A practical guide to eco-innovation has been published which is addressed to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The booklet overviews emerging business opportunities eco-innovation has to offer to companies that reconsider business models, develop new products, technologies or services, or improve production processes. This guide which is divided into six sections, summarises key business issues, questions and...

Quite often businesss could save themselves a lot of time and money through recording and reviewing key control parameters on a regular basis. The establishment of target and optimum ranges for key control parameters can assist in forecasting when non-compliances could arise and allow for suitable remedial measures to be implemented before a problem develops....

Sludge bulking may be noted through visual observation: Failure of sludge solids to settle in the final clarifier Carryover of solids resulting in high effluent suspended solids Presence of filamentous bacteria (microscopic examination) Increased SVI and disimproved settleability Clear supernatant liquor after prolonged settling Principal causes: Underloading  Dissolved oxygen too low Nutrient deficiency A correction...

Wastewater treatment involves many processes which ultimately separate solids from clean(er) water.  The attached link provides a useful insight into the clarification process. ECOS Environmental Consultants Limited

Pin-floc in activated sludge may be defined as very fine floc particles with poor settling characteristics. Pin-floc/deflocculation may be assessed through visual observation: Carryover of very fine material in final effluent Turbid or milky appearance of final effluent Bacterial flocs have disintegrated into tiny ‘pinhead sized’ particles; Filaments not predominant (microscopic examination) Settleability test may...

Nitrification is the sequential conversion of ammonia to nitrite and ultimately nitrate: NH4+ + 1.5 O2 → NO2– + H2O + 2H+ Ammonia in wastewater could originate from a variety of sources, including: Proteins (meat and blood), urea, amino acid products, casein, corrosion inhibitors, process chemicals and raw materials or cleaning chemicals containing quaternary ammonium compounds....

The European Commission has lowered the fees and charges that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) have to pay to register chemicals by 35% to 95% in relation to standard registration fees, and from 25% to 90% in relation to standard fees for authorisation requests. Registration makes companies responsible for the safe use of chemicals...

Biological foam is due to operating conditions in the wastewater treatment plant. It accumulates on the surface of the aeration basin and may carry over into the final clarifier and effluent discharge. The use of detergents also generates foam but the comments below relate solely to biological (bacterial) foams. Three types of biological foaming may...

The EPA have published their Strategic Plan for 2013 – 2015.  The plan sets out the priority actions that the EPA will take between now and 2015 in its role as environmental regulator, knowledge provider and advocate for the environment. Clean Water, Preventing Environmental Damage, providing Accessible Information and influencing Behavioural Change are four of the nine...

Environmental Liability Directive [ELD] 2004/35/EC came into force across Europe during 2009 where failure to comply with pollution prevention guidelines can result in fines and more significantly reformation / reinstatement costs which can run into many millions of Euro or Dollars. Unlike earlier directives, the EID applies to all businesses large and small alike and...