Industrial Waste Control in Los Angeles County Author(s): John E. Eason, Jay G. Kremer, Franklin D.

Dryden Source: Journal (Water Pollution Control Federation), Vol. 50, No. 4 (Apr., 1978), pp. 672-677 Published by: Water Environment Federation Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25039609 . Accessed: 26/10/2011 20:49
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Industrial Angeles

waste County

control
D. Dryden Calif.

in Los

John E. Eason, Jay G. Kremer, Franklin Sanitation Districts, Los Angeles County,

1972, state and federal authorities During treatment mandated that publicly owned works (potw), such as the Sanitation Districts
of Los Angeles County, adopt a program

a combination treatment of plant. By wastewater treatment and industrial improved source control effluent the measures, jwpcp is to be to meet Ocean California's improved logical

which potw
control

would control pollutant levels in the effluent. This was to be done through
of industrial and wastewater other measures. source Re regulations

Plan effluent limits. The background

in domestic ysis of wastewater residential of in La

levels
were

of toxic pollutants
found After Sanitation from anal reviewing District

establishment

wastewater. areas, was

in federal Public defined quirements were Law 92-500 and in California's original Ocean
Plan.

analyses

several

28, which
hood

is a basically
Canada, which are

residential
selected

neighbor
as having I, were received

The Districts' early efforts towards satisfy included adoption of ing these requirements
an industrial to waste ordinance and establish in

typical domestic
centrations

levels of pollutants.
shown toxic in Table

The con

then used
water at the jwpcp. Industrial were

to define
of

the total domestic waste

pollutants were a specific

ment
chargers

of a permit
the

program

for industrial dis

system. for Typical toxic constitu

contribution

sewerage

formation obtained
wastewater ents and flow

from the permits

included:

measurements

to be lutant at the

companies non-contributors assumed

which for to

considered toxic pol

de industrial process volumes, of industrial process scriptions, equip plans sewer of the industrial ment, plans plant, or products, of raw materials and description plans of wastewater pretreatment equipment.

domestic The

available.

level, estimated

discharge unless other controllable

pollutants data were indus

trial contribution of pollutants, which is shown in Table II, was then found by subtracting
the total domestic portion plus the non-con

To date, nearly 6 000 companies have obtained industrial discharge permits. The information gained through the permit program proved in establishing valuable numerical limits for
source control of toxic wastewater constituents.

tributing
daily The mass

industrial
input of were

portion
toxic then

from
able

the known
to jwpcp. in

pollutants

Districts

to estimate

dustrial

source control

limits by using

the fol

ESTABLISHING EFFLUENT LIMITS

It ing became industrial evident source that to prior control limits, establish a clear

TABLE
in domestic

I.

Concentration
wastewater.

of toxic pollutants

picture
necessary.

of

the origin
The waste Districts'

of

the pollutants
Joint Water

was
Pollu

Concentration

Constituent
Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Copper Cyanide Lead Mercury Nickel Zinc

(mg/1)
0.014 0.005 0.020 0.119 0.029 0.051 0.0005 0.031 0.490

tion Control
and primary eral upstream

Plant
biological The

(jwpcp),
activated plants, jwpcp

which
sludge was

accepts
from the sev criti

cal
control

system
limits.

in establishing

industrial
now uses

source
primary 15.3

treatment with polymer

solids removal procedures industrial. the jwpcp

addition and improved

to treat about

m3/s
25

(350 mgd)

of wastewater,
Plans to a full

which
are under secondary

is about
way bio

percent to convert

672

Journal WPCF

Waste

Source

Control

lowing formula: L = PR[LP-La(l-S)]

where

TABLE (1)

III.

Revised

JWPCP

effluent

concentration

requirements. Ocean Existing Plan Proposed Plan Ocean

Lp The terms used below:

L is the is the erage water

Le/(l-E)

(2) are defined

concentration

Constituent
Arsenic Cadmium Chromium Copper Cyanide Lead Mercury Nickel Zinc * Existing based upon

(mg/1)*
0.01 0.4 0.01

(mg/l)f

in these equations
maximum

0.15

calculated

allowable
P

in an industrial discharge.
ratio of maximum in a given industrial pollutant. to av waste

0.005 0.1 0.1 0.25 0.25 0.1 0.1 0.4 0.001 0.1 1.0 0.3 1.0 0.007

assumed concentration containing

is the ratio of total wastewater discharge to the quantity discharged containing a

given pollutant.

