Engineering Sewer Discharges

In this blog post, we continue our series on environmental engineering for industrial wastewater. Specifically, we discuss engineering sewer discharges for acceptance at off-site sewer plants. On the other hand, we do not address discharges to surface waters, on-site treatment facilities, or ground water.

How do you use engineering to clean up your industrial wastewater before discharging it? First, perform a mass balance calculation. To explain, identify and quantify all chemicals and materials. Basically, mass balance means what goes in must come out. Secondly, list the waste water’s chemical properties. Finally, determine if the discharge is acceptable to the sewer plant. And that is very important. Why? Because the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, www.epa.gov) requires it. But the County usually enforces it. How? By using a Sewer Use Ordinance.

Engineering Sewer Discharges?

There are good reasons to worry about engineering sewer discharges from your plant. For starters, the discharge could be toxic. As a result, it could kill micro-organisms at the treatment plant. What’s more, the discharge might be flammable or explosive. As a result, it could cause a fire or explosion at the plant. Additionally, it could cause the sewer plant’s discharge to pollute surface or ground water. Finally, it could violate the County Sewer Use Ordinance. Consequently, your plant could get bad publicity and be fined.

Will They Know Where the Toxic Sewer Discharge is Coming from?

The County may not know where the toxic sewer discharge is coming from but they can do sewer discharge tracing to find out. First, they inspect and test the wastewater at lift stations. Second, they use the results to identify which lift station is causing the problem. Third, they determine which plants discharge to that lift station. Fourth, they decide which plant is the most likely suspect. Fifth, they knock on your door, ask questions, and test your discharge. It is not that difficult!

Clean Up the Sewer Discharge

So, before the County comes knocking, clean up your sewer discharge. First, read the County Sewer Use Ordinance closely. Second, determine if banned chemicals could be in your discharge. If so, test the discharge. If the results confirm a problem, you are dead in the water, right? No, now explore the following treatment options:

Change the process
Substitute chemicals
Remove hazardous wastes
Pre-treat the sewer discharge
Get help from an environmental engineer or the County

After you have fixed the problem, run a bench scale test on the sewer discharge. Good results mean start the treatment. Bad results mean you adjust the treatment, retest, and then start the treatment.

So, there is a discussion of the engineering sewer discharges of industrial wastewater! If you need any assistance, ESC (www.escflorida.com) is here. We are a Florida licensed environmental engineering firm with a P.E. on staff. We have the credentials and experience to help you with your engineering sewer discharges. Contact us today (https://www.escflorida.com/contact/). We strive to reply to all contacts promptly!

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

Background

So far, we have provided several blog posts on or related to environmental engineering, which is provided Developing a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan by environmental consulting firms like ours, Environmental Safety Consultants, Inc. (ESC). We provided information on environmental permits, then went into an overview of environmental engineering. Next, we addressed industrial wastewater and, finally, air emissions control provided by an air engineer. There was also a blog post discussing Florida NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) Industrial Stormwater requirements. Now we will discuss the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP)

The current paper will discuss environmental engineering required for an SWPPP (Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan). The regulatory requirements are provided by both the U.S. EPA (Environmental Protection Agency, www.epa.gov) and the FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, www.floridadep.gov). The requirements discussed herein primarily cover manufacturing and industrial facilities with SIC (Standard Industrial Classification) Codes 21 – 39 with specific exposure to stormwater.

Objective

The objective of the Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan is self-evident from its name. Basically, the plan prevents pollution of stormwater so it does not impact receiving waters. Otherwise, it can impair the biological organisms and public health.

Components of Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan

In preparing the SWPPP, the environmental engineer first identifies the facility and describes its operations, location, and receiving surface waters. Next, the engineer gathers information and data in the following areas to assess the facility’s impact to stormwater:

Topography, runoff, & discharge point(s)
Material inventory, quantities, & exposure
Significant spills or leaks last three years
Non-stormwater discharges
Pollutant sources & specific parameters
Best Management Practices (BMPs) to control pollutants

Based on the results of the preceding, the environmental engineer discusses the findings with the client, then prepares the SWPPP and submits it for review. It is important that the client be able to implement and use the plan to reduce or eliminate pollutants in the facility’s stormwater runoff.

