CONVERSION OF

WASTE PLASTIC
INTO LIQUID
HYDROCARBONS
/ ENERGY
Waste plastic problem is an ever-increasing menace for global environment. Because of
flexibility, durability and economy, a phenomenal rise is observed in the plastic consumer base.
Throughout the world, research on waste plastic management is being carried out at war-footing.
In developed countries, few waste plastic disposal / conversion methods have been implemented
but are not efficient and economically feasible.

Plastics being non biodegradable get accumulated in the environment. If this problem is not
addressed properly, it will lead to mountains of waste plastic. Environment protection Agency
U.K. estimates that by the year 2005 the amount of waste plastic throw will be 65% more than
that in year 1997.

India has been a favored dumping ground for plastic wastes, mostly from industrialized
countries like Canada, Denmark, Germany, UK, the Netherlands, Japan, France and the United
States. According to the Government of India import data, more than 59,000 tons and 61,000
tons of plastic waste have found its way into India in the years 1999 and 2000 respectively.
(Source: Statistics of Foreign Trade of India. March 2000 and March 2001. DGFT, Government
of India). More than 100 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide each year. Though
plastics have opened the way for a plethora of new inventions and devices it has also ended up
clogging the drains and becoming a health hazard.

According to a nation wide survey, conducted in the year 2003, more than 10,000 MT of plastic
waste is generated daily in our country, and only 40 wt% of the same is recycled, balance 60
wt% is not possible to dispose off (Reference `The Hindu dated 25/09/03 and Central Pollution
Control Board Study, 2003) Plastic waste contributes to the solid waste streams by about 8% -
15% by weight and twice that by Volume (GOI 1997). It is projected that annual post-consumer
plastic waste will reach 3.6 million tons by the year 2005-2006. At these alarming levels of
wastegeneration, India needs to prepare a lot in recycling and disposing the waste. Several
processes and means have been attempted to fight against the alarming levels of waste
generation. However each process had its drawbacks and operational, economical & financial
limitations for practical implementation.

6
A large proportion of sheeting materials and molded parts, etc is left out by rag pickers. The
small bags /moldings are soiled and are difficult to identify. Also they have no value as recycle
feed stocks. These un-utilized waste plastic remain uncollected and spread everywhere, littered
in open drains or in garbage dumps, often resulting in choking of municipal sewers and storm
water drains. Thus the balance 40 wt% gradually goes on accumulating, thereby leading to:

Serious environmental problem Disposal problems

Wastage and non utilization of high energy material

ALTERNATIVE WASTE DISPOSAL METHODS :

Land Filling
Waste Plastic materials are dumped for land-filling and they become mummified after
decades. It is worth mentioning that the plastic is not a bio-degradable material hence this leads
to the soil contamination and in long term serves as a cause of severe environmental hazard such
as degradation of soil fertility, pollution of surface & subsoil water. Besides the above
drawbacks, the embodied energy present in the plastic is lost.

Incineration
It is possible to incinerate mixed plastics to recover energy. However it is not possible to do so in
a controlled manner to reduce off-gas pollution i.e. dioxins & fleuron to desirable standards.
Hence this method of plastic waste management is generally not preferred. The treatment cost of
the gases is often more than the energy recovered.

Blast furnace
Waste plastic may be used in place of coke and pulverized coal after forming into particles of the
required size and subsequently injected into the blast furnace. The injected plastic is broken
down to form reducer gas (CO + H2), which rises through the raw material in the furnace and
reacts with the iron ore. The injection of chlorine-contained plastics such as PVC in the blast
furnace generates hydrogen chloride. The limestone used in the blast furnace to control the
composition of the slag neutralizes the hydrogen chloride in the furnace and decrease its
concentration. But substitution of coke with plastic is limited to approximately 40% wt only.
(Ref: Shutov F. Effective energyandgasemissionsavingusingplasticwasterecyclingtechnologies,
Expert group meeting, 2-3/ Dec /1999, Vienna international center, Vienna, Austria)

7
Gasification

Gasification is essentially thermal decomposition of organic matter under inert atmospheric

conditions or in a limited supply of air. If the feed contains chlorinated compound like PVC then
it is advisable to do gasification at lower temperature to remove chlorine then the temperature is
raised to convert higher hydrocarbons. There are problems in controlling the combustion
temperature and the quantity of unburned gases.

