Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
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Emission control by preventive (environmental) technologies;
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Recycling of wastes containing the chemical.
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There may or may not be former experience and available measured data/
information on the performance, environmental and human health risks, and
socio-economic impacts of substitute chemicals and alternative technologies. If
the substitute chemical is new or the technology is innovative, the evaluation has
high data requirement and still high uncertainty. Emission control and recycling
result in lower environmental risk, which should be compared with the economic
and social consequences such as the costs of the environmental technologies, the
price and marketability of the product.
In the case of contaminated land, the evaluation of the RMOs is mainly
reduced/limited to the comparative evaluation of the alternatives. Typical alternatives
are controlling risk by restrictions (generally a temporary measure), applying a long-
term, inexpensive,
in situ
biological or ecological remediation technology, or a rapid
solution by excavating contaminated soil and transporting it to a soil treatment plant.
Some examples will be shown in Volume 5.
2.4 Implementation and maintenance phase
The RMOs shown in Figure 9.4 may include restriction or ban of chemicals, use of
substituting materials or technologies, implementation of environmental technologies
for mitigating emissions, restriction of transport and remediation of the contaminated
environment.
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Restriction of or complete ban on the production and use of a chemical substance
results in an immediate reduction or complete termination of emissions;
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Substitution of the chemical substance with another one results in promptly
delayed, reduced or terminated emissions (until the stocks have run out). The
impacts of the substitute chemical should be evaluated and validated in the actual
conditions of the application;
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Modifying or changing the industrial technology may reduce the emission,
which should be followed and confirmed by technological (inside-the-plant) and
environmental (outside-the-plant) monitoring;
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“End-of-pipe'' environmental technologies (filters, absorbers, traps, incinerators,
etc.) can reduce the emissions from the plant into the environment;
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RR along the transport path by wastewater treatment plants, artificial wetlands,
subsurface barriers, permeable reactive barriers, etc. is mainly possible in the case
of surface runoffs and groundwater;
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The risk in contaminated environment—primarily soil and groundwater and, to
a lesser extent, surface waters—can be reduced by remediation technologies. Soil,
groundwater, surface water and sediment remediation technologies remove or oth-
erwise eliminate (degrade, biodegrade) the hazardous contaminants or stabilize
(immobilize) them such that they become fully inaccessible. Thus the receptors
(ecosystem and humans) will be exempt from the risk posed by the contaminants;
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Receptors can also be protected from the adverse effects in other ways. For exam-
ple, the workers can be protected from contaminated indoor air by protective
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