Centralized Disposal of Industrial Waste
At Westinghouse
W.G. VAUX, Senior Engineer
Westinghouse Research Laboratories
Pittsburgh, PA 15235
INTRODUCTION
This paper is a study of regional disposal of wastes from Westinghouse plants.
Westinghouse is now completing a two-year study of waste disposal from its plants in
the Greater Pittsburgh region. The project began with an assessment of the existing state of
industrial waste disposal: plant managers recognized economic and legal problems in the
near future; centralized disposal was not practiced, but appeared feasible; disposal of toxic
wastes and liquid wastes posed special problems.
Original emphasis in this study was on disposal to "get rid of with maximum material
recovery. With the energy crunch, interest was expanded to include recovery of the heat
resource from both solid and liquid waste.
Within the 5,000 square mile region, twenty-two Westinghouse sites dispose over
100,000 tons of waste each year. Wastes range from clean paper, through mixed rubbish,
chemical sludges, and waste oil, to toxic liquids. Current disposal practice is landfilling,
with limited incineration, sale of waste wood and corrugated, and solvent distillation.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of the Centralized Waste Disposal project has been to: 1) survey the
volume and sources of wastes in the Greater Pittsburgh area; 2) identify available methods
for disposal of these wastes; and, 3) propose a regional system for economical,
environmentally-sound disposal of the Company's industrial waste.
This project has been divided into three separate phases. Phase I was a detailed study of
disposal practices, wastes amounts, and disposal costs for Westinghouse plants. Phase II
embodied a comprehensive survey of practicable methods for disposing industrial waste
from these sites. Phase III, proposal of a regional disposal system, is the subject of this
paper.
SUMMARY OF PHASE I STUDIES
The purpose of Phase I work was to find out the amounts, procedures and costs of
waste disposal for SW Pennsylvania Westinghouse plants.
The procedure in gathering information was to have each plant engineering manager
complete a survey form listing all wastes in 55 categories, methods of handling and disposal,
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