Lp is
plants moval

the

calculated
at necessary

permissible
the Districts' to meet the Ocean

influent
treatment Plan

concentration

discharge

limit for a specified

potw

re

Plan limits for jwpcp effluent Ocean 50 percent of time requirement. revised Ocean Plan limits based upon f Proposed a 50:1 mixing zone dilution ocean outfall in Districts' system.

efficiency.

is the existing Ocean Plan effluent limit. *Le E is the anticipated fraction removed at
the treatment plant for a given pollutant.

Removal
La

efficiencies

used
treatment.

assume

full
be

tern. If these proposed ocean discharge limits are adopted, a different level of industrial source control will be required (Table III). Calculated values of L using the existing Ocean Plan effluent limits are shown in Table
IV.

secondary, biological is the existing influent for source control.

concentration

The
Equation records the P

reliability

of

limits
upon

calculated

with

is the fraction discharged

industrial sources.

by controllable

1 is dependent of industrial and R factors.

accurate having to compute discharges concentra influent Lp

The existing Ocean Plan limits do not al low for dilution effects, which occur when a properly designed ocean outfall diffuser sys tem is used. In November 1976, the State proposed revised Ocean Plan discharge limits.
These data tants limits and were based upon chronic levels included of toxicity pollu a dilution sys existing in the ocean, for background and also

tions calculated
exceed the toxic

using
levels

Equation
for

2 must

not

If a calculated limit plant. case the with chromium, potw required calculated The effluent limit for

a given is negative, it means

treatment as was that no

level of industrial source control will meet

quality cadmium

the

objectives. seemed

allowance

discharges

using

a diffusion

TABLE

II.

percentage

Controllable industrial of toxic pollutants at JWPCP.

Constituent Percent*

to its relative toxicity. high in relationship The high limit was due to a large dilution In establishing factor. the Phase I limits, a lower level which could be attained with good TABLE
industrial

IV.

Calculated maximum
control limits. Concentration

source

Arsenic Cadmium Chromium

47 86 88

Constituent
Cadmium Chromium Copper Cyanide 9

(mg/1)
37 ?1 16

Copper Lead
Mercury

76 75
60

Nickel Silver Zinc

Cyanide * Pre-source-control levels.

85 13 84
93

Lead
Mercury 2

28 4
26

Nickel
Zinc

April

1978

673

Eason

et

al.

TABLE V. Sanitation Districts' industrial wastewater effluent limitations for joint outfall districts.
Phase I Control Period

flows for dilution purposes, (e) maintenance of pH above 6, and (/) submission of quar terly monitoring reports. Suggested guidelines for reducing the loss of pollutants to the sewer
as well the as water conservation techniques were

Constituent
Arsenic Cadmium Copper 3 15

(mg/1)

developed
industry.

by

the Districts

and circulated

to

Chromium (total)
15 2

10

Lead 40
Mercury

The Phase I limits shown in Table V were in cooperation with the Metal Fin developed ishers Association of Southern California, the City of Los Angeles, and the Sanitation Dis
tricts of Orange to or avoid County. any A regional of within from estab

Nickel
Silver 5

12

lishment of these effluent

necessary

limits was
dislocations

believed
com the com

Zinc 25 Cyanide (total)

Total Identifiable Chlorinated Hydrocarbons

10

panies local

competitive areas. Wastewater

advantages analyses were used

panies
Essentially none ing

that had implemented

improvements concentrations

good housekeep
in deter could of pollutants

process what mining

be reasonably attained. These Phase I limits were intended to be met using mainly good
industrial housekeeping efforts was used. housekeeping measures. Phase II limits would

Limits
sented

calculated
the maximum

using

Equation

repre
con

allowable

pollutant

be influenced by the pollution control results obtained during the Phase I program.

centrations from any single industry if the required Ocean Plan water quality objectives of the Districts were to be met. In the Dis
tricts' culated two-phase progressive limits would be The advantages readily revisions to approach, the second of evident the the the phase cal re

SOURCECONTROL IMPLEMENTATION
The dustry
mass limits

Phase I limits were announced to in A in July 1975 at a public meeting.

on the Phase was I procedures

quirements.

became approach State proposed

two-phase when the Plan

information of mailing and good housekeeping

Ocean

limits midway
Districts' program.

