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Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practice
262
Book reÕiews
Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practice Paul L. Bishop, Mc Graw-Hill Book Co., Ž2000. ISBN: 0-07-366147-3, $81.88, 716 pp. Pollution prevention has now developed into an important component of the environmental andror process engineering operation. Pollution prevention is an important complement to the much more well-trodden ground of waste treatment, in that it describes techniques for minimizing the production of wastes, rather than ways of eliminating wastes that are produced as by-products of industrial operations. Since pollution prevention became codified into law in 1990, it has been a source of tremendous interest and research. Until recently, there were only limited resources available to the engineer or student interested in learning more about the subject. With the publication of Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practices by Paul Bishop, the subject is now tackled in a comprehensive textbook suitable for the classroom. The book begins with a introduction to the subject of pollution prevention, covering several important aspects that motivate the study. A short history is provided, followed by definition of important terms, the definition of pollution prevention and the role of recycling, and a brief discussion of environmental ethics. The ethics discussion is particularly interesting, in that it points out that pollution prevention is something that should be achieved because it is the‘‘right thing to do’’, rather than because it is mandated by law. The next several chapters provide the necessary background on organic chemistry, waste treatment, and environmental law, thereby setting the context in which pollution prevention should be analyzed. Chap. 2 provides a relatively extensive analysis of fate and transport issues. For the environmental or civil engineer, this is generally a review of the subject. However, the chapter is well organized and surprisingly comprehensive, allowing someone not trained in the subject to come up to speed quickly. Chap. 3 describes different types of pollution, and reviews the subjects of air and water pollution, and the issue of solid waste. Because of the book’s emphasis on pollution prevention, an extensive and necessary discussion of energy usage is included. An introduction to resource depletion is provided, but it is too short to be of much use in understanding the importance of the subject with regards to pollution prevention. Finally, a brief description of the environmental legislation is provided in Chap. 4. This discussion is well organized and sufficiently extensive for the necessary introduction to the subject without being so extensive as to become boring and burdensome. The chapter concludes with an introduction to the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 that sets the tone for the material that must be covered throughout the remainder of the book. In Chap. 5, we are presented with a series of ideas as to how to modify manufacturing processes to minimize their pollution impact. This chapter presents some very useful and valuable concepts. The chapter begins with some discussion of designing a process, leaving much of the details to later chapters. A significant discussion of selected chemical engineering unit operations is provided, with design examples in a few cases and a brief discussion of the function of the equipment in others. A second section provides some general‘‘housekeeping’’ rules that can be applied, but fails to provide the background to understand why proposed process changes would be effective. Some will likely find these sections frustrating, in that there is insufficient information to complete
Book reÕiews
263
practical design problems or reach the knowledge level required for practical application of these concepts. Finally, two examples of process modification are provided, an extremely valuable example of practical pollution prevention that underscores the important conclusion that‘‘little things mean a lot’’. Once again, the results are presented with a broad brush, providing too few details on the methods used and the benefits obtained. Life cycle analysis ŽLCA. is discussed in Chap. 6 and described in terms of the benefits of this process in evaluating pollution prevention opportunities and meeting regulatory requirements. Again, the author has attempted to be comprehensive, providing a broad overview of the concepts of LCA and their applications. Unfortunately, the breadth of the discussion leaves insufficient room to describe the procedures necessary to allow the reader to complete any more than a rudimentary LCA on hisrher own. An example is provided Žbased on an EPA study. which helps to illustrate the complexity of this process, but the origin of the data and the application of the results are not thoroughly described. A short chapter on environmental economics follows. Basic economics are presented, and an introduction to the concepts underlying engineering economics Žthe time value of money. is provided. This is an important review for the reader who has previously been exposed to engineering economics, but is too brief to be of much value to a novice. The examples are helpful in illustrating the concepts and calculation methods. The use of total cost accounting, including the potential long-term liability, provides a useful introduction into evaluating the true cost of a proposed process. Using the tools developed in the