wastewater and toxics don’t mix preventing toxic discharges to municipal treatment plants judy...

Wastewater And Toxics Don’t MixPreventing Toxic Discharges

To Municipal Treatment Plants

Judy Kennedy, WA State Dept. of EcologyJessica Shaw, City of Wenatchee

Toxic Effects

• Interference and reduced treatment capability

Toxic Effects

• Treatment plant pass- through

• Violate permit limits

• Possible fines or citizen lawsuits

Toxic Effects

• Equipment damage

Toxic Effects

Threaten health and safety• fumes• explosions • confined space hazards

Toxic Effects

• Operational problems– Sludge bulking– Poor sludge

thickening – Foaming– Odors

Toxic Effects

• Biosolids may fail to meet standards for land application

• Call for new standards for persistent toxic organics

Toxic Effects

• Liability

• Superfund responsibility

Documented Problems

WDOE report on W.E.T. testing, 1994-1998:• 68% of permittees have had toxic events of

regulatory concern• Episodes of toxicity in nearly half of POTW

discharges

Pass-Through

• 1992-1996• 140 million pounds of partially-

treated toxics passed through POTWs to receiving waters in U.S.

• Estimate based on TRI data, according to WASHPIRG (Troubled Waters, 1998)

Toxics and Salmon Recovery

• Common surfactant in dishwashing detergents, cosmetics, plastics, pulp mills, industry

• Passes through treatment plants, kills young salmon

Passing Through POTWs• psychiatric drugs• nicotine• caffeine• plasticizers• endocrine disrupters• halogenated

compounds• brominated flame

retardants

• other medications:– cholesterol drug– chemotherapy drugs– anti-inflammatory

compounds– aspirin– anti-convulsive drug– hormones

Need For Controls

• 77% of industrial toxics not under permit (GAO, 1994)

• Only the largest industries permitted

Small Toxic Dischargers

• High potential collective impact of smaller, unpermitted facilities

• EPA: 15% of priority pollutants and 2/3 of toxic metals come from small sources.

Small Toxic Dischargers

• photoprocessing chemicals (from printing, photo, medical)

• solvents (painting, auto, labs, fiberglass, dry cleaner water)

• cleaners and disinfectants (food processing, car wash, steam cleaning, oil/water separators)

• metals (vehicle maintenance, metal finishers, dental)

Benefits of Keeping Toxics Out Of Sewer Systems

• Better treatment plant performance• More cost effective than end-of-pipe controls• Reduces environmental impacts • Protects public’s investment in treatment and

collection facilities• Protects health and safety• Helps avoid law suits

Strategies To Keep Toxics Out Of Sewer Systems

• Use local sewer ordinances to set requirements

• Use the state industrial waste permit system

• Establish a local pretreatment program with authority to visit, monitor, enforce, charge fees

• Maintain Industrial User Surveys

• Target outreach to key industry sectors

• Respond promptly to clandestine dumping

• Determine toxicity of discharges

City of Wenatchee

A Case Study

Jessica Shaw Environmental Supervisor

It Does Happen!

• Wastewater Treatment Plant Upsets

• Discharge Permit Violations

• Environmental Lawsuits

• Consent Orders & Consent Decrees

• Over $7 Million spent so far……………

Problems at the POTW

• High Strength

• Toxic Discharges

• Nitrification Inhibition

Getting Started• Sewer Use/Pretreatment Ordinance – 2003

• Reviewed treatment plant data

• Researched methods for detecting toxics

• Surveyed and compiled data on dischargers

Program Areas

• Grease– Restaurants, cafes, bakeries, cafeterias

• X-ray & Photo Processing – Medical and dental offices, print shops, photo processor

• Cooling Water & Boiler Water Discharges – Food storage facilities, office buildings, schools

• Industrial Dischargers with State Permits – Fresh Fruit Packing Facilities, Categorical Industrial Users

• Medical Wastes – Medical laboratories, mortuaries, pharmacies

• Other Pretreatment Facilities – Automotive repair shops, car washes, research laboratories

Program Areas Continued…

The Printer

• WWTP Data & Photo X-ray Survey

• Hydroquinone – developer

– Most X-ray developing solutions %1-5

– Some developing solutions are as high as 30%

• Used Nitrification Inhibition Test

Nitrification Test Results

• November 2003 100% Inhibition– Discharger began collection developing solution

• August 2004 100% Inhibition– Was not collecting another developing solution

containing phenylcellusolve (2-phenoxyethanol)

• September 2004 24% Inhibition– New Chemicals, no phenols just a few biocides

Solvents in the Sewer

• Solvent smell detected by Collections Crew

• Monitoring confirmed the presence of several volatile organic chemicals

• Chemicals traced to dry cleaners, industrial facilities and automotive shops

Actions & Results

• City and WDOE met with business owners

• WDOE hazardous waste conducted inspections with City staff

• Informational letter and solvent brochure

• Follow-up monitoring, specifically for “perc”, showed significant reduction in solvent levels

Preventing Toxic Discharges

• Informational Brochures

• Surveys

• Seminars

• Inspections

Signs of Progress

• Fewer slug loads of prohibited discharges

• Better relationship with dischargers

• Improved sludge quality

• Less grease

Questions?

Judy Kennedy

WA State Dept. of Ecology

Jessica ShawCity of Wenatchee