Recycling

Recycling is not the complete solution for disposal of the waste plastic. After third/fourth
recycling the plastic is totally unfit for reuse and hence ultimately it ends up in Land filling.
Some types of the plastics are not suitable for recycling. However, this method is only suitable
for processing segregated plastic materials and is not suitable for assorted municipal waste
plastic.

8
 ECO-FRIENDLY
BUILDINGS: THE
CENTRAL FACTOR
IN TRANSITIONING
TO A NET
NEUTRAL
COMMUNITY
The building sector is the worlds largest contributor of global greenhouse gas emissions. More
than 33% of global energy use is consumed in offices, homes, and other buildings. This figure is
expected to double by 2030. It is imperative that new construction projects, and renovations to
existing construction, are focused on eco-friendly building, which provides a low-cost means to
battling climate change, reducingenergy bills, and diminishing our reliance on fossil fuels. This
paper will present the importance of urban planning in terms of eco-communities by discussing
how building designs and materials can achieve energy neutrality. Consideration of climate must
also figure prominently into eco-planning, emphasizing the most appropriate forms of renewable
energy for the region. Many factors need to be considered whencreating an energy efficient built
environment, including: making the best technical use of local resources to avoid the costly
(financially and ecologically) long-distance transportation of construction materials; determining
the most optimum balance between harnessing natural sunlight and insulating the inside of a
structure from its accompanying heat; and creating natural ventilation and air filtering through
design rather than focusing on energy draining air conditioning systems. Of these three, the last
may be the most important, as the highest percentage of household energy consumption is
associated with the cooling and heating of living spaces. These aspects greatly affect quality of
life and will not be forsaken. Theirecological adaptation is necessary in order for populations to
adopt more sustainable lifestyles. The focus of this paper is balance: balancing the planets and
our communities future needs with the sustainment of home comforts and quality of life; the
balance of future urban development with renewable energies; the balance of ecological building
design with high life-cycle materials and balance between people and nature.

There are so many options for applying renewable energy resources towards the goal of
eliminating
carbon dependence. In the Middle East the sun is both the most plentiful resource to be tapped
and the biggest challenge to overcome. Obviously solar panels are the first things that come to
mind when considering renewable resources in the sunny, arid climates. Creativity in their
application might serve
the dual purpose of harnessing solar energy, whilst protecting a structure from becoming too
overheated by the suns heat. One way this could be achieved is by applying solar collection
cells
vertically to the walls that absorb most of a buildings direct sunlight.
Solar powered air conditioning systems, or so called Chinese air conditioners are used
predominately in Asia. They are far superior to window units by creating their own energy rather
than consuming massive amounts of electricity and draining city wide electrical grids during
high temperature days. Furthermore, in addition to operating optimally in temperatures ranging
from - 15oC 55oC, they also heat and filter water, on demand, thus eliminating the extreme
amount of energy wasted by conventional Western multigallon hot water heater tanks. They save
between Rooftop gardens and wall gardens are nice ecological features, not only for their

3
ascetic value or for the fact that plants clean carbon dioxide out of the air and replace it with
fresh clean oxygen, but because they absorb and convert the suns heat
and create a better heat reflective surface than traditional heat absorbing asphalt tiles or tar pitch.
Wall gardens, which climb vertically up a buildings walls or are incorporated into design into
walls that feature steeped levels, serve better than reflective glass not only by capturing the suns
energy, but by not reflecting its heat back out between the buildings, which in turn raises the
urban environment temperature increasing the buildings energy effort to cool the insides. They
insulate and bring greenery and plant life into the urban landscape. This aids in the mental
balance between man and nature, which can sometimes be lost to city-dwellers
SMART technologies and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), in particular, can positively
impact the development of a sustainable community by providing cleaner, safer and more
efficient public transportation systems. These systems reduce vehicle congestion and its resulting
negative externalities that is, fuel consumption, while simultaneously adding the benefits of
increased comfort and adding valuable time (as community members are free to otherwise utilize
their time whilst riding on these transportation systems). In order to implement a reduced energy
consumption/ emissions policy, planner should consider the following three factors: demand
management, traffic management and city access restriction (European Commission Report,
2013). Planers should also consider employing automated systems to eliminate human error and
increase efficiency. Smart ticketing will provide fast and easy services, saving time and energy
and maintaining a SMART public operation and increased mobility.

