WATER AND WASTE-WATER MINIMIZATION - THE AIRE AND CALDER PROJECT

The reduction of the waste of raw materials at source using clean tech nologies, recycling, and good. house-keeping has considerable benefits for both the environment and industry. A demonstration project on was tewater minimization. was completed in. 1995 in the Aire and Calder ca tchments of West Yorkshire. The findings indicated cost savings for el even firms of over pound 3 million/annum and further opportunities whi ch, when implemented, could realize another pound 1 million/annum. The reduction in the amount of wastewater discharged either to sewer or r iver was 27%, with a potential to increase to over 40%. The payback pe riod for 63% of the waste minimization opportunities is less than one year and many involve only a small initial investment. Waste minimizat ion when widely adopted has prospects for cutting industry's costs, re ducing demand for water and reducing :he volume of effluent produced.