The limits also made to affected companies. were set to take effect on January 1, 1977,
in order into to allow compliance. require 18 months industry The Districts used on to come in this

through

the first phase

of the

The goal of the first phase was

limits proven which would require techniques operating

to establish
to use the

terim period
would

to identify
controls

the companies which

their wastewater

companies to minimize

loss of pollutants came to be known

to the wastewater. This as the "good housekeeping

even ex The

First, the list of industrial sources discharge. from Districts' permit data was up developed dated by checking telephone directories and
manufacturers' registers to locate companies

a and was first approach," step, logical for companies that may require eventually treatment end-of-line pensive systems.

not included in the original a program was established

and self-monitoring sources. industrial Districts' Third,

listing. which
companies

Second, included
of found

Districts
and

had

established,
reports,

through
that

their own
the metal

monitoring

self-monitoring the

finishing
discharging

industry was primarily

pollutants a

responsible
controls.

for

requiring metal

to be discharging pollutants in excess of the Phase I limits were notified by letter and re
quired to submit Most and were to information of the on affected a plan for compliance. were visited procedures necessary companies for control actions were

Therefore,
were geared

the good housekeeping

towards typical

techniques
finish

ing shop. The local Metal Finishers Associa tion was very helpful in supplying data and suggestions which were used in formulating
the basic good good housekeeping housekeeping requirements. requirements The are:

recommendations made. These inform

adequately

companies

where
amount panies.

problems
of "foot

existed
dragging"

and
by

to reduce
reluctant

the
com

(a) no dumping of spent concentrated process solutions, (b) containment of accidental spills
or leaks, (c) reduction in process solution

Special
of it became

emphasis was
of evident spills that

given
of this was

to the problem
as solutions, a significant

containment

toxic

dragout, 674

(d) prohibition

of excess

rinse water

Journal WPCF

Waste
source of pollutants. Companies were noti Plan limits, and the removal

Source Control
efficiencies pro re

fied that all process tanks containing in excess of 4.5 kg (10 lb) of pollutants in solution
would require spill containment. Most com

jected
polymer

for advanced
addition

primary
and

treatment with
solids

improved cadmium

able to develop panies were simple diking schemes which this require complied with
ment. Contained solutions could then be re

facilities. covery Cadmium.

In

general,

levels

showed a gradual decrease during the 18 month period in which Phase I controls were
being implemented. It is expected that cad

claimed or hauled to a legal disposal site. In the past, the Districts operated a disposal
station These sewer rates. contained heavy station at jwpcp materials just When for were acid bled of found high and acid Most and into jwpcp that wastes. cyanide a main trunk at these controlled solutions of

mium
cent

will
below

stabilize
the

at a level about should have

proposed However, state

30 per
At

pre-source-control the limits. in

levels.

this level,
culty Plan limits sludge

the Districts

no diffi
Ocean

upstream it was

in meeting discharge on cadmium may become the

extremely the metals, was closed.

concentrations

cyanide disposal are acid solutions

now handled at a Class I landfill. For a limited time, the cyanide disposal station has been reopened because the safety of landfill disposal of cyanide wastes has not been fully An investigation to is being made studied.
determine dling these the most efficient manner The of a Districts central of han also treat wastes. cyanide construction

is improvement of cadmium age

composted a problem. Most of result improved barrels over

proposed wastewater of the

drain the plat

plating

ing tanks and limiting dumps of cadmium stripping and brightening solutions. Chromium. Starting in the middle of 1976,
chromium levels at jwpcp started to drop

investigated

This trend continued through dramatically. that It is expected the first part of 1977. chromium levels will stabilize at around 0.40
mg/1, which is nearly state a 50 percent reduction.

