The need to adopt a zero discharge policy

Dr David SantilloGreenpeace Research Laboratories

University of Exeter, UK

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What do we mean by a zero discharge policy?

“The cessation of discharges, emissions and losses of all hazardous substances, (including heavy metals and organohalogen compounds), within a given deadline, achieved through progressive and substantial reductions to meet appropriate interim targets”

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What do we mean by a zero discharge policy?

“The cessation of discharges, emissions and losses of all hazardous substances, (including heavy metals and organohalogen compounds), within a given deadline, achieved through progressive and substantial reductions to meet appropriate interim targets”

3

What do we mean by a zero discharge policy?

“The cessation of discharges, emissions and losses of all hazardous substances, (including heavy metals and organohalogen compounds), within a given deadline, achieved through progressive and substantial reductions to meet appropriate interim targets”

4

What do we mean by a zero discharge policy?

“The cessation of discharges, emissions and losses of all hazardous substances, (including heavy metals and organohalogen compounds), within a given deadline, achieved through progressive and substantial reductions to meet appropriate interim targets”

5

What do we mean by a zero discharge policy?

“The cessation of discharges, emissions and losses of all hazardous substances, (including heavy metals and organohalogen compounds), within a given deadline, achieved through progressive and substantial reductions to meet appropriate interim targets”

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Why zero?

Dilute &disperse

The solution topollution is dilution

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Why zero?

Dilute &disperse

Assimilativecapacity

The solution topollution is dilution The environment

can deal with ourpollution...

...up to a limit8

Assimilative Capacity

“The ability of a body of water to cleanse itself”

“Its capacity to receive waste waters or toxic materials without deleterious effects and without damage to aquatic life or humans who consume the water”

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Assimilative capacity approaches...

• set limits for discharge of substances (e.g. mg/l, g/tonne), including for hazardous substances

• therefore can provide for the legalisation of ongoing pollution, even for persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals

• commonly focus on a small sub-set of the pollutants discharged

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Assimilative capacity?

Pb

Hg

Cd

Cr

N

P

BOD

TOC

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Assimilative capacity?

Pb

Hg

Cd

Cr

N

P

BOD

TOC

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Bioaccumulation of mercury

13

Bioaccumulation of PBDEs

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Why zero?

Dilute &disperse

Assimilativecapacity

The solution topollution is dilution The environment

can deal with ourpollution...

...up to a limit15

Why zero?

Dilute &disperse

Assimilativecapacity

Zerodischarge

The solution topollution is dilution The environment

can deal with ourpollution...

...up to a limit

Many pollutantsare not readily broken down or detoxified

in the environment

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• UN Conference on the Human Environment (1972)…

Principle 7 - States shall take all possible steps to prevent pollution of the seas by substances that are liable to create hazards to human health, to harm living resources and marine life, to damage amenities or to interfere with other legitimate uses of the sea.

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• Ministerial Declaration of the 4th North Sea Conference (Esbjerg Declaration), 1995…

“The Ministers AGREE that the objective is to ensure a sustainable, sound and healthy ecosystem”

“The guiding principle for achieving this objective is the precautionary principle”

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• Ministerial Declaration of the 4th North Sea Conference (Esbjerg Declaration), 1995…

“This implies the prevention of pollution of the North Sea by continuously reducing discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances, thereby moving towards the target of their cessation within one generation (25 years)...”

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• OSPAR (North East Atlantic) Convention - 1998 Ministerial Statement

“…Ministers AGREE to prevent pollution of the maritime area by continuously reducing discharges,emissions and losses of hazardous substances (that is, substances which are toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate [PBT] or which give rise to an equivalent level of concern), with the ultimate aim of achieving concentrations in the environment near background values for naturally occurring substances and close to zero for man-made synthetic substances”.

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• OSPAR (North East Atlantic) Convention - 1998 Ministerial Statement

“…Ministers AGREE to make every endeavour to move towards the target of cessation of discharges, emissions and losses of hazardous substances by the year 2020”.

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• EU Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment, 2003

“PBT assessment…seeks to protect ecosystems where the risks are more difficult to estimate”.

Addresses concern that hazardous substances may accumulate in the marine environment and that effects may be difficult to detect in the short term, unpredictable in the long-term and difficult to reverse

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Evolution of the zero discharge concept

• EU Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment, 2003

“For PBT [and vPvB] substances a “safe” concentration in the environment cannot be established with sufficient reliability.”