Implementation

The client’s management must endorse the SWPPP and sign it as documentation. The client forms a Pollution Prevention Team (PPT) and identifies it in the SWPPP. Team members and other personnel receive training. Management commits resources to attain the plan’s objective and implements the BMPs selected. The PPT completes visual monitoring of the stormwater discharge quarterly and, possibly, laboratory analysis during the second and fourth years of the five year permit. The client keeps all records in the SWPPP and, thus, it is a living document.

So there is a discussion of the preparation of an SWPPP by an environmental engineer! If you need any assistance, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) is here. We are a Florida licensed environmental consulting and Florida licensed environmental engineering firm with a P.E. on staff. We have the credentials and experience to help you with your SWPPP. Contact us today (https://www.escflorida.com/contact/). We strive to reply to all contacts promptly!

Environmental Engineering for Air Emissions

Background on Environmental Engineering for Air Emissions

In three previous papers we dealt with an overview of environmental engineering, industrial wastewater permits, and industrial wastewater environmental engineering. In this paper, we will discuss environmental engineering required to address air emissions to the outside environment.

To explain further, these emissions to the outside environment result from manufacturing and industrial operations. And, these emissions fall into two categories of emissions. Firstly, emissions can come from one point source such as a smoke stack. Secondly, emissions can come from a non-point source. Thuse, these are fugitive emissions. In further explanation, these fugitive emissions result from processes typically inside a building or in an outside designated area.

Environmental Engineering and the Air Engineer

Environmental engineering and the Air Engineer are critical to the process. Firstly, the engineer determines the best reasonably achievable control technology to minimize the emissions to the environment outside of the facility. The engineer does this by designing, testing, and adjusting the controls. This is the engineering component. Secondly, the engineer is the other component. In Florida, a Florida licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) signs and seals applications for Title V Air permits and Federally Enforceable State Operating Permits (FESOPs). A P.E. in Florida limits his or her services to areas that he or she has the required education, training, and experience. This Air Engineer knows emissions and has the experience to provide consulting services in the air emissions area.

Identify the Pollutants in the Air Emissions

To engineer the air emissions controls, the engineer has to know the process generating the emissions. Firstly, the environmental engineer must review the raw materials, the industrial or manufacturing process, the resultant air emissions, and the control options. Following are a few pollutants which may be of concern:

Particulate Matter (physical particles or dust)
Nitrogen Oxides
Sulfur Dioxide
Carbon Monoxide
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Ozone
Lead

All of these except VOCs are criteria air pollutants established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, https://www.epa.gov/criteria-air-pollutants). Each type of pollutant may require a different environmental engineering design to remove or reduce it before being emitted to the outside environment.

Cleanup is the Goal of Air Emissions Permits

The goal is to clean up the air so the pollutants are eliminated or below State standards prior to emission. These standards are thresholds for public health concerns. If the pollutants are below these criteria, there is not a public health concern, but there still may be a concern for unborn babies (pregnant women), children, the elderly, and individuals with certain lung conditions, such as emphysema, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), etcetera.

Design the Air Emissions Control

The control design is selected to address the pollutants. Following are a few examples:

Alternative raw materials
Industrial process modifications
Filters (cloth, baghouses)
Cyclones (gravitational)
Air scrubbers
Precipitators (electrostatic)
Equipment maintenance and cleaning

Role of Engineer for Air Emissions Permits

What is the role of the Air Engineer? Firstly,the engineer reviews the industrial process, including materials and chemicals, generating the air emissions. After that, the engineer evaluates several control design options. So, the engineer runs calculations to determine the best most cost-effective control. After that, the engineer prepares and submits the air permit application to FDEP and, if required, the County. Then, the engineer provides additional information requested by the FDEP and County. Once the regulatory agencies are satisfied, the engineer reviews the permit to make sure that it meets good engineering practice and is manageable for the client. And, if requested, the engineer monitors the treatment process in light of the permit conditions.

Conclusion

So there is a discussion of air emissions environmental engineering and what the environmental engineer’s role is! For further assistance, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) is here. ESC is a Florida licensed environmental engineering company with a P.E. on staff. We have the credentials and experience to help you with your air emissions permit needs. We service Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and Fort Meyers. That includes Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Lee and other counties from Pensacola (Escambia County) to Key West (Monroe County). So, Contact ESC and get a reply promptly!

