SEWAGE FILTER MEDIA and POLLUTION of the AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT 2018 July 2018
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SEWAGE FILTER MEDIA AND POLLUTION OF THE AQUATIC ENVIRONMENT 2018 july 2018 POLLUTION OF OUR BEACHES AND WATERCOURSES BY PLASTIC BIOMEDIA, BACTERIAL BIOFILM CARRIERS USED IN THE WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS AUTHORS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Right: biomedia on the beach at Cenitz (64) © Surfrider Basque Coast This study into the pollution of our beaches and waterways by the various kinds of biomedia used in the wastewater treatment process has been produced by the NGO Surfrider Foundation Europe. Surfrider has been working for the past 25 years to protect Europe’s oceans, seas, coast, and the people who enjoy them. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This makes Surfrider one of the few NGOs focusing Surfrider Foundation Europe would like to thank the specifically on the fate of our oceans and coastal Adour-Garonne water authority and the Pyrénées planning, campaigning on six main thematic areas – Atlantiques Departmental Council for their fnancial Marine litter, climate change, water quality and health, and technical support, without which this study could wave protection, coastal development and maritime not have been undertaken. transport Surfrider Foundation Europe would also like to thank With a membership of over 9,000 people and 30 local Laurent Colasse, Manuel Pombal and all the vo- chapters throughout Europe, Surfrider loBBies the lunteers, supporters and other groups whose work has European institutions directly. It is a major player in enabled us to establish an overall picture of biomedia the environmental movement in Europe, especially in pollution. France. We also want to express our gratitude to Nicolas Wepierre and all the professionals working in the in- dustry who have answered our questions and have LEAD AUTHORS kindly shown us around their municipal and indus- Charléric Bailly trial wastewater treatment plants and fsh farming Cristina Barreau operations. Philippe Bencivengo François Verdet We would also like to thank everybody else involved in producing this document, including proofreaders, OTHER SURFRIDER CONTRIBUTORS contributors and graphic designers. Philippe Maison Gaël Bost Translation and advice Claire Wallerstein contact This study is co-funded by the life Programme of the European Surfrider Foundation Europe Union. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily refect the view of the European Commission. 33 allée du Moura 64200 Biarritz 00 33 5 59 23 54 99 [email protected] |4 BIOMEDIA REPORT SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE 2018 5| OVERVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS 01. INTRODUCTION 12 1.1. Marine plastic pollution 13 1.2. Regulatory context 14 1.3. Biomedia pollution 15 1.4. Objective of this report 16 02. BACKGROUND TO WASTEWATER PURIFICATION AND BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT 18 2.1. Key players in the wastewater business 19 2.2. Overview of operations in a sewage treatment system 20 2.3. Discharge regulations 22 2.4. Main stages in the wastewater treatment process 24 2.4.1. Primary treatment (or pre-treatment) 24 2.4.2. Secondary or biological treatment 24 2.4.3. Tertiary treatment 24 2.4.4. Sludge treatment 24 2.5. Focus on biological treatment 26 2.5.1. Extensive biological processes 26 2.5.2. Intensive biological processes 26 2.5.2.1. Free-living culture installations: activated sludge 28 2.5.2.2. Fixed culture installations 28 03. WASTEWATER TREATMENT IN FLUIDISED BED BIOREACTORS 32 3.1. History 33 3.2. Principles 34 3.3. Advantages 35 3.4. Limitations and Disadvantages 36 04. SPECIALIST WASTEWATER TREATMENT BUSINESSES 40 4.1. Diferent types of biomedia: trackers of pollution events 41 4.2. Leading French constructors of wastewater treatment plants 41 4.3. Biomedia producers 42 4.4. Imitation and counterfeit biomedia 43 05. USERS 44 5.1. Municipal sewage treatment 45 5.1.1. New plants, upgraded plants 46 5.1.2. Open plants, closed plants 47 5.1.3. Plants in regions with extreme seasonal variability 48 5.2. Private, of-mains sewage treatment 49 5.2.1. Micro-plants (1-50 PE) 49 5.2.2. Containerised wastewater plants (50 – 1,000 PE) 50 5.2.3. Non-public industrial wastewater treatment 50 5.2.3.1. Paper and cardboard industry 51 5.2.3.2. Chemical wood processing industry 52 5.2.3.3. Agrifood 52 5.2.3.4. Fish farming 53 5.3. Unregulated wastewater treatment systems 54 5.4. Wastewater treatment at sea 55 |6 BIOMEDIA REPORT SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE 2018 06. THE SPREAD OF BIOMEDIA IN THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT 56 6.1. Land-based source and transportation in waterways 