There are two standards that apply to municipal water and wastewater treatment plants: NFPA 820 Standards for Fire Protection in Wastewater Treatment and Collection Facilities, 2003, and OSHA 1910.148 Appendix E: Sewer System Entry. While both standards apply, they address different facets of the treatment facility.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
As competition for the world's oil resources increases with the advance of developing economies, the United States must seek out ways to reduce its petroleum usage or put its economic security at risk. The era of "cheap oil" may well be over, and as our imports increase we become more and more dependent on resources from such politically unstable regions of the world as the Middle East, Central Africa, and South America.
This article originally appeared in the 09/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Wastewater operators are exposed daily to numerous health risks. These risks include exposure to gases, chemicals, endotoxins, exotoxins, and pathogens. Asphyxiating, irritating, and toxic gases produced through the anaerobic degradation of carbonaceous wastes include ammonia (NH3), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), and methane (CH4).
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
In our litigious society, professionals of all kinds are keenly aware that their expertise and professionalism cannot always protect them against being sued. For environmental professionals, the uncertainty and variability associated with the natural environment compounds the risk of litigation -- and, therefore, elevates the importance of liability insurance.
- By John G. Nevius, Robert E. Frankel, Esq.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
In 2001, President George W. Bush took the United States out of the Kyoto Protocol, the international agreement that commits the major industrial economies to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and several other substances.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
On a global level, the wastewater minimization market is highly affected by a few key drivers: pollution prevention, water recycling, water reuse, and zero liquid discharge.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
EHS professionals know from experience that their efforts impact the company at many levels. For example, a switch to a non-toxic substitute may reduce raw material costs, decrease worker exposure, improve worker morale, reduce customers' disposal costs, improve the brand's image, and so on.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The other day a person preparing to make a presentation on small aboveground storage tanks (ASTs) asked me for a "sexy spin" on fuel tanks. I wasn't sure if I should be amused or upset. Fuel tanks are designed to hold fuel. That's it.
This article originally appeared in the 07/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The lack of attacks launched against water treatment plants is by no means an indication that they are invincible. While treatment plants aren't typically seen as high profile targets, they are at risk of infiltration and/or sabotage. Plants, many of which are based in or near residential areas, purify water for vast regions.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
In the 2004 election year, the environment has taken a back seat to other more publicized issues. According to the presidential candidates, their campaigns, and much of the American population, issues such as Iraq and the War Against Terror, tax relief, and healthcare are much more important.
- By H. Troy Stuckey, Jacqueline Fortin
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
"Location, location, location." How often have we heard that mantra from developers describing successful projects? Locations balancing access to their target market and proximity to resources of labor, transportation, or public utilities enhance the financial return on investment.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The U.S. environmental, health and safety (EHS) regulatory model has dominated the thoughts and agendas of America's EHS professionals for the past 30 years. State and federal regulations will not go away, of course, but they are rapidly being overshadowed by a fundamental shift in how EHS issues will be dealt with both here and abroad.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Now that the Russian Federation has ratified the Kyoto Protocol, mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction requirements will begin to take effect in those countries that have ratified the treaty.
- By Robert P. Newman, PE, DEE
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The longstanding technologies of ion exchange resins and membranes are now being used in innovative ways for drinking water treatment
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
All roads leading to the control of greenhouse gas emissions pass through Kyoto, right? Wrong! The Kyoto Protocol is just one part of the burgeoning web of mandatory, voluntary, and market-based programs for addressing global climate change.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Dealing with the next generation of regulations, standards, and corporate watchdogs
- By Peter S. Cartwright, P.E.
This article originally appeared in the 06/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Groundwater impacted by methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) continues to challenge remediation efforts around the country, and it remains a high priority for many companies due to the potential for contamination of potable groundwater supplies. MTBE is a flammable liquid that is used as an additive in unleaded gasoline.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Water is Australia's most pressing problem, a century after the bunch of British colonies became a nation that was a magnet for settlers from less fortunate parts of London's empire.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
The City of Orlando in Florida treats up to 40 million gallons a day (mgd) of wastewater at its Iron Bridge Regional Water Reclamation Facility. The city bills one major upstream source based on the amount of wastewater treated. Both parties want accurate flow measurements to ensure a fair assessment of costs. A few percentage points of error can quickly add up to thousands of dollars in questionable billings.
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.
Unlike asbestos and lead, the permissible levels of mold are neither clearly defined nor strictly regulated. There are no definitive guidelines for what constitutes a mold-contaminated building, or for that matter, how to treat it.
- By Steven R. Silicato, REM, CIE
This article originally appeared in the 05/01/2005 issue of Environmental Protection.