Environmental Engineering For Industrial Wastewater

Environmental Engineering for Industrial Wastewater

In two previous blog posts we dealt with an overview of environmental engineering and industrial wastewater permits. In this paper, we will discuss environmental engineering required to address ESC - Environmental Engineering for Industrial Waste Water industrial wastewater. To explain, this is the engineering required to treat wastewater so it does not pollute surface waters, or so it is within tolerable limits and virtually has no impact. And so, environmental engineering determines the best reasonably achievable control technology to treat wastewater. To accomplish this, the environmental engineer designs, tests, and adjusts the treatment process.

In Florida, a licensed Professional Engineer (P.E.) signs and seals NPDES Industrial Wastewater permit applications. To do so, the engineer only practices in areas that he/she has the required education, training, and experience. That means that the P.E. must have industrial wastewater knowledge and experience.

Start with the Pollutants

The pollutants in the wastewater determine the treatment. The environmental engineer must become familiar with the industrial materials and processes generating the wastewater. Following are a few pollutants which may be of concern:

Heat (thermal)
Nutrients (phosphorus and nitrogen)
Biochemical Oxygen Demand (e.g., organic matter)
Heavy Metals
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Radioactivity
Particulates resulting in Turbidity

The actual pollutants determine the engineering design for treatment.

Clean It Up

The goal is to clean up the wastewater so the pollution is below State standards before discharge. However, sometimes mixing zones are approved if the concentration exceeds the standard at the discharge point. To explain, the discharge mixes with the receiving water so that downstream it is below State standards. Keep in mind that FDEP (Florida Department of Environmental Protection, www.floridadep.gov) approves all mixing zones in Florida. Just remember, FDEP requires a very good reason why the State standard cannot be met at the discharge point.

Treatment Design

The treatment design addresses the pollutants. Here are a few examples:

Cooling of heated (thermal) wastewater
Primary and secondary settling of particles in pond or tank
Aeration to allow microorganisms to degrade organic matter
Chemical additives to oxidize or coagulate select pollutants
Percolation to allow removal in the soil
Filtration

Role of the Environmental Engineer

The environmental engineer completes several tasks. First, he/she reviews the industrial process, including materials and chemicals, that create the industrial wastewater. Next, he/she evaluates several treatment designs and runs calculations to determine which one will work best and will be affordable. Then, the engineer prepares the permit application and submits it to FDEP and/or the County. Next, the engineer provides additional information requested. Finally, after the FDEP or County issues the permit, the engineer makes sure it meets good engineering practice and will work. After that, the engineer monitors the treatment process in light of the permit conditions, if requested.

So, now you know how environmental engineering is used to treat industrial wastewater! If you need any assistance, Environmental Safety Consultants
(www.escflorida.com) is here. ESC holds a Florida license in engineering and has a P.E. on staff. ESC has the credentials and experience to meet your industrial wastewater needs. Contact ESC today (https://www.escflorida.com/contact/). ESC strives to reply to all contacts promptly!

Environmental Engineering

Environmental Engineering Defined

What is environmental engineering? Do you pick up litter?” To which you probably know the answer to the second question is a definite “NO!!!”. However, you may not know the answer to the first question.

Encyclopedia

According to Britannica (https://www.britannica.com), “environmental engineering is the development of processes and infrastructure for the supply of water, the disposal of waste, and the control of pollution of all kinds.” These endeavours protect public health by preventing disease transmission, and they preserve the quality of the environment by averting the contamination and degradation of air, water, and land resources.

Wikipedia

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org), environmental engineering is “a professional engineering discipline that takes from broad scientific topics like chemistry, biology, ecology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, microbiology, and mathematics to create solutions that will protect and also improve the health of living organisms and improve the quality of the environment.” This definition is very similar to the one above. And note that both accurately define environmental engineering.

Engineering Meets Environment

Environmental Engineering Evolution

Historically, sanitary civil engineers did environmental engineering like work. However, they be-came known as environmental engineers in the mid-1960’s with the recognition of pollution and the outcries to clean it up. As a result, scientists and engineers answered the call. Firstly, they addressed water pollution. Next, they turned to air pollution. Finally, they focused on land pollution. They followed three landmark federal laws: the Clean Water Act (1972), the Clean Air Act (1970), and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, & Liability Act (1980). It is extremely impressive that the U.S. Congress passed these laws so quickly! And what they did was create the need for environmental regulations, permits, and agencies to accomplish the mission.

Agencies

Federal

Agencies, you ask? Firstly, let’s start at the top – the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (https://www.epa.gov) came out of Reorganization Plan No. 3 calling for the establishment of that agency. That was an executive order which President Richard M. Nixon signed on July 9, 1970.

