OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY
Paul J. Grogan, Assistant Environmental Engineer
Danilo J. Santini. Project Manager
Integrated Assessment and Policy Evaluation Group
Energy and Environmental Systems Division
Argonne National Laboratory
Argonne, Illinois 60439
One of the most important factors affecting industrial decisions regarding technology
choice and siting is environmental regulations. Uncertainty over future regulations and the
availability of emerging energy technologies can function as a barrier for investments which a
firm might normally consider economically attractive. For example, uncertainty over industrial boiler new source performance standards may actually be partly responsible for the
recent decline in boiler sales [ 1 ]. Recently, action has been taken by the administration
which would require review of existing regulations to determine their impact on industrial
decision making and place more emphasis on the need to balance the costs and benefits of
regulation.
This overview of environmental problems in the Food and Kindred Products Industry
(SIC 20) is part of a larger study of the impact of the National Energy Plan (NEP) and environmental legislation on major energy consuming industries. Much of the emphasis of the
study is on the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act (FUA) of 1978. However, incentives for investment and fuel choice are affected by other parts of the NEP such as the
Natural Gas Deregulation Act, the Windfall Profits Tax Act and the Energy Tax Act. In addition environmental legislation such as the Clean Air Act Amendments affect the level of
emissions by industry and hence impose constraints on fuel choice.
As a part of the analysis of the food industry, environmental impacts of energy use were
characterized for five energy-intensive industry sectors. These sectors and their SIC codes
are:
• Wet Corn Milling (SIC 2046)
• Cane Sugar Refining (SIC 2062)
• Beet Sugar Refining (SIC 2063)
• Soybean Oil Refining (SIC 2075)
• Malt Beverages (SIC 2082)
These industry sectors were selected because of their high energy use per establishment and
their potential for increased use of coal for energy production in boilers. The purpose of this
paper is to describe the environmental emissions of air, land, and water pollutants associated
with these industries. Control technology costs and relevant environmental legislation are
also discussed.
INDUSTRY BACKGROUND
The major end use of energy in the food industry is steam raising in boilers. The percentage of total energy use for the industry sectors listed above ranged from 69-97% (see Table
I). Much of this steam is used to supply process heat in evaporators, crystallizers and cleaning and sterilization equipment, however. The major direct heat end use is in dryers. Pur-
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