PBT assessment - two steps:– identification of hazardous substances using specific criteria for the

inherent properties; and

– evaluation of sources and pathways to determine the most effective measures to reduce and ultimately prevent releases 23

OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action

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OSPAR List of Chemicals for Priority Action 1998Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)Polyaromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)Short-chained chlorinated paraffinsMercury and organic mercury compoundsOrganic tin compoundsNonylphenol/ethoxylates and related substancesMusk xyleneBrominated flame retardantsCertain phthalates - DBP and DEHPolychlorinated dibenzodioxins (PCDDs)Polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs)Pentachlorophenol (PCP)Hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCH)CadmiumLead and organic lead compounds

Most recent update (2007) contains over 40 individual substances or groups

Other recent developments in Europe

• Water Framework Directive - including adoption of list of priority substances and priority hazardous substances (subject to cessation target)

• REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation of CHemicals) - including identification of substances of very high concern (PBT, vPvB, CMR, equivalent)

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Can better wastewater treatment plants deliver zero discharge?

• For some pollutants, especially pathogens, nutrients and degradable organic matter, POSSIBLY…(where water-based waste systems are unavoidable)

• For many hazardous substances, NO… conventional treatment technologies are poorly suited to complex mixtures of persistent and bioaccumulative chemicals

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Industrial effluents can be complex: Riachuelo 2009

278.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 24.00 26.00 28.00 30.00

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Abundance

TIC: [BSB1]1201012.D

28 organic compounds resolved12 identified (43%)1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) esterBenzene, 1,3-dichloro-Benzene, 1,4-dichloro-Benzothiazole, 2-(methylthio)-Chloroform Ethene, trichloro- Ethene, tetrachloro- NonadecanePhenol, 2,4,5-trimethyl-Phenol, 2,4,6-trimethyl-Phenol, 2,6-dimethyl-Toluene, p-amino-

Industrial effluents can be complex: Riachuelo 2009

288.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 24.00 26.00 28.00 30.00

0

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A bundance

T IC: [B S B 1]1601016.D

101 organic compounds resolved25 identified (25%)[1,1'-Biphenyl]-2-ol1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, diethyl ester1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) esterBenzene, 1,2-dichloro-Benzene, 1,3-dichloro-Benzene, 1,4-dichloro-Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl-Benzene, 1,3,5-trimethyl-Benzopyran, 6-acetyl-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-BenzothiazoleBenzothiazole, 2-(methylthio)-Chloroform Cholest-5-en-3-ol (3.beta.)-Citric acid, tributyl ester, acetateEthene, 1,2-dichloro-, cis- Ethene, trichloro- Ethene, tetrachloro- Galaxolide Hexadecanoic acidMethane, bromodichloro-Methane, dichloro- Phenol, 2,6-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl)-4 methyl- (BHT)Phenol, nonyl-, mixture of isomersSulfur, mol. (S8)Xylenes, o-, p-, & m-isomers

WWTPs can be overloaded: China, 2009

2912.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 24.00 26.00 28.00 30.00 32.00

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Abundance

T IC: 1501028.D

67 organic compounds resolved31 identified (46%)1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-ethylhexyl) ester1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dibutyl ester1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, dimethyl ester1,2,3,5,6-Pentathiepane1,2,4,5-Tetrathiane1,2,4-Trithiolane1-Octadecanethiol1-Octadecene3,5-DibromosalicylaldehydeAcetophenoneBenzaldehyde, 3,5-dimethyl-Benzaldehyde, 3-bromo-Benzaldehyde, 4-bromo-Benzaldehyde, 4-chloro-Benzaldehyde, 3-chloro-Benzene, hexachloro-Decanoic acidDodecanoic acidEthane, 1,2-bis(2-chloroethoxy)-Methanone, diphenyl-NaphthaleneNonanoic acidPhenol, 2,4,6-trichloro-Phenol, 2,4-di-t-butyl-6-nitro-Phenol, 2,4,6-tribromo-Phenol, 2,4-dibromo-Phenol, 2,4-dichloro-6-nitro-Sulfur, mol. (S8)Tetradecanoic acidUndecanoic acidUndecane

WWTPs can be overloaded: Russia, 2007

308.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 16.00 18.00 20.00 22.00 24.00 26.00 28.00 30.000

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Abundance

TIC: 0601020.D

Zero discharge policies...

• already exist in some regions

• are scientifically defensible

• encourage waste minimisation & avoidance over waste treatment & disposal

• and therefore contribute to smarter, more efficient industrial development

• stimulate dialogue and co-operation between government, industry and society

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Zero discharge cannot be achieved overnight…

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Zero discharge cannot be achieved overnight…

…but the decision to start working towards it can be.

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