previous chapters, Chap. 8 shows how a pollution prevention plan should be implemented in a corporation, and the role of the engineer in developing and implementing such a plan. This chapter is an interesting mix of semi-technical Žhow do you identify the right problem to address. and business information Žpresenting the plan to management.. A description of resources and tools that can be used in the development of the plan includes a brief description of ISO 14000, toxic release inventory, and environmental audits. The heart of the text is located in Chap. 9, which focuses on design for the environment. A lengthy section on green chemistry is presented, using results reported in some of the classic documents. The author has wisely made use of information developed by the EPA that was based on the work of the recipients of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. As with many previous sections of the book, the author has covered the subject in substantial breadth, without providing the depth necessary for the reader to develop a full appreciation for the importance of these developments. The next section discusses design for disassembly and demanufacturing, and is similarly broad in coverage. The concepts are provided, and the implications of society’s failure to reuse parts and recycle materials are presented. While the section on green chemistry provided numerous examples with actual results, the design section gives only a more general how-to description of what can be achieved. A smaller section on packaging, which does provide a few success stories, concludes this chapter. Process integration is tackled in Chap. 10, which is again comprehensive in scope but limited in depth. The concept of a material balance is presented in terms of minimizing water use through a process. As a chemical engineer, I appreciate the benefits of
264
Book reÕiews
completing a material balance calculation and looked for a concise discussion of the underlying fundamentals. Unfortunately, only a rudimentary discussion is provided before the author launches into a series of numerical examples. Thus, I fear that the reader will become lost in the equations and diagrams and fail to appreciate the simplicity of the method. Heat exchange networks are also presented, although the author only provides a short description of the concepts of heat transfer. The exchange network technique is illustrated Žfirst for heat and then for water use. through a series of examples, complete with graphical development. This section provides a very important overview to the value of exchange networks without overwhelming the reader with so much detail that one loses sight of the process. On the other hand, the reader who wishes to use heat andror mass exchange networks in the evaluation of a chemical process would find insufficient information in this text to complete the task. Chap. 11 describes residual management. In my opinion, this chapter only belongs in a pollution prevention text if one describes recovery techniques that could be used to allow recycle andror reuse of the components within the waste stream. In the current case, many destructive waste treatment methods that could be used to eliminate noxious emissions are described, including chemical, physical, and biological treatment methods. To his credit, the author clearly points out that this section is not meant to be a rigorous discussion and points the reader to several good texts on the subject. This is indeed the case, and the reader is presented with a short description of many of the alternatives, and some discussion of the usefulness of each of the processes. Fugitive emissions are the topic of concern in the next chapter, a well-written introduction to the scope of the problem. The introduction to this chapter motivates further discussion and presages the difficulties that are inherent in evaluating the level of fugitive emissions from a real facility. Several EPA methods for calculating emissions are presented, and this time, sufficient detail is provided to allow the reader to complete the calculation if desired. The section on controlling emissions provides some useful tips and insights into the options available. Methods of calculating and minimizing fugitive emissions from tanks are also provided. Chap. 13 describes opportunities for municipal waste treatment facilities to implement pollution prevention programs. In this chapter, a large number of general ideas that discuss possible pollution prevention programs are presented. Unfortunately, many of these concepts are not well developed. Thus, someone attempting to implement a program will not have concrete information as to how to begin the program, how to develop it for his or her site, or how to see it into operation. It is my opinion that it would have been informative to examine Žat least. one example in which a pollution prevention program was successfully implemented, and present the results of the program. Several possible examples are included within the problems at the end of the chapter. The text concludes with an interesting chapter on sustainability. This is a concept that has become more important with time, and is likely to be the central theme of environmental protection in the near future. As such, it makes an appropriate conclusion to the text. The chapter is well organized and informative, giving a solid discussion on where we might be going, and how we will get there. This description of the state of the science is well presented, with sufficient information for the reader to understand the
