Waste has always been associated with human activity and is a necessary evil in any developmental process. Today, the sheer quantity and diversity of wastes generated by industries and municipalities pose serious risks to both human health and the environment. The situation is particularly bad in developing countries such as India mainly due to their inefficient technologies, ineffectual policies and insensitivity on the part of the industrial sector. It is imperative therefore to create awareness among entrepreneurs, manufacturers, local authorities etc. of the varied technologies evolved to treat and recycle wastes and convert it to wealth.
The present book is an attempt to put together the various options available to meet the twin goals of environmental conservation and sustainable development. It highlights the recent innovations, research and development ideas, waste recycling, waste treatment, waste disposal, waste utilization and such pollution control measures that includes the area of non-conventional energy, agriculture, food processing, chemical, industrial, medical and automobile waste technology. The book provides an in-depth study of the four main principles of waste minimization and cleaner production—reduction at source, recycling, product reformulation, and modification and packaging.
The main aim of the book is to bring to light the various ways of converting waste to wealth. It suggests to obtain paper, paper board and furfural from agricultural waste; feedstuffs and fertilizer from wastes produced by fermentation industries; manures and biofertilisers from municipal solid waste and bioenergy from industrial waste. In addition, it emphasizes the utilization of carbon black from rubber wastes, flyash as an alternative building materials, industrial wastes for control of fire in coal mines, sewage in fish culture, to mention a few. The text throughout is supplemented with diagrams and tables which would facilitate quick grasping of the concepts. While references included herein will enable the readers to pursue study further, Index will help in quick and easy reference.
The book is of reference value and is intended for practising engineers — chemical, mechanical, civil, agriculture mining and metallurgical; food, rubber and plastic technologist; entrepreneurs; consultants; financial institutions; researchers; and voluntary agencies. Besides, it will prove equally useful to environmentalist, development practitioners, waste management experts, health workers, doctors, social scientists, policy makers, local authorities and even general readers as it deals with a wide array of waste to wealth.
S.C. Bhatia, a Chemical Engineer from BITS, Pilani and also an MBA, is a consultant in Environmental and Pollution Control, Energy Conservation and Polymer Sciences. He has worked in various petrochemical plants in production planning, maintenance, quality control etc. He has authored books on subjects ranging from chemical process industries, plastic and rubber technology to perfume, soaps and cosmetics. His area of specialisation includes air and water pollution, energy conservation, rubber, plastics and biosciences. He has contributed numerous papers on chemical and allied subjects in chemical journals of repute. Among his published books, Textbook of Noise Pollution and Its Control, Textbook of Biotechnology, Managing Industrial Pollution, Industrial Chemistry, Perfume Soap and Cosmetics, Chemical Process Industries have earned great reputation. His other books soon to be published by Atlantic Publishers & Distributors are Environmental Biotechnology, Environmental Microbiology, Air Pollution and its Control, Water Pollution, Ecology, Environmental Conservation and Remote Sensing.
