Table 20.1 - Overview of significant and potential environmental impacts by industrial sectors

Source: OECD (1991), WHO (1992), and van der Most and Veldt (1992)

Sector Air Water Soil/Land
Chemicals (industrial inorganic and organic compounds, excluding petroleum products) many and varied emissions ­ depending on processes used and chemicals manufactured use of process water and cooling water chemical process wastes --> disposal problems
emissions of particulate, matter, SO2, NOx, CO, CFCs, VOCs and other organic chemicals, odours emissions of organic chemicals, heavy metals (cadmium, mercury), suspended solids, organic matter, phenols, PCBs, cyanide --> water quality effects sludges from air and water pollution treatment --> disposal problems
risk of explosions and fires risk of spills
Paper and pulp emissions of SO2, NOx, CH4, CO2, CO, hydrogen sulphide, mercaptans, chlorine compounds, dioxins use of process water  
emissions of suspended solids, organic matter, chlorinated organic substances, toxins (dioxins)
Cement, glass, ceramics cement --> emissions of dust, NOx, CO2, chromium, lead, CO emissions of process water contaminated by oils and heavy metals extraction of raw materials
glass --> emissions of lead, arsenic, SO2, vanadium, CO, hydrofluoric acid, soda ash, potash, speciality constituents (eg, chromium) metals --> soil contamination and waste disposal problems
ceramics --> emissions of silica, SO2, NOx, fluorine compounds, speciality constituents
Iron and steel SO2, NOx, emissions of CO, hydrogen sulphide, PAHs, lead, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, mercury, nickel, selenium, zinc, organic compounds, PCDDs/PCDFs, PCBs, dust, particulate matter, HCs, acid mists use of process water slag, sludges, oil and grease residues, HCs, salts, sulphur compounds, heavy metals --> soil contamination and waste disposal problems
exposure to ultraviolet and infra-red radiation, ionising radiation emissions of organic matter, tars and oil, suspended solids, metals, benzene, phenols, acids, sulphides, sulphates, ammonia, cyanides, thiocyanates, thiosulphates, fluorides, lead, zinc (scrubber effluent) --> water quality effects
risks of explosions and fires
Non-ferrous metals emissions of particulate matter, SO2, NOx, CO, hydrogen sulphide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride, chlorine, aluminium, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, zinc, mercury, nickel, lead, magnesium, PAHs, fluorides, silica, manganese, carbon black, HCs, aerosols (local exposures depend on the particular material being processed) scrubber water containing metals sludges from effluent treatment, coatings from electrolysis cells (containing carbon and fluorine) --> soil contamination and waste disposal problems
gas scrubber effluents containing solids, fluorine, HCs
Refineries, petroleum products emissions of SO2, NOx, hydrogen sulphide, HCs, benzene, CO, CO2, particulate matter, PAHs, mercaptans, toxic organic compounds, odours use of cooling water hazardous waste, sludges from effluent treatment, spent catalysts, tars
risk of explosions and fires emissions of HCs, mercaptans, caustics, oil, phenols, chromium, effluent from gas scrubbers
Leather and tanning emissions including leather dust, hydrogen sulphide, CO2, chromium compounds use of process water chromium sludges
effluents from the many toxic solutions employed, containing suspended solids, sulphates, chromium

Notes:

HCs - hydrocarbons
VOCs - volatile organic compounds
PAHs - polyaromatic hydrocarbons
PCBs - polychlorinated biphenyls
PCDDs - polychlorinated dibenzodioxins
PCDFs - polychlorinated dibenzofurans