Studies on feasibility of some water quality trading aspects with end-of-pipe treatment augments: Towards enhancement of environmental performance in firms and CETPs
Shah, Hardik
Studies on feasibility of some water quality trading aspects with end-of-pipe treatment augments: Towards enhancement of environmental performance in firms and CETPs by Hardik Shah - Ahmedabad Nirma Institute of Technology 2017 - 177p Ph. D. Thesis with Synopsis and CD
Guided by: Dr. J. P. Ruparelia With Synopsis and CD 11EXTPHDE63
ABSTRACT:
Environmental performance is at the heart of the cap and trade approach. The basic idea of this
mechanism is to meet environmental goals at lowest possible cost; compared to other
environmental policies such as command-and-control or emissions taxes. Simple in concept,
emissions trading can become complex in practice when considering all elements that must be in
place. Water Quality Trading (WQT), is a type of emission trading, to reduce water pollution to
the desired level, with minimum treatment cost. The present investigation has attempted to
evaluate the potential of WQT under the Indian scenario and visualize its benefits through reality
checks.
1. A detailed logical framework that links causes and effects of treatment systems has helped
derive a body of empirical evidences to substantiate the credibility of some treatment systems.
2. Assumptions about performance and their determinants helped map relevant correlates.
3. Field investigations, treatability experiments and mathematical modelling helped derive
empirical evidences.
4. Data on parameters was gathered about the performance of Common Effluent Treatment Plants
(CETPs) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) as suitable pollutant to be traded.
The investigation was inspired by a survey by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of 88
industrial clusters across the country. The CPCB reported 43 clusters as critically polluted with a
comprehensive environmental pollution index (CEPI) above 70. CETP-Vatva, a site of this study
was one of the critically polluted areas with CEPI 74.77 in 2009, 87.46 in 2011 and 83.44 in 2013,
quite above the criterion for critically polluted CEPI score. CETP-Vatva demonstrated the fact that
WQT context could become increasingly complex, if heterogeneous / diverse industrial sectors are
considered for their effluents. This was in contrast to the CETP-Palsana with homogeneous
industrial sectors.
# Data pertaining to actual effluents released for one hundred and eleven industries on a daily
basis for three months at Palsana. & authorized quantity of effluent discharge (QED) for each
industry and design capacity of CETP was collected.
The study revealed that as the effluent generation is below the authorized QED, WQT is not
possible. However, as the QED increases, WQT can be implemented with cap and trade
mechanism.
# Simulations as part of this study demonstrated that cap and trade mechanism may be feasible
below the breakeven point, i.e. 85% of the authorized QED.
# Further, as the authorized QED is lowered, the potential for WQT increased. Thus, WQT with
cap and trade seems feasible at CETP, Palsana.
Based on the encouraging results for Palsana, studies were initiated at Vatva, that had three
functional and major industrial sectors, i.e., Dyes, Dye Intermediates and Textile processing. This
heterogeneity in industrial sectors further compounded complexity through diverse scales of
production; namely small, medium and large scale.
# Thus, for this research, three industries from each sector with a total of nine different industries
were chosen.
# 2000 L of effluent was collected from each of the industries for detailed investigations.
# The initial COD loading observed was in the range of 68 to 7074, 30 to 896 and 100 to 1541
kg COD / day for textile processing, dyes and dye intermediates respectively with significant
variation in the qualitative profiles.
# The collected effluent was treated by electrocoagulation, Fenton’s reagent and Electrooxidation
in batch scale and pilot scale reactors. The batch scale reactors for all the three
technologies were of 1Lsize, the pilot-scale reactors were of 25 L, 50 L and 150 L for
electrocoagulation, Fenton’s reagent and Electro-oxidation, respectively.
# Based on the above it was observed that
o A simplistic conclusion that can be common for treatment of effluent from specific
sectors cannot be drawn.
o The scales of production namely small, medium and large scales determined the extent
of COD eliminated across treatment methods.
o This was true also for the cost for treatment, related to the quality of effluent and
pollution control method.
# It was also seen that electrocoagulation could be achieved with least cost for treatment for all
effluents, however its COD removal efficiency was less in some cases compared to other
technologies.
# A hypothetical trading among all selected industries was also evaluated considering different
caps on release for COD loading. A stringent cap is introduced, influenced an increasing
number of closures of industry if WQT is not implemented.
# The mathematical models, formulated as mixed integer programming problems, are limited to
watershed trading; implemented and solved through the CPLEX.
Results relate to treatments suggested to control pollution, the source, and the overall cost
comparison in trading and non-trading scenario. It also revealed changes in the number of credits
demanded before and after technology implementation along with changes in the group of buyers
and sellers of credits within the sectors. The optimum value of cap for a given scenario was also
derived, especially from a regulatory authority point of view. The present research thereby presents
much needed evidences about the feasibility of WQT; considering settings unique to the systems
chosen.