Book reÕiews
265
problems associated with the attempt to achieve a sustainable economy. Within this chapter, it becomes abundantly clear that the issues of pollution prevention are going to require a greater integration of the technical problems with their socioeconomic and political implications. Despite its shortcomings, this book does present a comprehensive overview of pollution prevention. Although this is a tall order, it is suitably accomplished within this text. Because the author has chosen to cover the subject comprehensively, the book is often lacking in depth, and the interested reader will be required to look elsewhere for more information. In most cases, appropriate references are provided to more detailed information, as necessary. While some may find the lack of detail a significant failing of the text, others may appreciate the opportunity to survey the subject without being subjected to the details of any specific area. It would be unreasonable to expect both extreme depth and breadth in a single volume, and the author has provided a good compromise for this traditional dilemma. This book should be very useful for the professor interested in a primary text for a pollution prevention course. One could not cover the entire text in a single semester, but the book is laid out in a fashion that will allow one to choose from among the various chapters. Once the professor has decided what areas should be emphasized, references are provided for additional materials in the desired subject areas. Supplementary texts may be desired, but it will probably be sufficient to supplement the material in the book with course notes. For the environmental professional, this book also provides a good starting point for the development of a pollution prevention mission. Since there is insufficient information to actually complete many of the calculations that may be required, the environmental professional will also need to consult more detailed reference volumes in the specific area of interest. Paul Bishop has developed a comprehensive treatise in the text on pollution prevention, which should become a staple of the environmental professional. MARTIN ABRAHAM Department of Chemical and EnÕironmental Engineering, UniÕersity of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA PII: S0304-3894Ž00.00256-9
What Environmental Managers Really Need to Know David J. Schell, Government Institute, Rockville, MD, 1999, $49.00, 183 pp Žpaperback. ISBN: 0-86587-661-4 This book was written for new and inexperienced environmental and human resources professionals, and for that audience Žvery new people in the environmental field. it should be of interest. The book is well written, in an almost‘‘conversational’’ style, with short, to-the-point chapters divided into readable Žnewspaper-like. sections by appropriate headings.
Book reÕiews
Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practice Paul L. Bishop, Mc Graw-Hill Book Co., Ž2000. ISBN: 0-07-366147-3, $81.88, 716 pp. Pollution prevention has now developed into an important component of the environmental andror process engineering operation. Pollution prevention is an important complement to the much more well-trodden ground of waste treatment, in that it describes techniques for minimizing the production of wastes, rather than ways of eliminating wastes that are produced as by-products of industrial operations. Since pollution prevention became codified into law in 1990, it has been a source of tremendous interest and research. Until recently, there were only limited resources available to the engineer or student interested in learning more about the subject. With the publication of Pollution Prevention: Fundamentals and Practices by Paul Bishop, the subject is now tackled in a comprehensive textbook suitable for the classroom. The book begins with a introduction to the subject of pollution prevention, covering several important aspects that motivate the study. A short history is provided, followed by definition of important terms, the definition of pollution prevention and the role of recycling, and a brief discussion of environmental ethics. The ethics discussion is particularly interesting, in that it points out that pollution prevention is something that should be achieved because it is the‘‘right thing to do’’, rather than because it is mandated by law. The next several chapters provide the necessary background on organic chemistry, waste treatment, and environmental law, thereby setting the context in which pollution prevention should be analyzed. Chap. 2 provides a relatively extensive analysis of fate and transport issues. For the environmental or civil engineer, this is generally a review of the subject. However, the chapter is well organized and surprisingly comprehensive, allowing someone not trained in the subject to come up to speed quickly. Chap. 3 describes different types of pollution, and reviews the subjects of air and water pollution, and the issue of solid waste. Because of the book’s emphasis on pollution prevention, an extensive and necessary discussion of energy usage is included. An introduction to resource depletion is provided, but it is too short to be of much use in understanding the importance of the subject with regards to pollution prevention. Finally, a brief description of the environmental legislation is provided in Chap. 4. This discussion is well organized and sufficiently extensive for the necessary introduction to the subject without being so extensive as to become boring and burdensome. The chapter concludes