Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the definition of waste?
What is the definition of waste?
Which of the following waste types is classified as non-hazardous?
Which of the following waste types is classified as non-hazardous?
What characterizes hazardous waste?
What characterizes hazardous waste?
Which of these is a technique used for waste analysis?
Which of these is a technique used for waste analysis?
Signup and view all the answers
Which waste treatment method is commonly used for gaseous wastes?
Which waste treatment method is commonly used for gaseous wastes?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of hazardous waste?
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of hazardous waste?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of waste primarily includes paper, canteen waste, and office waste?
What type of waste primarily includes paper, canteen waste, and office waste?
Signup and view all the answers
What is essential to determine the appropriate method of waste treatment?
What is essential to determine the appropriate method of waste treatment?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the main by-product of the flue gas-cleaning phase in incineration?
What is the main by-product of the flue gas-cleaning phase in incineration?
Signup and view all the answers
Which waste treatment method is considered the least preferred option in Ireland?
Which waste treatment method is considered the least preferred option in Ireland?
Signup and view all the answers
What happens to biodegradable waste deposited in a landfill?
What happens to biodegradable waste deposited in a landfill?
Signup and view all the answers
What type of waste is Bottom Ash classified as after incineration?
What type of waste is Bottom Ash classified as after incineration?
Signup and view all the answers
How is scrap metal removed from Bottom Ash after incineration?
How is scrap metal removed from Bottom Ash after incineration?
Signup and view all the answers
Why is leachate from landfills considered hazardous?
Why is leachate from landfills considered hazardous?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the purpose of the impermeable cover used after a landfill stops receiving waste?
What is the purpose of the impermeable cover used after a landfill stops receiving waste?
Signup and view all the answers
Which method is employed to manage leachate in landfill sites?
Which method is employed to manage leachate in landfill sites?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following techniques is used to determine microbial counts in water samples?
Which of the following techniques is used to determine microbial counts in water samples?
Signup and view all the answers
What is the primary goal of waste treatment techniques?
What is the primary goal of waste treatment techniques?
Signup and view all the answers
Which factor is crucial for selecting a waste treatment method?
Which factor is crucial for selecting a waste treatment method?
Signup and view all the answers
What are particulate emissions associated with?
What are particulate emissions associated with?
Signup and view all the answers
Which type of emissions includes dust and powder particulates?
Which type of emissions includes dust and powder particulates?
Signup and view all the answers
Which of the following health problems is associated with particulate emissions?
Which of the following health problems is associated with particulate emissions?
Signup and view all the answers
What characteristic of inorganic emissions is essential for environmental management?
What characteristic of inorganic emissions is essential for environmental management?
Signup and view all the answers
The absorption of light in atomic absorption spectroscopy is proportional to which variable?
The absorption of light in atomic absorption spectroscopy is proportional to which variable?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Occupational Safety and Environmental Safety for the Food Industry
- This module covers health and safety in manufacturing, including hazards, their control, biosafety, risk assessment, waste management, and legal requirements.
- ECTS: 5
- Module Breakdown:
- 70% Final Exam - 2 hours - TBC January 2025 (In-person)
- 30% Continuous Assessment - MCQ - Saturday 9th November (Online)
- Lectures: 5 evenings, 1 Saturday
- Contact details: [email protected]
Module Learning Outcomes
- LO 1: Discusses the roles and responsibilities of employees, employers, and regulatory agencies under national and international legal frameworks.
- LO 2: Explains the types of information in a safety statement and discusses its preparation.
- LO 3: Lists different hazards, exposure routes, personal protection equipment (PPE), explains safety data sheets (SDS), and details the information they contain.
- LO 4: Discusses biohazards and contaminants, cleaning, and sterilisation methods.
- LO 5: Explains the waste management hierarchy and the role/function of regulatory agencies.
- LO 6: Describes waste material classification and waste treatment/disposal methods (gaseous, liquid, solid).
Lecture 5
- Waste Characterisation
- Waste Analysis Techniques
- Waste Treatment
- Gas
- Solid
- Liquid
Introduction to Waste
- Waste is any substance needing disposal due to contamination, damage or spoilage.
- Industrial plants produce various types of waste:
- Solids
- Liquids
- Gases
- Hazardous waste
- Non-hazardous waste
Examples of Recyclable Waste
- Waste packaging
- Paper
- Canteen waste
- Office waste
Waste Classification
- Waste is hazardous if its concentration, quantity, physical, chemical or infectious nature poses a threat to human health or the environment.
