Waste Disposal at a
Phosphoric Acid and Ammonium
Phosphate Fertilizer Plant
W. E. JONES, General Manager
and
R. L. OLMSTED, Manager
Fertilizer Division
Northwest Cooperative Mills
St. Paul, Minnesota
The success or failure of anti-stream pollution is totally dependent, we
believe, upon the philosophy of cooperation which is achieved between American business and the various governmental agencies charged with the responsibility of preserving the water resources of this country. In the development of the plant Northwest Cooperative Mills has developed a philosophy of
maximum utilization of water resources with the least possibility of contamination.
From the very beginning this plant was developed in a manner that there
would be no process uowage off of the property except that natural run-off
which occurs in periods of precipitation. This site was selected and the proc -
ess designed in a way that the least amount of natural phenomenon would be
affected by the existence of this plant.
The fertilizer industry is plagued with a tremendous problem in its public
relations effort concerning waste disposal and dust because of the very nature
of the production problems involved in this industry. This problem is further
complicated because of the type of industry; namely, one which must deal
with large volumes of dusty material in a low margin type of industry. This
low margin, high volume type industry creates a problem for management in
securing the necessary investment funds to provide in each and every instance
all of those abatement practices which might be the ultimate of success. In
addition, the materials with which the industry must work are extremely
dusty by nature. New processes coming in have assisted in maintaining better control of the dust problem in the fertilizer industry. The bulk of the fertilizer distributed in this country today is a granular material. The processing behind the development of this type product not only makes it much easier
to control the evolution of dust from the plant, but it also creates other problems -such as that of waste disposal connected with various liquid streams
which are generated in this processing.
WASTE DISPOSAL PROBLEMS
The plant which we shall discuss has a three-part problem, as concerning air pollution and/or stream pollution and disposal functions.
Sanitary Waste
First there is the problem of the plant sanitary disposal. This plant is located in an unincorporated industrial area and, therefore, all disposal problems must be solved by the industry itself as no municipal sewage disposal is
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