with an introduction to the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 that sets the tone for the material that must be covered throughout the remainder of the book. In Chap. 5, we are presented with a series of ideas as to how to modify manufacturing processes to minimize their pollution impact. This chapter presents some very useful and valuable concepts. The chapter begins with some discussion of designing a process, leaving much of the details to later chapters. A significant discussion of selected chemical engineering unit operations is provided, with design examples in a few cases and a brief discussion of the function of the equipment in others. A second section provides some general‘‘housekeeping’’ rules that can be applied, but fails to provide the background to understand why proposed process changes would be effective. Some will likely find these sections frustrating, in that there is insufficient information to complete
Book reÕiews
263
practical design problems or reach the knowledge level required for practical application of these concepts. Finally, two examples of process modification are provided, an extremely valuable example of practical pollution prevention that underscores the important conclusion that‘‘little things mean a lot’’. Once again, the results are presented with a broad brush, providing too few details on the methods used and the benefits obtained. Life cycle analysis ŽLCA. is discussed in Chap. 6 and described in terms of the benefits of this process in evaluating pollution prevention opportunities and meeting regulatory requirements. Again, the author has attempted to be comprehensive, providing a broad overview of the concepts of LCA and their applications. Unfortunately, the breadth of the discussion leaves insufficient room to describe the procedures necessary to allow the reader to complete any more than a rudimentary LCA on hisrher own. An example is provided Žbased on an EPA study. which helps to illustrate the complexity of this process, but the origin of the data and the application of the results are not thoroughly described. A short chapter on environmental economics follows. Basic economics are presented, and an introduction to the concepts underlying engineering economics Žthe time value of money. is provided. This is an important review for the reader who has previously been exposed to engineering economics, but is too brief to be of much value to a novice. The examples are helpful in illustrating the concepts and calculation methods. The use of total cost accounting, including the potential long-term liability, provides a useful introduction into evaluating the true cost of a proposed process. Using the tools developed in the previous chapters, Chap. 8 shows how a pollution prevention plan should be implemented in a corporation, and the role of the engineer in developing and implementing such a plan. This chapter is an interesting mix of semi-technical Žhow do you identify the right problem to address. and business information Žpresenting the plan to management.. A description of resources and tools that can be used in the development of the plan includes a brief description of ISO 14000, toxic release inventory, and environmental audits. The heart of the text is located in Chap. 9, which focuses on design for the environment. A lengthy section on green chemistry is presented, using results reported in some of the classic documents. The author has wisely made use of information developed by the EPA that was based on the work of the recipients of the Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards. As with many previous sections of the book, the author has covered the subject in substantial breadth, without providing the depth necessary for the reader to develop a full appreciation for the importance of these developments. The next section discusses design for disassembly and demanufacturing, and is similarly broad in coverage. The concepts are provided, and the implications of society’s failure to reuse parts and recycle materials are presented. While the section on green chemistry provided numerous examples with actual results, the design section gives only a more general how-to description of what can be achieved. A smaller section on packaging, which does provide a few success stories, concludes this chapter. Process integration is tackled in Chap. 10, which is again comprehensive in scope but limited in depth. The concept of a material balance is presented in terms of minimizing water use through a process. As a chemical engineer, I appreciate the benefits of
264
Book reÕiews
completing a material balance calculation and looked for a concise discussion of the underlying fundamentals. Unfortunately, only a rudimentary discussion is provided before the author launches into a series of numerical examples. Thus, I fear that the reader will become lost in the equations and diagrams and fail to appreciate the simplicity of the method. Heat exchange networks are also presented, although the author only provides a short description of the concepts of heat transfer. The exchange network technique is illustrated Žfirst for heat and then for water use. through a series of examples, complete with graphical development. This section provides a very important overview to the value of exchange networks without overwhelming the reader with so much detail that one loses sight of the process. On the other hand, the reader who wishes to use heat andror mass exchange networks in the evaluation of a chemical process would find insufficient information