Industrial Waste: Forms, Types, Effects and Prevention

Industrial waste constitutes the waste produced by industrial activities such as mills, power plants, mining operations, etc. Industrial waste has emerged to be one of the biggest threats to our environment. Industries around the world use raw materials and process them to produce finished goods for consumers. However, during processing, some material is left useless. This waste material is called industrial waste. For example metals, sandpaper, paints, slag, radioactive wastes, ash, etc. 

Key Terms: Industrial Waste, Biodegradable Waste, Non-biodegradable Waste, Pollution

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What is Industrial Waste?

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Industrial waste is the waste material generated by industries during the industrial process of producing finished goods for customers. Some examples of Industrial waste are chemicals, gravel, trash, many harmful gasses, oils, dirt etc. These waste materials when released into seas, rivers or dumped into lands without proper treatment eventually become a big source of environmental pollution. Industrial waste is sorted out in three forms i.e., solid, liquid and gasses. Solid industrial waste is classified as biodegradable waste and non-biodegradable waste. 

Fig: Industrial Water Pollution

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Forms of Industrial Waste

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Industrial waste is primarily classified into three forms i.e. Solid, Liquid and Gas. Solid Industrial waste includes garbage, trash, medical equipment etc. The liquid industrial waste includes almost all the waste which is released into water bodies by industries and Gaseous industrial waste constitutes toxic gasses released by factories such as oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide etc. Here is a detailed description of all the different forms of industrial waste.

Solid Industrial waste

The solid industrial waste includes trash, garbage, several medical types of equipment which are not properly and various other solid wastes rendered by industries. The major generators of solid industrial waste are the thermal power plants that produce substances such as coal ash, several Iron and Steel mills which produce blast furnaces and steel melting slag, non-ferrous industries and sugar industries that generate aluminum, zinc, press mud, paper and pulp industries producing fertilizers and allied industries producing minerals such as gypsum. 

The solid waste eventually leads to long term issues of pollution in the environment. Moreover, efforts are much needed for controlling pollution that arises because of the disposal of wastes such as the conversion of these unwanted wastes into raw materials which can be utilized for various purposes.

Fig: Solid Waste

Liquid Industrial Waste

Liquid industrial waste constitutes most Industrial or domestic wastes which are released into water bodies which makes them unfit for any consumption such as drinking or domestic uses. Industrial liquid waste is produced as a by-product of oil and gas or mining, chemical manufacturing and food & beverage processing industries. 

The liquid industrial waste includes brine, industrial wastewater, by-product, sanitary sewer clean-out residue, sludge, spill residue, used oil, or other liquid waste that is produced by industrial activity. Moreover, whether it is organic or inorganic, any kind of liquid waste which is disposed of in water bodies such as rivers or oceans should be treated properly.

Fig: Liquid Industrial Waste

Gaseous Industrial Waste

Industrial gas waste includes toxic gasses released by industries in the atmosphere such as nitrogen, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur oxide and many others. There are several reasons why industries release gaseous waste. The use of outdated technology, inefficient burning of fuel and unplanned production of raw material are some of the major causes of industrial gas waste. 

Production of gaseous waste should be avoided by industries. Industries should prevent the usage of fossil fuels like natural gas, coal etc. Switching to renewable sources of energy such as solar energy, wind energy and water energy is another way of avoiding gaseous industrial waste.

Fig: Gaseous Industrial Waste

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Types of Industrial Waste

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Industrial waste is sorted out as Biodegradable waste and Non-Biodegradable waste.

Classification of Waste

Biodegradable Industrial Waste

Those industrial waste materials which can be decomposed unharmful and non-poisonous substance by the action of microorganisms is called biodegradable waste. In other words, the biodegradable waste decomposes naturally and becomes non-toxic after some time. Biodegradable waste is even comparable to domestic waste. 

These kinds of waste are produced from dairy, tea leaves, food processing industries, etc. Some common examples are leather, paper, wheat, bones of animals, etc. Such wastes can be managed at a low cost and easily. Although many industrial wastes are biodegradable some are not, so waste must be treated to make it non-toxic before it is released into water or dumped in soil.

Fig: Biodegradable Industrial Waste

Non- Biodegradable Industrial Waste

The industrial waste which can neither be broken down nor can be decomposed into non-poisonous or non-harmful substances in nature can be called non-biodegradable industrial waste. It is the major source of toxins in landfills. These materials can remain in landfills for thousands of years without any damage. Chemicals, paints, metals, plastics, rubber etc. are examples of non-biodegradable wastes.

 This waste once dumped into the soil does not get decomposed for thousands of years and keeps on polluting soil and water sources. It is stipulated that around15% of the total industrial waste is non-biodegradable and hazardous in nature, and this is increasing year after year. Moreover, with the advancement in technology, several methods have been developed through which wastes of one industry are treated and brought into use for other industries.

Fig: Non- Biodegradable Industrial Waste

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Effects of Industrial Waste

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Industrial waste is very hazardous for us and the environment. Here are some of the effects of Industrial waste:

• Many harmful gasses are released by industries into the atmosphere such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, etc. which cause air pollution. 
• Liquid industrial waste that is released into the sea is at a dangerous level for marine ecosystems. 
• This wastewater which contains many harmful chemicals and heavy metals pollution natural sources of water and eventually our health and environment. 
• Usually, the air around industries is very polluted and eventually causes diseases of the skin, eyes, throat, nose and lungs.
• It leads to one of the world’s major problems, i.e., of global warming. 
• Industrial waste destroys useful bacteria and microorganisms present in the soil. 
• Industries that produce Industrial wastes are destroying the natural habitat of many species and responsible for wildlife extinction. 

Effects of Industrial Waste

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Management of Industrial Waste

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Various prevention methods of industrial wastes mainly include the ‘three R’s rule’ that stands for Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

• Firstly, reduce the amount of waste we throw away and reduce landfill space, natural resources as well as energy.
• Outdated equipment should not be used by industries, upgraded equipment should be used that produces less scrap.
• Raw materials of good quality should be used as starting material and it will lead to non-production of harmful gasses on combustion or further reactions.
• Waste management plants recovery should be done. Industrial wastes should be treated in waste management plants so that useful materials can be recovered. 
• During recovery, useful materials then recycling should be done and disposal should be done of waste and harmful materials. 

Fig: Three R’s Rule

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Things to Remember

• The waste material generated by industries throughout the industrial process of utilizing raw materials and creating finished items for clients are referred to as industrial waste.
• Industrial waste is primarily classified into three forms i.e. Solid(garbage, trash, medical equipment), Liquid( waste that is released into water bodies by industries) and Gas(toxic gasses released by factories such as nitrogen, carbon monoxide).
• Biodegradable waste refers to industrial waste that may be processed by microorganisms into a harmless and non-poisonous product.
• Non-biodegradable industrial waste is defined as industrial waste that cannot be broken down or decomposed in nature into non-poisonous or non-harmful compounds.
• Air pollution, global warming, and the destruction of natural habitats for many animals all have very dangerous consequences for us.
• Industrial pollution pollutes the air, causing a variety of lung, skin, and throat diseases.
• Various industrial waste reduction measures, including the 'three R's rule,' which stands for Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, can be used to prevent industrial waste.

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