TheLurkerSpeaks t1_jdhtitd wrote
Reply to comment by redratus in Scientists have shown how toxic dyes can be filtered out of wastewater using the method and material developed by the group. The procedure uses sunlight as a catalyst and doesn’t involve any pressure or heat. It can remove 80 percent of dye pollutants in wastewater. by Wagamaga
They don't dump toxic dye into drinking water. That's already very illegal.
In the USA, these industries are regulated by their local wastewater authority. They will have some pretreatment policy regarding these dyes.
This article is detailing a breakthrough treatment technology. Once this becomes industry standard it will likely be written into those pretreatment policies.
CCC19 t1_jdhzx72 wrote
I'm not going to say whether they're dumping dyes into drinking water supplies because I don't know. However, legality has never stopped companies from dumping waste, toxic or otherwise. When the punishment is almost exclusively ever a fine, they can and do budget for it.
nopropulsion t1_jdif2l8 wrote
There is a thing called "Significant Noncompliance" trust me that an industry does not want to fall into that status.
The regulatory agency at that point can levy steep fines for each day that they remain out of compliance. Regulators in that situation can levy penalties proportional to the cost benefit of not treating. So if the regulators figure that you are saving $100,000 a day by not treating, they may be able to fine that amount if you are significantly noncompliant.
I work in this industry, I'm a consultant that gets hired by businesses to design treatment systems to stay compliant.
JohnnyBravoIsMyWaifu t1_jdigqhq wrote
I work as an industrial pretreatment inspector. I wish my management had the balls to put dischargers into SNC and fine them.
nopropulsion t1_jdihnff wrote
I think the state (or EPA if they oversee your programs) are supposed to do annual audits or review annual reports. I'm not personally familiar with how things work on the regulator's side of things, but I'm pretty sure people will be asking questions at that point if you've got serious noncompliance issues.
I will say that there are some times where fines are preferable for both parties. A parameter like BOD or TSS, which is not likely to harm a wastewater treatment plant, is where I see this. Typically that is built into the permit in which a municipality just straight up charges extra after a certain amount.
camisado84 t1_jdinur1 wrote
anonymous report time
ba123blitz t1_jdiz0z3 wrote
Okay that’s possible but often does it actually happen? when it does happen what are the odds it was prolonged and delayed as much as possible?
nopropulsion t1_jdj9hwo wrote
As I mentioned above, my job is to design treatment systems to maintain compliance. So yes it does happen.
Something I didn't mention is that if you meet the requirements for significant noncompliance, the regulator/municipality is then required to provide public notice of the noncompliance. So they call out the company in the local newspaper.
ba123blitz t1_jdjcyk9 wrote
Are you Fr? Name and shame in the newspaper in 2023?
no wonder the planet is rapidly going down.
nopropulsion t1_jdjigqq wrote
It is in the local public record. This is why it is good to have local strong media. If it someone is seriously polluting, it will get picked up. Just because you don't follow your local media, doesn't mean that others don't.
Where do you suggest they post it?
[deleted] t1_jdjixw5 wrote
[removed]
nopropulsion t1_jdjk8eq wrote
I can't respond to your other comment, but your response to my question asking where they should post was "social media. "
Okay, which social media platform? Does an Instagram story suffice? What if you miss the story?
Do you follow your local municipality on social media? What about your water company?
You need to realize the laws were written a while ago. Despite that, public notice in a newspaper is better than a random Facebook post, because you are just as unlikely to see that as something in the paper.
People in the know about these things (professionals, activists, journalists) know to check local publications for this information.
ba123blitz t1_jdjly2t wrote
In my other comment I specified Facebook and twitter and yes I follow my county, my counties sheriff, the accounts for each nearby town, accounts for my county and neighboring counties emergency management accounts and the local newspaper in the counties capital on both platforms.
For the emergency alert accounts I keep all post notifications on so I know as soon as something happens. Most common are the 3 levels for winter travel, level 3 meaning 90% of people have to stay home to keep roads clear for police,fire,ems, and snowplow/medical/electrical workers
When they make a post even if I don’t see it right away I can go to their account and view it much easier afterwards than trying to find something in last weeks paper.
I do realize the laws are old. That means they need updating, everyone lives in a digital age now and the fastest way to get info to people is through their smartphones.
Do we send out amber alerts to every phone in the area or do we put them in the paper?
typesett t1_jdi9lvw wrote
“Has never stopped”
Is different than “companies sometimes break the law”
dream_the_endless t1_jdi99gs wrote
This is not targeted for US based manufacturers. First two sentences of the article:
> Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, have developed a new method that can easily purify contaminated water using a cellulose-based material. This discovery could have implications for countries with poor water treatment technologies and combat the widespread problem of toxic dye discharge from the textile industry.
YouAreGenuinelyDumb t1_jdiyiqk wrote
If it’s effective enough, it will be useful anywhere. The excerpt you quoted might just simply be a way of marketing it so people are interested. “This can help poor people” is an effective way to garner interest in your work.
dream_the_endless t1_jdj5iwp wrote
80% may not be an improvement over what currently exists in developed nations with strict pollution controls, but could be a vast improvement over places that are currently not doing anything.
I’d would be surprised if developed nations allowed as much as 20% of all pollutants from toxic dyes pass through untreated.
YouAreGenuinelyDumb t1_jdja0ul wrote
This would not be the whole treatment process. I don’t think any nation does it all in one step.
Dave5876 t1_jdi1bre wrote
They should have these laws in Michigan
thaddeusd t1_jdi3mpq wrote
We do. And they are enforced.
But like the previous poster implied, for CWA violations, the legal system maybe gives out damages at 10% of the calculated fines and at most a year in prison.
See US, et al.v. OIL CHEM INC.
BeefcaseWanker t1_jdint8r wrote
If only we had enforcement for the pollution taking place in the Huron River
Dave5876 t1_jdj3zx7 wrote
Isn’t that bad and needs to be changed?
Tchrspest t1_jdi4t50 wrote
Who is "they" in this? Is "they" to be taken as "all of the global textile industry" as a whole? Because "they" absolutely do in India and other countries. Just per the article.
Archmagnance1 t1_jdiq4v4 wrote
>they don't because its illegal
Duke energy paid for this comment i see
Viewing a single comment thread. View all comments