in this text to complete the task. Chap. 11 describes residual management. In my opinion, this chapter only belongs in a pollution prevention text if one describes recovery techniques that could be used to allow recycle andror reuse of the components within the waste stream. In the current case, many destructive waste treatment methods that could be used to eliminate noxious emissions are described, including chemical, physical, and biological treatment methods. To his credit, the author clearly points out that this section is not meant to be a rigorous discussion and points the reader to several good texts on the subject. This is indeed the case, and the reader is presented with a short description of many of the alternatives, and some discussion of the usefulness of each of the processes. Fugitive emissions are the topic of concern in the next chapter, a well-written introduction to the scope of the problem. The introduction to this chapter motivates further discussion and presages the difficulties that are inherent in evaluating the level of fugitive emissions from a real facility. Several EPA methods for calculating emissions are presented, and this time, sufficient detail is provided to allow the reader to complete the calculation if desired. The section on controlling emissions provides some useful tips and insights into the options available. Methods of calculating and minimizing fugitive emissions from tanks are also provided. Chap. 13 describes opportunities for municipal waste treatment facilities to implement pollution prevention programs. In this chapter, a large number of general ideas that discuss possible pollution prevention programs are presented. Unfortunately, many of these concepts are not well developed. Thus, someone attempting to implement a program will not have concrete information as to how to begin the program, how to develop it for his or her site, or how to see it into operation. It is my opinion that it would have been informative to examine Žat least. one example in which a pollution prevention program was successfully implemented, and present the results of the program. Several possible examples are included within the problems at the end of the chapter. The text concludes with an interesting chapter on sustainability. This is a concept that has become more important with time, and is likely to be the central theme of environmental protection in the near future. As such, it makes an appropriate conclusion to the text. The chapter is well organized and informative, giving a solid discussion on where we might be going, and how we will get there. This description of the state of the science is well presented, with sufficient information for the reader to understand the
Book reÕiews
265
problems associated with the attempt to achieve a sustainable economy. Within this chapter, it becomes abundantly clear that the issues of pollution prevention are going to require a greater integration of the technical problems with their socioeconomic and political implications. Despite its shortcomings, this book does present a comprehensive overview of pollution prevention. Although this is a tall order, it is suitably accomplished within this text. Because the author has chosen to cover the subject comprehensively, the book is often lacking in depth, and the interested reader will be required to look elsewhere for more information. In most cases, appropriate references are provided to more detailed information, as necessary. While some may find the lack of detail a significant failing of the text, others may appreciate the opportunity to survey the subject without being subjected to the details of any specific area. It would be unreasonable to expect both extreme depth and breadth in a single volume, and the author has provided a good compromise for this traditional dilemma. This book should be very useful for the professor interested in a primary text for a pollution prevention course. One could not cover the entire text in a single semester, but the book is laid out in a fashion that will allow one to choose from among the various chapters. Once the professor has decided what areas should be emphasized, references are provided for additional materials in the desired subject areas. Supplementary texts may be desired, but it will probably be sufficient to supplement the material in the book with course notes. For the environmental professional, this book also provides a good starting point for the development of a pollution prevention mission. Since there is insufficient information to actually complete many of the calculations that may be required, the environmental professional will also need to consult more detailed reference volumes in the specific area of interest. Paul Bishop has developed a comprehensive treatise in the text on pollution prevention, which should become a staple of the environmental professional. MARTIN ABRAHAM Department of Chemical and EnÕironmental Engineering, UniÕersity of Toledo, 2801 W. Bancroft Street, Toledo, OH 43606, USA PII: S0304-3894Ž00.00256-9
What Environmental Managers Really Need to Know David J. Schell, Government Institute, Rockville, MD, 1999, $49.00, 183 pp Žpaperback. ISBN: 0-86587-661-4 This book was written for new and inexperienced environmental and human resources professionals, and for that audience Žvery new people in the environmental field. it should be of interest. The book is well written, in an almost‘‘conversational’’ style, with short, to-the-point chapters divided into readable Žnewspaper-like. sections by appropriate headings.