Dow Surfpac Pilot Study on
Textile Waste
DUANE W. SNYDER, Director of Research
Crompton-Shenandoah Company, Inc.
Waynesboro, Virginia
INTRODUCTION
The Crompton-Shenandoah Company plant is located on the South River, a
tributary of the Shenandoah River in the Shenandoah Valley area of the Potomac
River Basin. This plant is a textile dyeing and finishing unit producing finished
corduroys, velvets and velveteens. The effluent from this operation as well as
other industries and the municipality are discharged to the South River after having
received varying degrees of treatment.
Textile wastes as a group are considered one of the most difficult of industrial
wastes to treat due to their vast fluctuations in chemical constituents, flow rates,
and high volume. For a number of years efforts have been made toward pollution
abatement in this area and substantial improvement in stream conditions has been
made. The brief historical review which follows will show what conditions of
stream improvement are being sought and why new efforts are being made toward
this end.
The South River is quite small having an average flow of 140 cfs during year
of normal rainfall. The 10 yr recurring minimum natural flow is in the range of
26 cfs but with additions of ground water discharge from plants and municipality,
this is increased to 52 cfs below Waynesboro. Some 15 yrs ago the total BOD load
going to this stream was in excess of 10, 000 lb/day (1). At the present time the
load stands at approximately 5, 300 lb/day. Assimilative capacity at 52 cfs to
maintain a desired DO level of 3 ppm at the stream sag point, is calculated to be
3, 300 lb/BOD/day (1). It is desirable, therefore, to further reduce the total BOD
load by 2, 000 lb from all sources so that the desired DO can be maintained during
periods of extreme low flow.
It should be noted that the present condition of the river is a result of continuing efforts on the part of all parties contributing to its pollution in complete
cooperation with the Virginia State Water Control Board. Cooperative surveys of
the river were made in 1948 after which all parties actively engaged in pollution
abatement projects.
The Crompton Company began intensive studies of its waste to develop effective means of treatment as well as to study the practicability of inplant process
changes which might lead to pollution abatement. Along these lines a number of
process changes were made substituting chemical compounds having low BOD
values for those having high BOD values.
The substitution of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose for starch as well as the
complete elimination of the use of soap are examples of two of the major steps
taken (2). Two large settling basins were installed for the purpose of removing
precipitated dyestuffT lint, and other settable solids. These developments, while
quite time consuming, eventually resulted in reducing the BOD load going to the
river from this plant by 60 per cent.
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