Careful consideration to building and community design is essential for Gulf countries to help in
transition from a carbon energy based urban foundation to one that incorporates sustainable
practices and renewable energy resources. However, it is necessary for this transition to occur if
country level goals towards global greenhouse gas emissions are to be achieved. It is by
embracing the future and the change it brings, that we will achieve a balance between ourselves,
our lifestyles, and our environment. Our planet is in a phase of rapid transition, directly caused
by our carelessness. Through the ideas and adaptations presented in this paper, we can ease this
evolution with the best possible outcomes. SMART technologies and intelligent systems are one
of the key factors for the transitioning of a net neutral community in the UAE and similar
countries.

4
TREATMENT OF
INDUSTRIAL
EFFLUENTS
According to the National Atlas of Jordan, the mean annual rainfall water in Jordan is 8500 Mm
3, of which only 1200 Mm 3 can be exploited. Seventy percent of this drains to the Jordan
Valley, the Dead Sea and the Wadi Araba. The remaining 30% can only be utilized by drilling
wells. Depletion of water sources and concentrated exploitation of main ground water basins
have led to the depletion of many waterreserves and deterioration of water quality. This
is the situation in the Zarqa River basin. Intensive pumping has lowered the ground water table
so that the river bed is dry most of the year and the main flow is wastewater effluent from the As
Samra treatment plant (STP). At the same time, the salinity level has increased and the ground
water in the upper strata is now polluted with all types of organic and chemical pollution The
industrial sector in Jordan used 50 Mm 3 of water in 1998, which accounts for 5% of the total
water consumption during this year. A major part of this was consumed by large industries such
as phosphate mining; the production of potash, cement, ceramics and soft drinks; as well as the
energy sector. Almost all local industries have suffered from shortages in water supplies during
the last two decades. The water shortage is also the limiting factor for the establishment of new
industries as well as the expansion of certain high water consumption processes such as oilshale
processing.
In a recent paper, Mohsen and Jaber discussed the potential of industrial wastewater reuse in
Jordan. Industrial water requirements, wastewater production, types of pollutants in industrial
wastewater and the technologies for wastewater treatment were evaluated. A total of 30
industries have been reviewed. The total effluent from these 30 industries was estimated at
approximately 10,200 m3/d. Of this amount approximately 4,400 m3/d are discharged into the
public sewerage system, which is about 3% of the total flow. The amounts of metals to be
controlled are: 6800 kg/y, 3000 kg/y, 45 kg/y, 65 kg/y, 20 kg/y, 2 kg/y, 25 kg/y, 60 t/y and 8 t/y
of Cr, Zn, Cu, Pb, Ni, Cd, Sn, Fe and A1, respectively. Nineteen industries, which discharge
mainly organic polluted process wastewater, are mostly food industries. Approximately 5.3 t/d of
BOD are discharged from these industries. Of these approximately 2.2 t/d BOD are discharged to
the public sewerage system and about 3.1 t BOD are It has been shown that most of the selected
industries require some treatment of their wastewater. It is recommended to carry out further
studies to establish the type of wastewater pretreatment strategies and their estimated capital
cost. There is a need for introduction of cleaner technology in the selected industries. This could
include substitution of raw and auxiliary materials, water and energy saving, recirculation of
water, recovery of chemicals, improved process
, waste minimization and good housekeeping. Industry can be considered as a source of
significant amounts of reusable effluents]. Thus, industry should be encouraged to invest in
better water efficiency, more recycling and management. Normalized water use indices can be
developed for each industry in order to allocate only as much water as necessary to achieve their
production targets. In this paper the potential of industrial wastewater reuse in Jordan's A1-
Hussein thermal power station (HTPS) was investigated.