- Classified if listed in the European Waste Catalogue or Hazardous Waste List.
- Must exhibit certain hazardous properties.
Examples of Hazardous Waste
- Chemicals
- Pesticides and medicines
- Paints
- Biological samples
- Containers contaminted with raw materials or products
- Contaminated PPE
- Gaseous Waste
- Liquid or solid residues from a process (process waste)
- Sludge from waste water treatment plant
- Electrical and Electronic Waste
Waste Analysis
- Microbiological Analysis
- Instrumentation Techniques
- Chemical Analysis
Chemical Analysis
- pH Determination
- Measures acidity/alkalinity of waste.
- Indicates suitable treatment.
- Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)
- Measures oxygen required to break down organic matter.
- Represents biodegradable portion of waste.
- Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD)
- Measures oxygen required to breakdown all compounds (organic/inorganic)
- Easier than BOD measurement.
- Dissolved Oxygen
- Measures oxygen dissolved in wastewater, crucial for biological treatment.
- Nutrient Analysis (e.g., Phosphate, Ammonia)
- Measures nutrient concentrations
- High concentrations can negatively affect biological treatment.
- Suspended Solids
- Concentration expressed in mg/l, and usually about 2 hour analysis.
Instrumentation Techniques
- HPLC & Gas Chromatography (GC)
- Separates, identifies and quantifies chemical components of waste
- Mass Spectrometry (MS)
- Identifies chemicals based on mass and charge, esp. powerful with chromatography.
- Total Organic Carbon (TOC)
- Screening test that measures the amount of organic carbon.
- Indicates waste concentration.
- Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy
- Measures metal content of waste streams (e.g., calcium, mercury, cadmium).
Microbial Analysis
- Determines microbial counts in water samples.
- Bacteria collected on a membrane and transferred to an agar plate for incubation.
- Counts to determine colony-forming units (CFUs).
Waste Treatment
- Techniques that alter the physical, chemical, or biological character of waste.
- Reduce volume and/or toxicity
- Change physical form for safer disposal
- Method selection based on waste quantity and form.
Gaseous Waste
- IPC licence condition: monitoring and control of occupational air quality.
- Gaseous emissions can be:
- Particulate: dusts, powders
- Gaseous
Particulate Emissions
- Created from dispensing/processing powders/granules.
- Ingredients fed manually to mixing vessels.
- Can cause respiratory problems (bronchitis, asthma, heart attacks).
- Controlled by air extraction systems.
Gaseous Emissions
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
- Nitrous Oxides
- Sulphur Oxides
- Inorganic Emissions
- Contains various chemicals, including acidic gases, that can be harmful to health.
Inorganic Emissions
- Usually associated with stack emissions from boilers, generators, and incinerators.
- Combustion type determines emission type.
- Emissions monitored as IPC condition.
Organic Emissions
- Large family of carbon-containing compounds.
- Emitted/evaporated into atmosphere
- VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds)
- Can lead to respiratory, heart, kidney, and liver problems; also carcinogenic.
Gaseous Emission Classifications
- Point Source: controlled emission points (stacks, valves etc). Monitored by IPC license
- Diffused Source: ineffective ventilation, accidents, secondary sources (wastewater)
Treatment Methods
- Filtration: suitable for removing particulates and heavy metals, often HEPA filters.
- Flue Gas Scrubbing: cleans/scrubs flue gasses, typically with acid solutions to neutralise acidic gasses.
- Incineration: Burns flammable organic vapours, dust, particulates
- Landfilling: Common method in Ireland, less preferred than others, licensed by EPA, for non-hazardous materials and treated wastewater sludge
Treatment of Solid Waste
- Recycling, chemical treatment, incineration, landfill are the main methods of disposal
Treatment of Wastewater
- Created as a byproduct of process/cleaning operation.
- May contain contaminants.
- IPC license condition: characterising and removing toxic contaminants, producing effluent.
- Wastewater treatment plants remove contaminants.
Wastewater Treatment Process
- Stages:
- Preliminary treatment
- Primary treatment
- Secondary treatment
- Advanced/Tertiary treatment
Physical and Chemical Methods for Wastewater treatment
- Filtration
- Sedimentation & clarification
- Centrifugation
- Neutralization
- Oxidation
- Precipitation
- Absorption
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
This quiz assesses your understanding of occupational safety and environmental practices within the food industry. It covers key topics such as hazard identification, risk assessment, biosafety regulations, and legal responsibilities for employees and employers. Prepare to demonstrate your knowledge of safety protocols and environmental management.