The EPA began operation on December 2, 1970. Wow, things seemed to move quickly fifty years ago!

State & Local

Once the EPA began publishing regulations to clean up the environment, they worked in cooperation with states to form departments or to use existing departments to implement the regulations. And so, state environmental departments formed to clean up the environment across each state. Cities and counties formed pollution control departments and divisions. Some health departments took on the responsibility.

EPA provided funding. States, counties, and cities needed it to comply. That was critical for projects such as new wastewater treatment plants. If the states did not enforce the environmental regulations, EPA would cut funding. And that meant jobs, worsening pollution, and outcries from the public. So there were many different incentives to comply.

Environmental Engineer’s Role

Formerly known as civil or sanitary engineers, environmental engineers came to the forefront. They assisted the various governmental agencies and the private sector with the environmental regulations.

Environmental Scientists

Environmental scientists and engineers began working together both in the government and private sectors. Their job? Ultimately, their job was to clean up the environment. Processes, equipment, and testing designs occurred in the areas of water, air, and land. And they are still at it today!

Conclusion

So there is a discussion of environmental engineering and what the environmental engineer’s role is! For further assistance, Environmental Safety Consultants (www.escflorida.com) is here. ESC holds a Florida environmental engineering license and has a Professional Engineer (P.E.) on staff. We have the credentials and experience to help you with your environmental engineering needs. We service Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and Fort Myers. That includes Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Lee, and other counties from Pensacola (Escambia County) to Key West (Monroe County). So, Contact ESC and get a reply promptly!

Environmental Permits Overview

What Environmental Permits are there?

Environmental Permits Bradenton and Sarasota

environmental permits. Here are just a few:

Developments

Wetlands
Endangered Species

Industry & Construction

Air Permits for Air Discharges from Industry
Wastewater Discharge, Sanitary and Industrial
Hazardous Wastes, Transportation, Disposal & Storage
Stormwater, Retention Ponds, Detention Ponds, Stormwater Runoff – Construction and Industry

Other

Septic Tanks
Drinking Water, Private Wells and Community Supplies
Solid Wastes, Landfills & Incineration

Permit Needs

You have to review your planned operation to see if it will require environmental permits. Then, you have to decide what part of the environment it may impact. For example, will it impact air, water, or land? To further explain, will it be changing the existing site?

Example 1

Example 1 is environmental permits for building and paving a site. As a result, that activity decreases percolation of rain water into the ground. Because of that, more stormwater will run off the site. So, that could require a stormwater retention or detention pond permit. Further, it could require an NPDES permit for industrial sites. Additionally, those sites may have to prepare a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP).

Example 2

Example 2 is environmental permits for certain industrial facilities. In addition to the stormwater permits and plan identified in Example 1 above, there are other permits. For instance, sewer discharge permits may be required. Further, air permits may be needed. Finally, are used oil and hazardous waste requirements.

Responsibility

Responsibility for acquiring the permits can fall on many different parties. For example, it can include developers and builders. Additionally, it may include banks, attorneys, architects, or engineers. Finally, it can include manufacturers, industrial facilities, hospitals, crematories, municipalities, and many more!

Lifelines

If you need lifelines, who should you call? Firstly, some of the best lifelines are your associates. So, why is that true? Because their knowledge base can be a good starting point. And so, who are your associates? To begin with, they may be your co-workers, partners, or managers. Next, outside of them, for instance, are your attorney, professional colleagues, and environmental engineering companies. Finally, those associates may direct you to agencies or may contact the agencies themselves on your behalf.

Agencies

There are several key agencies which typically administer the various types of environmental permits. Firstly, are local agencies. For example, these may include the Water Management Districts, Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), counties, and cities. Secondly, are federal agencies. For example, these may include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA, www.epa.gov) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). But, just be careful what you say. Because, it is all in the presentation!

Let ESC Help

In conclusion, there are many permits identified in this Overview of Environmental Permits! But just remember that ESC is a Florida licensed engineering company with the experience and knowledge to help you. That is because our specialty is permits concerning air emissions, industrial discharges, NPDES stormwater, and more. We service Bradenton, Sarasota, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Tampa, and Fort Meyers. That includes Manatee, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Lee and other counties from Pensacola (Escambia County) to Key West (Monroe County). So, Contact ESC and get a reply promptly!