Waste Department Associated with
Industrial Developments in Canada
J.  R. MENZIES, Chief
Public Health Engineering Division
Department of National Health and Welfare
Ottawa, Ontario,  Canada
In attempting to deal with a subject having such a variety and scope as
industrial waste treatment in Canada, it is obvious that in many respects the
review will be rather superficial. Frequently the problems faced by one industry or even one production plant within an industry provide ample subject
matter for a technical article or report. Without reference to such technical
information it would be impossible to undertake a review of this nature.
In this connection mention must be made of the numerous excellent papers presented at industrial waste conferences held annually by the province of
of Ontario since 1954. Only material from those papers which dealt with
Canadian experience and practices has been used. Information obtained during studies of boundary water pollution under the auspices of the International
Joint Commission is of considerable interest and other investigations in which
agencies of the federal government have participated provide additional
sources of material used herein.
It should be recognized that the basic control over industrial wastes is a
function of provincial governments but this does not prevent cooperative participation in the study of specific problems by federal interests. Such studies
usually have international implications but occasionally relate to interpro-
vincial problems.
Industries have been and always will be confronted with difficult problems
of waste disposal. Note that, in most instances, only in comparatively recent
times has the treatment of their wastes received serious attention. This need
for waste treatment is closely related to the accelerating demand for water
which has not been degraded by pollution of various kinds.
Objectionable constituents of many industrial wastes have frequently been
associated with adverse effects on the waters into which they are discharged
and treatment of those wastes has become a necessity in many instances. The
successful accomplishment of satisfactory treatment is frequently handicapped
by the fact that many industrial plants have been designed and built without
serious consideration to the possible future need for waste treatment. Consequently, the cost of providing corrective measures has been excessive. A few
industries are fully conscious of this phase of the disposal problem and some
new plants are being provided with waste treatment facilities prior to operation or their waste collection systems are designed to isolate objectionable
wastes.
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
The oil refining industry in Canada is demonstrating a degree of leadership in this respect which may well serve as a source of encouragement to
other industries which have been reluctant or slow to take correction action.
Two constituents of refinery wastes, oil and phenols, are of special importance in respect to further water use.    The use of American Petroleum
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