How can factories stop pollution?

Answer 1

A factory that emits contaminants may have to reduce or eliminate the loss of these materials because:

• it is against the law
• it is harming people o the environment
• it is bad public relations

To do this they first have to determine what pollutants they emit. This is done by sampling the air and gases leaving the plant smoke stacks, the water leaving by the plant sewers and the solid wastes going to the disposal sites.

For each of the pollutants they then determine why it is being created and why it is being discharged. This is usually the work of engineers and chemists. In many cases the pollution they emit is actually valuable materials that can be recovered and sold. In other cases the pollution represents wastes of materials or energy that are costing the factory money.

For each pollutant there is a method of reduction. These include:

• changing the process that makes the pollution
• removing the pollution from tha air water or waste by chemical or physical means
• directing the pollution containing materials to another process to recover and reuse the pollutant.

Answer 2

Owners and operators of inductral facilities can ensure the lowest possible pollution emission rates by:

• maintaining and operating equipment properly
  
• using proper fuels
  
• having maintenance programs to eliminate leaks
  
• cover ponds and tanks with vapour retaining roofs
  
• venting to control systems not to the open air
  
• installing monitorting programs to identify leaks as soon as possible
  
• lowering plant thrust during periods of bad dispersion
  
• installing and operating pollution control systems properly
  
• increasing plant efficiency
  
• having visits by third party inspection teams
• instilling pollution minimizing proactive programs

Answer 3

shut down / stop the factories.