ment
wastes. ment

facility
It was of toxic

for

handling

toxic

industrial
that treat eco

found, however, wastes not could

At
meet

this level,
the

the Districts

would
Plan

be able
discharge

to that

compete

proposed

Ocean

nomically with

landfill disposal.

limits some of the time.

major leather pretreatment systems,

It is expected
which are

to be

RESULTS OF SOURCE CONTROL

PROGRAM
Analyses jwpcp fect VI of shows the how of influent weekly were composite samples to evaluate the used control concentrations program. of some of ef

brought
chromium revised

on-line

in 1978 by companies

in the
reduce Plan basis.

will further tanning industry, to a point the Ocean where on a continuous limit can be met

source the

Table ma

Much

of the improvement was

rinse

brought
by

about
decora

terials have been affected in the period from January 1975 to January 1977. More recent
wastewater creased values analyses for have some of shown these slightly pollutants. in

recovery by tive chrome

platers used chromium solutions spent of and aluminum brightening finishes. The cadmium dumping tions,

used techniques reduced and

of dumping in anodizing zinc of and of these solu high auto

Compliance with California Ocean Plan limits in the following summaries is based upon the
results shown in Table VI, the proposed Ocean

A few is still a problem. however, decorative-chrome production shops with

matic

plating

lines

found

that

end-of-line

TABLE VI.

Progress

in source control of toxic pollutants.

Concentration in mg/1 Jan-June in JWPCP July-Sept Influent Oct-Dec

Wastewater

Jan-June

July-Dec

Jan

Pollutant
Cadmium Chromium Cyanide

1975
0.037 0.70 0.45 Copper 0.28 Lead 0.40 Nickel 0.31 1.55 Zinc

1975
0.031 0.73 0.45 0.36 0.31 0.33 1.48

1976
0.029 0.78 0.45 0.32 0.34 0.35 1.37 1.41

1976 1977 1976

0.033 0.61 0.33 0.28 0.28 0.34 1.29 1.17 0.027 0.43 0.47 0.34 0.21 0.32 0.27 0.21 0.019 0.30 0.27 0.34

April

1978

675

Eason

et

al.

treatment are

was

available

necessary. on the post-plating

If automatic

sufficient lines

stations to ac

as

a base

coating

in decorative

chrome

plat

commodate

rinse

techniques

to de levels should continue ing. Nickel crease as high production rate (high dragout
rate) decorative chrome platers install pre

which
and attractive.

will
nickel

concentrate
recovery

the dragout,
becomes to

chrome

economically have taken measures a

treatment equipment to comply with the Dis should not be tricts' effluent limits. There
any problem Zinc in meeting levels have the proposed continuously Ocean

Copper.

Copper As additional on-line, to about level. of of

appears source

step decrease
1976. are to brought decrease

of about 30 percent
control

after July

Plan nickel limit.

Zinc. de

source-control

should continue copper 50 percent of its pre There be no dif should

creased a total of about 30 percent the Phase I implementation period.

of the changing proving improvement to lower dragout

during Much

ficulty
limit. sult of

in meeting
Much closure spent platers circuit the

the proposed
the copper acid station,

Ocean
which

Plan
is a re was A lines end

reduction

a result was of platers' and im zinc baths strength who Zinc losses. galvanizers

used
limit.

acid
Zinc

strips had
levels at

difficulty
jwpcp

meeting
continue

the

receiving few brass and of-line on some

electroless using board to meet

baths. copper automatic plating etchers required the limit.

should

to decline 1.0 mg/1.

in meeting

gradually and level off at about There should not be any problem
the proposed Ocean Plan limit.

treatment

Cyanide.
once-a-month

The

cyanide
sampling

information
because

is based
composite

REVISION OF STATE OCEAN PLAN

It is believed likely that the California Ocean Plan limits will be revised to the levels which were proposed in November 1976. The Dis
tricts' permit Phase meeting Plan. for and I source most of controls the will, jwpcp however, ocean dis

sampling
base makes

cannot be used.
it difficult to see

This

limited data
In gen

trends. a dramatic the

eral, cyanide

levels decreased

during the Phase

cyanide drop sta re is being

I implementation with period, the closure after of occurring tion been has since (which opened). Comprehensive

temporarily

charge
Ocean jected polymers

limits as established
If advanced the removal

under

the existing
pro with are

monitoring

efficiencies

carried
the anide lem its at

out to better
station closed the If

determine

the effect
the no

of
cy

cyanide station in meeting jwpcp.

