurgy, transportation, food production, energy, etc. Among examples, we can distinguish two types of industrial waste:
- liquid waste: chemical liquids, sewage treatment plant sludge, paints and varnishes,
- solid waste – plastics, metals, remnants of the clothing industry.
We also distinguish waste generated as a result of wear of electronic equipment, agricultural machinery, or various by-products related to the specifics of a given industry (e.g., photographic films, automotive workshops).
Which Branches of Industry Generate the Most Waste?
You have already learned what industrial waste is and what types of by-products of manufacturing in industry we encounter most often. We can therefore move on to answering the question – which branches of industry generate the most waste? Data from statistical analyses by the Central Statistical Office is as follows (as of 2019).
- Waste from flotation enrichment of non-ferrous metal ores – 26.4%.
- Waste from washing and cleaning of minerals – 26.3%.
- Mixtures of ash and slag from wet disposal of combustion waste – 7.9%.
A significant share of 4.7% is also held by waste from mining of minerals other than metal ores. A participation in the range of 2-3% was determined for sludge from water clarification, slags from smelting processes, as well as soil, earth, and stones. Let’s add that the group classified as “other” constitutes as much as 23.9%. We can therefore see how large a group of waste producers factories and plants constitute, a significant portion of pollution is also caused by construction facilities, warehouses, and food producers.
Industrial Waste and Environmental Hazard
Unfortunately, despite the development of advanced and efficient waste processing techniques for their reuse, industrial waste still poses a major hazard to the environment. Data published by the Central Statistical Office in 2013 clearly states that most of the nearly 1,700 million tons of waste produced at that time cannot be reused through recycling or incineration to obtain energy. Therefore, it is necessary to neutralize them, which also affects costs. The key is therefore proper product and technology design.
Designing products with recycling in mind through the use of materials that can be reused brings a number of benefits, not only for the natural environment. Reusing industrial waste brings large savings associated with reusing once-extracted raw materials, without the need to intensify current extraction. Moreover, the costs of storage and waste transportation decrease, which has a positive impact on the environment. Optimization of internal production processes in factories is also essential.
Industrial Waste Disposal
An interesting issue worth discussing is industrial waste disposal. Let’s remember that Polish law obliges production companies to rationally store this type of waste. They must be collected under a roof and stored in containers marked with appropriate codes. In addition, the company must conclude a contract for industrial waste collection with a specialized entity.
Evolution Toward a Circular Economy – Challenges and Threats
There is no doubt that evolution toward a circular economy brings with it challenges and threats. What elements should be considered when developing a strategy for this transformation?
- Better market supervision – it should lead to maximum transparency of operations in the waste collection industry and in industry (limiting the gray zone).
- Increasing the mass of waste subjected to recycling – increasing the share of recycling in overall statistics concerning waste processing.
- Public education – educating people regarding resistance to the construction of new incinerators or industrial waste disposal facilities.
- Increasing NFOŚiGW expenditures – increasing funds for loans and non-refundable assistance for local government units.
- Investment in innovation – allocating money for the development of new energy recovery technologies and reuse of industrial waste.
If you are looking for a trusted partner in the field of industrial waste collection and recycling, familiarize yourself with our offer. At Nicrometal, we help entrepreneurs optimize industrial waste processing processes!