Case Study of Environmental Upgradation of a Petrochemical Manufacturing Industry in India

Bayer ABS Ltd., a Bayer group company, manufacturing ABS and SAN resins in India, decided in 1997, to upgrade it's Waste Water Treatment Plant (WWTP). Problems were encountered in meeting statutory standards of treated waste water on a continuous basis. Also the management has decided to obtain ISO 14001 certificate.Main problems were under performance of activated sludge bioreactor alongwith secondary clarifier, handling of primary and secondary sludges, process solid waste besides several other problems.Bioreactor biomass which was developed with cowdung was replaced with a freshly developed specific mixed bioculture, comprising Nocardia bacillus, Rhodococcus and Pseudomonas bacteria. Enrichment culture cultivation technique was used, which alongwith tertiary treatment, dramatically changed the scenario. BOD reduction is now 95 to 98%, COD reduction is 74 to 82% and that of SS is 90% plus. Since more than 1 year, all parameters of treated waste water are well below the statutory limits continuously.Chemical and biological sludge volume from a Rotary Vacuum Filter recently commissioned is expected to be reduced by more than 70%. Process Solid Wastes are being incinerated in an upgraded incineration. Several other schemes of upgradation are taken up.