57 6.2. Transport of waste in the marine environment 58 6.2.1. Currents 58 6.2.2. Longshore drift 58 6.3. Case study: Bay of Biscay 59 6.3.1. General features 59 6.3.2. Prevailing wind 59 6.3.3. Swell 59 6.3.4. Longshore drift in the Bay of Biscay 59 6.4. Dispersal of plastic waste along the south-east coast of the Bay of Biscay 64 07. MONITORING BIOMEDIA POLLUTION 67 7.1. Monitoring by Surfrider 67 7.1.1. Observations from volunteers 67 7.1.2. The Ocean initiatives 68 7.1.3. Keepers of the Coast 70 7.1.4. Riverine Input 70 7.1.5. Scientifc quantifcation protocols 70 7.2. External monitoring 72 7.2.1. SOS Mal de Seine 72 7.2.2. Observers in the Mediterranean 72 7.2.3. Authorised fshing associations 73 7.2.4. Associations on the Rio Miño 73 7.2.5. Waste Free Waters 73 7.3. Mapping our fndings 74 08. BIOMEDIA POLLUTION 76 8.1. France 77 8.1.1. Corbeil-Essonnes 77 8.1.2. Mediterranean coast 78 8.1.3. Nive d’Arnéguy 79 8.2. Europe 80 8.2.1. Oria (Spain) 80 8.2.2. Rio Miño (river bordering Spain and Portugal) 81 8.2.3 Rio Castro (Spain) 82 8.2.4. Switzerland 84 8.2.4.1. Saillon (Switzerland) 84 8.2.4.2. Saint Prex (Switzerland) 85 8.2.4.3. Evolène (Switzerland) 86 8.2.5. Other observations 87 8.3. North America 88 8.3.1. Groton (USA) 88 8.3.2. Hooksett (USA) 88 8.3.3. Mamaroneck (USA) 90 8.3.4. Terrebonne- Mascouche (Canada) 91 8.4. Evaluation of observed pollution events 93 8.5. Biobeads 93 09. SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONS 96 7| OVERVIEW 9.1. Cause of system malfunctions 97 9.2. Description of observed cases 97 9.2.1. Blockage of bioreactor efuent mesh 97 9.2.2. Excess aeration 99 9.2.3. Failure of safety systems 99 9.2.4. Commissioning of a new wastewater treatment plant 99 9.2.5. Limitations of the combined sewer system 100 9.2.6. Poor storage of biomedia 100 9.2.7. Difuse pollution 101 10. RECOMMENDATIONS 102 10.1. Municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants 103 10.1.1 Stopping biomedia from getting out of the wastewater treatment plant 103 10.1.2. Preventing blockages 104 10.1.3. The importance of good infrastructure 104 10.1.4. Successful commissioning 105 10.1.5. Build up expertise 105 10.1.6. Foreseeing variations in load 106 10.1.7. Reduce water entering WWTPs 106 10.1.8. Proper incident management 106 10.1.9. Obligations on polluters 106 10.2. Individual small-scale plants 107 10.2.1. Informing the public 107 10.2.2. Encourage closed systems 107 10.2.3. Encourage use of natural media 107 10.2.4. Declare installations 107 11. CONCLUSION 108 12. BIBLIOGRAPHY 110 13. ANNEXES 112 Table of figures Figure 1: The functioning of a wastewater treatment plant 25 Figure 2: Example of extensive biological process – a reed bed flter 27 Figure 3: Schematic diagram of a vertical trickling reactor 29 Figure 4: Breakdown of energy consumption, overview of facilities at Saint Sorlin d’Arves and Vars - St Marcellin 37 Figure 5: Map of public wastewater treatment plants in the south west of France 45 Figure 6: Histogram of WWTPs using the MBBR process in Provence Alpes Cotes d’Azur 46 Figure 7: Graphic showing the process of longshore drift 58 Figure 8: Map of the Bay of Biscay 59 Figure 9: Seasonal surface currents in the Bay of Biscay 60 Figure 10: Spread of the plastic cards in winter and summer through the south west of the Bay of Biscay 65 Figure 11: Biomedia classifcation sheets produced by Surfrider Foundation Europe 69 Figure 12: Dispersal of biomedia lost in pollution incidents reported in 2010 75 Figure 13: Layout of an MBBR, showing likely overfow points 96 |8 BIOMEDIA REPORT SURFRIDER FOUNDATION EUROPE 2018 GLOSSARY pollution load in excess of or equal to a BOD5 value of - A 120 kg/ day. Aerobic: an aerobic environment contains oxygen. - C Aerobic organisms require oxygen for their metabolic reactions to take place. Carbohydrate: organic compounds formed from car- bon, hydrogen and oxygen. Carbohydrates include Ammoniacal nitrogen (Ammonia): this is the com- starch, sugars and cellulose. Along with fats and bination of nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H). Its chemi- proteins, they make up the essential components of all cal formula is NH4+. Microbes break down ammonia living things. through the process of nitrifcation, transforming it into nitrates. Clogging: progressive blocking of pipes, drains or fl- ters through the accumulation of deposited material Anaerobic: an anaerobic environment has no oxygen. (in this case biomedia). Anaerobic organisms can grow and be biologically active without oxygen. COD: Chemical Oxygen Demand (mg/l) represents vir- tually everything that can use up oxygen in water, such - B as mineral salts and organic compounds. COD is com- monly used as a means of characterising efuent. Bacterial biofilM: a layer of microorganisms that forms on surfaces in contact with water.