Andreina Graham , product manager at Solenis , shares some case studies of using water treatment technologies to improve sustainability in water-intensive industries
Saving water to save the planet
Andreina Graham , product manager at Solenis , shares some case studies of using water treatment technologies to improve sustainability in water-intensive industries
Climate change , economic development and population growth have all contributed to the limited availability of water resources this century . Drought and water scarcity are two major challenges affecting water security among all socioeconomic sectors of society . Currently , as much as 25 % of the global population lives in countries facing severe water stress .
The future will probably be even more challenging , considering that more than 30 % of industrial operations , globally , are expected to experience water stress by 2050 . In addition to the challenges wrought by drought and water scarcity , poor water stewardship and mismanagement can further restrict access to water .
The growing lack of available water has accentuated the concern in water-intensive industries such as food , paper , chemicals and refining . As a result , many companies have followed the UN ’ s Sustainable Development Goals and initiated action plans for 2030 and 2050 to achieve environmental sustainability .
With appropriate chemistry , equipment and guidance provided by speciality chemical suppliers and water treatment companies like Solenis , water-intensive industrial operations can achieve their sustainability goals on multiple levels , including reducing chemical and water consumption , reusing and recycling water , extending asset life and potentially even recycling raw materials .
These companies understand the importance of water treatment to industrial operations and know that chemical and equipment technologies play a vital role in achieving sustainability goals . The acceleration of global water scarcity highlights the need for water preservation and optimisation , reuse , recyclability and treatment to protect this increasingly threatened resource . Speciality chemical suppliers strive to support their customers in their efforts to achieve meaningful change and solve environmental issues around the world .
The development of new water treatment technologies that use efficient manufacturing practices and renewable raw materials support the reduction of carbon emissions ,
Figure 1 - Laboratory sludge production results : Original ( left ) and new ( right ) coagulants
36 SPECIALITY CHEMICALS MAGAZINE ESTABLISHED 1981