5.6Application of Green Technology in Industrial Waste Management
Green Technology is a technology or application developed to minimise the negative effects of harmful human activities. Introduced formally through the National Green Technology Policy in 2009, Green Technology is implemented across multiple sectors in Malaysia to sustainably manage resources, reduce environmental pollution, address climate change, and lower carbon footprints. In industrial waste and wastewater management, Green Technology provides effective, systematic approaches to treat solid wastes, leachates, and hazardous industrial effluents safely.
Learning Objectives
- Explain Green Technology with appropriate examples.
- Describe the application of Green Technology in the sectors of waste management and industrial wastewater management.
- Justify the application and importance of Green Technology in daily life.
The 7-Step Wastewater Treatment Process Using Electrocoagulation
Follow the chronological pathway of wastewater from pumping, screening, electrocoagulation, settling, sludge collection, and further treatment to clean effluent discharge.
Wastewater is pumped into the treatment facility.
Solid waste is screened to remove large debris.
Carbon or copper electrodes cause pollutants to form flocs.
Solid and wastewater settle into layers.
Sludge settled from flocs is collected.
Wastewater undergoes additional polishing.
Clean effluent is discharged to the water source.
Brief Explanation
Understand the key ideas behind Green Technology and industrial waste management.
1. Development of Green Technology
The National Green Technology Policy (2009) accelerated the use of Green Technology. Increased community awareness towards environmental pollution and climate change has driven efforts to produce and use Green Technology while sustainably managing natural resources.
2. GreenTech Malaysia
GreenTech Malaysia is the government agency responsible for initiating programmes and incentives to encourage adoption of Green Technology in various economic sectors in Malaysia.
| Sector of Green Technology | Application |
|---|---|
| Energy supply | Renewable energy such as solar, hydro, geothermal, and wind. |
| Transportation | Vehicles using alternative fuels. |
| Buildings | Use of environmentally friendly building materials and energy-saving buildings. |
| Waste and Wastewater Management | Recycling and Landfill Leachate Treatment Method. |
| Agriculture and Forestry | Use of compost and forest preservation. |
| Industry | Use of energy-efficient tools and technology. |
Solid Waste Management
Population growth and rapid development lead to large amounts of solid waste or rubbish. Poor management degrades public health and quality of life. Leachate is contaminated liquid produced from water leached from solid waste.
Stages in waste management utilising Green Technology include solid waste generation, waste segregation, solid waste collection, waste sorting centre, composting organic solid waste, recycling, incineration, landfill, landfill leachate treatment, and methane gas recovery.
Wastewater Management
Wastewater is liquid waste consisting of human waste, food waste, oil, and chemicals. It is classified into domestic wastewater, stormwater runoff, and industrial wastewater.
Industrial wastewater contains hazardous chemicals difficult to decompose biologically, such as acrylonitrile, methylbenzene, toluene, and heavy metals like arsenic, mercury, and lead. Effluent is waste in liquid form discharged into drainage systems or water sources.
Try These Questions First
Answer mentally, then check the explanation.
What is the meaning of leachate?
In the electrocoagulation process of wastewater treatment, what materials are used as electrodes and what serves as the electrolyte?
List three heavy metals that may be found in industrial wastewater.
Common Mistakes
Avoid these errors when learning about Green Technology and waste management.
Common Misconceptions
Compare each misconception with the correct fact.
Green Technology is exclusively applied in big chemical and heavy industrial factories.
Green Technology covers six major sectors: energy supply, transportation, buildings, waste and wastewater management, agriculture and forestry, as well as general industries and daily living.
Industrial wastewater has the same composition as domestic wastewater and can be broken down naturally by soil bacteria.
Industrial wastewater contains hazardous synthetic organic chemicals such as acrylonitrile and toluene, and heavy metals that are non-biodegradable or difficult to decompose biologically, requiring systematic electrochemical treatment.
Summary
Key facts to remember.
- Green Technology minimises negative human impacts on the environment across key sectors including energy, buildings, transport, agriculture, industry, and waste management.
- In waste management, Green Technology promotes recycling, composting, and landfill leachate treatment.
- In wastewater management, the electrocoagulation process utilises the electrolysis principle using carbon or copper electrodes and wastewater as the electrolyte to clump hazardous impurities into flocs.
- Once settled, the sludge can be converted into fertiliser, and the remaining water can be polished and returned safely to the environment as effluent or reused for irrigation.
Quick Activity
Complete all parts before checking your score.
A. Objective Quiz
Which of the following hazardous chemical substances is found in industrial wastewater and is difficult to decompose biologically?
What occurs during the electrocoagulation process in wastewater treatment?
B. Fill in the Blanks
Contaminated liquid produced from water that has leached from solid waste is called __________.
In the electrocoagulation method, carbon or __________ electrodes are used to treat wastewater.
C. Match the Stage with the Process Description
Drag each step number on desktop. On mobile, tap a step number and then tap the matching box.
Step Number
Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 5Process Description
Keywords
Tap or hover over a term to read its meaning.