TT000060 / SHA
Studies on feasibility of some water quality trading aspects with end-of-pipe treatment augments: Towards enhancement of environmental performance in firms and CETPs by Hardik Shah - Ahmedabad Nirma Institute of Technology 2017 - 177p Ph. D. Thesis with Synopsis and CD
Guided by: Dr. J. P. Ruparelia With Synopsis and CD 11EXTPHDE63
ABSTRACT:
Environmental performance is at the heart of the cap and trade approach. The basic idea of this
mechanism is to meet environmental goals at lowest possible cost; compared to other
environmental policies such as command-and-control or emissions taxes. Simple in concept,
emissions trading can become complex in practice when considering all elements that must be in
place. Water Quality Trading (WQT), is a type of emission trading, to reduce water pollution to
the desired level, with minimum treatment cost. The present investigation has attempted to
evaluate the potential of WQT under the Indian scenario and visualize its benefits through reality
checks.
1. A detailed logical framework that links causes and effects of treatment systems has helped
derive a body of empirical evidences to substantiate the credibility of some treatment systems.
2. Assumptions about performance and their determinants helped map relevant correlates.
3. Field investigations, treatability experiments and mathematical modelling helped derive
empirical evidences.
4. Data on parameters was gathered about the performance of Common Effluent Treatment Plants
(CETPs) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) as suitable pollutant to be traded.
The investigation was inspired by a survey by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) of 88
industrial clusters across the country. The CPCB reported 43 clusters as critically polluted with a
comprehensive environmental pollution index (CEPI) above 70. CETP-Vatva, a site of this study
was one of the critically polluted areas with CEPI 74.77 in 2009, 87.46 in 2011 and 83.44 in 2013,
quite above the criterion for critically polluted CEPI score. CETP-Vatva demonstrated the fact that
WQT context could become increasingly complex, if heterogeneous / diverse industrial sectors are
considered for their effluents. This was in contrast to the CETP-Palsana with homogeneous
industrial sectors.
# Data pertaining to actual effluents released for one hundred and eleven industries on a daily
basis for three months at Palsana. & authorized quantity of effluent discharge (QED) for each
industry and design capacity of CETP was collected.
The study revealed that as the effluent generation is below the authorized QED, WQT is not
possible. However, as the QED increases, WQT can be implemented with cap and trade
mechanism.
# Simulations as part of this study demonstrated that cap and trade mechanism may be feasible
below the breakeven point, i.e. 85% of the authorized QED.
# Further, as the authorized QED is lowered, the potential for WQT increased. Thus, WQT with
cap and trade seems feasible at CETP, Palsana.
Based on the encouraging results for Palsana, studies were initiated at Vatva, that had three
functional and major industrial sectors, i.e., Dyes, Dye Intermediates and Textile processing. This
heterogeneity in industrial sectors further compounded complexity through diverse scales of
production; namely small, medium and large scale.
# Thus, for this research, three industries from each sector with a total of nine different industries
were chosen.
# 2000 L of effluent was collected from each of the industries for detailed investigations.
# The initial COD loading observed was in the range of 68 to 7074, 30 to 896 and 100 to 1541
kg COD / day for textile processing, dyes and dye intermediates respectively with significant
variation in the qualitative profiles.
# The collected effluent was treated by electrocoagulation, Fenton’s reagent and Electrooxidation
in batch scale and pilot scale reactors. The batch scale reactors for all the three
technologies were of 1Lsize, the pilot-scale reactors were of 25 L, 50 L and 150 L for
electrocoagulation, Fenton’s reagent and Electro-oxidation, respectively.
# Based on the above it was observed that
o A simplistic conclusion that can be common for treatment of effluent from specific
sectors cannot be drawn.
o The scales of production namely small, medium and large scales determined the extent
of COD eliminated across treatment methods.
o This was true also for the cost for treatment, related to the quality of effluent and
pollution control method.
# It was also seen that electrocoagulation could be achieved with least cost for treatment for all
effluents, however its COD removal efficiency was less in some cases compared to other
technologies.
# A hypothetical trading among all selected industries was also evaluated considering different
caps on release for COD loading. A stringent cap is introduced, influenced an increasing
number of closures of industry if WQT is not implemented.
# The mathematical models, formulated as mixed integer programming problems, are limited to
watershed trading; implemented and solved through the CPLEX.
Results relate to treatments suggested to control pollution, the source, and the overall cost
comparison in trading and non-trading scenario. It also revealed changes in the number of credits
demanded before and after technology implementation along with changes in the group of buyers
and sellers of credits within the sectors. The optimum value of cap for a given scenario was also
derived, especially from a regulatory authority point of view. The present research thereby presents
much needed evidences about the feasibility of WQT; considering settings unique to the systems
chosen.
TT000060 / SHA