With reopening. there should be proposed the cyanide Ocean station

treatment primary solids recovery improved

prob Plan lim is open,

used,

the existing Ocean

met for

Plan

limits would
copper,

be
lead

consistently

cadmium,

some daily samples may be in excess of the in cyanide jwpcp effluent limit. Reductions
levels keeping are believed to result measures, resulting from good in reduced house plating

and mercury. The existing Ocean Plan limit for nickel and cyanide would not be met, but if a substantial re could be complied with
duction was made. of the existing source of control full limit Implementation secondary

tank dragout and a lowering of cyanide of zinc plating baths.

Lead. The lead levels at jwpcp were

levels
rela

biological treatment at jwpcp would allow the limit to be met without additional cyanide
source before, control no level restrictions. of source As control was would stated be

tively unaffected
40 mg/1. in panies

by the lead effluent

by

limit of
com industry

planned Improvements the battery manufacturing

effective
chromium

in meeting
limit.

the existing Ocean

Plan

should result in a lowering of the lead level by the end of 1978. There should not be any the proposed Ocean Plan problem in meeting
limit.

CURRENT STATUSOF SOURCE CONTROL PROGRAM

At present,
percent of the

it is estimated
affected

that about
are

75
now

Nickel levels remained relatively until the closing of the cyanide unchanged disposal station and have drifted downward
since duction that was time. Most of result the of 30 the a direct re percent elimination

Nickel.

companies In some

meeting
housekeeping automatic tion hard rates to

the industrial effluent limits with

techniques. cases,

good
par

ticularly with metal

plating using drain has barrel parts, been

plating
plating use the necessary

companies
at

using

machines

of dumping spent cyanide-nickel stripping solutions. Good housekeeping techniques had

less always of an been effect more on nickel careful as most with have platers nickel because

produc high or processing end-of-line of to meet the

treatment

Phase
to work

I limits.
with

The Districts

are attempting
the Phase

of its higher 676

cost.

Nickel

is most

often used

companies

not meeting

Journal WPCF

Waste I limits to bring

few cases, it has actions However, forcement panies. I programs.

Source Control

them into compliance.

become necessary to take recalcitrant against in general, industry

In a
en com has

the Environmental Protection Agency becomes involved in determining national pretreatment standards, failure of the State to adopt pro
Ocean posed on strictions wastewater Plan heavy sludge re and revisions, possible in composted metal levels used as a soil conditioner.

been very cooperative with

the Districts'

Phase

The term "Phase I limits" implies that there soon may be Phase II limits. However, this
not be necessary. If industry may to cooperate, influent and pollutant are maintained at or below jwpcp continues levels the at

SUMMARY
Under
Districts

the described
will attain

Phase
the

I program,
wastewater

the

treated

levels

which Phase
able Plan

will need to be achieved the Districts II program,

to meet their effluent It is water

under the should be

quality to note lim

quality objectives of California's revised Ocean Plan without imposing unduly strict effluent limits on industry. Such stringent industrial
effluent ment benefit limits could result in a without requirements to the environment. pretreat costly demonstrated

itations as defined
document.

in the revised
important

state Ocean
that,

if the Districts had not used a two-phase ap the final indus proach and had determined on the original trial effluent limits based Ocean Plan, a significant hardship could have been placed on industry. Instead, Phase I limits will probably satisfy the goals of the
Districts' source control program without the

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Credits. This paper was presented at the

need

for more
that

stringent effluent
may require

limits.
the

Factors

reevaluating

source control limits include the level to which

California Water Pollution Control Association Conference on April 29, 1977. Authors. John E. Eason is Project Engi neer, Jay G. Kremer is Head, Industrial Waste is Head, Section, and Franklin D. Dryden of the Sanita Technical Service Department tion Districts of Los Angeles County, Calif.

April

1978

677