10
A comprehensive review of the processes involved, industrial waste generation and water
requirements was carried out.
Areas of potential
improvements and conservation have also been identified. Relative to other thermal electric
power plants using fuel oil in an arid environment, there appears to be some significant potential
for water conservation at the HTPS. There is significant water pumped from the plant to the
sewage plant and irrigation. Much of this wastewater could be treated by filtration, including
RO, and recycled in the plant as process water. The salty filtration and IE backwash here are two
sources of discharge from the sewage treatment plant could potentially be recycled into the plant.
Water can very likely be conserved in the power plant by good operating practices such as
preventative maintenance, good housekeeping, spill prevention, controlled storm run-off,
cleaning
techniques using minimum water, and a good training program to ensure program success. Since
water conservation is essential in Jordan, long-term plans should include consideration of
changing the basic steam turbine technology to either the combined system or gas- and/ or
diesel-driven turbines at this power plant. It is recommended increasing the capacity of the RO
plant, thereby reducing the use of the IE unit. Thus, the consumption of hydrochloric acid and
sodium hydroxide is reduced significantly.

11
 REUSE +
RECYCLING
= WASTE
REDUCTION
No matter how you live, work, and play, everyone produces waste. We can control this waste by
reducing, reusing, and recycling it. While many people already recycle products at home, waste
reduction opportunities exist anywhere we have waste. Recycling is one way to reduce waste;
reusing products is another.
Products that can be reused and recycled are countless, and include everything from paper to
clothing to worn-out electronics. Some examples of the many items we can reuse include
clothing, school supplies, and sports and electronic equipment.The items
we most commonly recycle are paper, aluminum, glass, steel, cardboard, and yard waste. Most
waste reduction efforts save money, energy, and natural resources, and can teach children and
young adults how solid waste affects their lives and their environment.

Many different kinds of permanent reuse or recycling programs exist, with different options for
funding, supplies, and services. Student-run clubs, local or state
government programs, or nonprofit institutions are all possible sources of support for your
program. For this kind of program, your school or group needs collection bins and storage space
for the reusable or recyclable materials, which also should be picked up regularly by a designated
hauler.

Even though a long-term reuse or recycling program requires careful planning and continuous
outreach, it can also offer great rewards. Such a program allows participants to see the results of
their collection efforts on a daily or weekly basis. Depending on how the program is set up,
students might even run the program, with adult supervision. An in-school or outside group
program also greatly encourages people to make waste reduction part of their daily routine.

Corporate or government organizations sometimes sponsor reuse or recycling drives or donate

money or supplies to start a waste reduction program. Corporate sponsors may be good sources
for funding and advertising, but you might have to follow their guideline sand have the sponsors
name associated with your school or group.

Through EPAs Plug-In To eCycling program, companies that manufacture and sell consumer
electronics are teaming up with government agencies to increase the opportunities Americans
have to reuse or recycle their old electronics and motivate them to make use of these
opportunities. Your school or group may be able to spread the word about these opportunities, or
may be welcome volunteers at some events. See the Resources section for more information.

13
 GRAYWATER:
SAFE REUSE AND
RECYCLING
As clean water resources become more valuable, the concept of separating out the graywater
from the homes waste stream and using it to supplement the familys water demand is becoming
increasingly appealing. Graywater is generally defined as all wastewater generated from
household activities except that produced from the toilet and the kitchen sink. Wastewater from
the toilet is called blackwater. Many questions arise when the subject of reusing graywater
comes up. There are many advantages to separating the homes waste stream into black- and
graywaters: for instance, it can extend the life of the existing treatment system, lower the
households water demand, and recharge the earths aquifers. As fresh water supplies dwindle
and become more expensive in many areas of the country, using water once and then throwing it
awayis
too costly, both financially and practically. The idea of removing the less-concentrated
graywater from the homes waste stream is attractive to engineers and homeowners alike as a
way to reduce waste load and
prolong the life of the system. The average person generates approximately 40 gallons of
graywater per day a significant amount of water. (Refer to the table on page 5 for the average
amounts of water generated by various household activities.) Careless misuse could mean
creating a huge health risk. Can we reuse this water safely for such activities as watering the
lawn, flushing the toilet or washing the car? Recently, the state of Arizona issued new statutes
allowing wastewater that originates from residential clothes washers, bathtubs, showers, and
bathroom sinks to be used for irrigating landscape plantings. In this issue, we will examine
projects in Arizona and Minnesota that are exploring the possibility of safe graywater reuse.

