An Industrial Wastewater Treatment Review for the Textile and Pulp and Paper Industries of Srilanka

A legislative authority empowered to protect Srilanka's environment, operating similarly to the Environmental Protection Agency of the U.S., is needed, along with wastewater treatment. Wastewater parameters of importance in treatment are BOD, COD, total suspended solids, settleable solids, pH, colour, turbidity, ammonia or nitrate nitrogen, heavy metals, sulfides, phosphates, and phenols. Methods of industrial waste treatment vary depending on the climatic conditions, the industry, raw materials, and process adopted. Textile and pulp and paper industries exist in Srilanka and have very high pollution potential. Methods of treatment to finally generate reasonably good quality effluent are available. Processing of effluents from these type industries together with municipal sewage is feasible and economical. Due to the complex nature of the composition of industrial wastes, a final decision could only be made after a thorough investigation of the industrial complexes, the methodology used, and pilot plant studies.