The precise definition differs from state to state, but generally speaking, graywater is considered
to be all the water from the sinks, bathtubs and showers, and the washing machine.

15
Dishwasher and kitchen sink water are sometimes considered too full of potential contaminants
and usually should be sent on to the main wastewater treatment system. While the levels of
contaminants are much lower as compared to wastewater that includes blackwater, graywater is
not just soapy water.

The majority of states require graywater to be treated as carefully as blackwater, sending it

through a separate system and purifying it to the same high standard before being dispersed. A
few states are considering loosening the restrictions, especially in the Southwest where residents
experience frequent water shortages. The National Small Flows Clearinghouse maintains an
extensive regulations database with searches available upon request. Homeowners interested in
graywater reuse also should contact their state or local health department for regulatory
clarification or interpretation. Depending on your states regulations, technology for graywater
reuse can be as simple as saving the rinse water from the clothes washer to rather complex
treatment systems, such as one which the graywater flows to an aerobic treatment unit, then to a
recirculating filter, and it is only ready for reuse after being disinfected with an ultraviolet filter.
Most state regulations do not differentiate between gray- and blackwater systems. Some states
allow graywater systems to be installed; however, in many cases, it must meet all requirements
of the regulations that apply to a blackwater system, including a properly sized septic tank and
absorption field and all setback requirements. In these states where separate systems are allowed,
technologies are quite similar to those used in any other onsite wastewater treatment systems: for
example, aerobic treatment units, septic tanks, sand filters, and disinfection methods.

Using your graywater is a great way to practice the motto Reduce,

Reuse, Recycle.By using graywater, you reduce the need to pump precious groundwater, and
you reuse a resource so valuable in the desert. So says the Water Conservation Alliance of
Southern Arizona (CASA), an organization representing various water districts and the U.S.
Bureau of Reclamation. The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has recently issued
regulations by allowing homeowners to use reclaimed water. The new guidelines make it simple
and affordable for residents to legally use graywater for landscape irrigation.

16
 After in-depth research revealed the widespread reuse of graywater by homeowners (the most
common use is surface irrigation of shade or ornamental trees), Arizona officials decided to
make the practice allowable by law without a permit under limited conditions. As described in
the regulations, homeowners may recycle untreated graywater from washing machines, bathroom
sinks, bathtubs, and showers, but only if the residence lies outside of an active floodplain. The
graywater must originate from the residence and be used only for landscape irrigation.
Specifically stated, the graywater from kitchen sinks, dishwashers, and toilets is not to be
included. Special mechanical considerations include requiring an emergency discharge to the
septic or sewer system in case of system failures, and all piping should be of PVC or ABS.
Storage containers must be secured with bug- and childproof covers.

Few things are more important to small communities than protecting the health of their residents
and fostering sustainable economic progress. The National Environmental Training Center for
Small Communities (NETCSC) is holding its third annual Environmental Training Institute for
Small Communities titled "Public Health and Environmental Quality-- Small Communities in the
21st Century," August 5-9, 2002 in Morgantown, West Virginia. The training sessions will
address financial, managerial, and regulatory issues critical for managing small drinking water
and wastewater systems. Assistance providers, environmental trainers and consultants, state and
local regulatory officials, consulting engineers, local officials, board members, utility managers
and staff , and community and regional planners invited to attend. The sessions will help small
community decision makers provide high quality drinking water and adequate water treatment to
citizens. These services are essential for public health, environmental quality, and economic
growth in small communites .

17
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

ECO-FRIENDLYBUILDINGS:
THE CENTRAL FACTOR IN
TRANSITIONING TO A NET
NEUTRAL COMMUNITY.. pg.2

CONVERSION OF WASTE
PLASTIC INTO LIQUID
HYDROCARBONS/ENERGY pg.5

TREATMENT OF
INDUSTRIAL
EFFLUENT . pg. 9

REUSE + RECYLING =
WASTE REDUCTION.. pg. 12

GRAYWATER: SAFE
REUSE AND
RECYCLING. pg. 14

pg.18
 RESEARCH PAPER
IN
ENVIROMENTAL
ENGINEERING

JOESETH TABORA
CVE4