The Role of the Emergent Technologies Towards an Integrated Sustainable Environment.

Most of the industrial production processes were developed in the 50s at the time of cheap and abundant raw materials, energy and water resources. The intensive use of water of good quality and the search for new processes/products aiming maximal profits led to scarcity and degradation of natural resources. Reducing material waste is one of the greatest challenges facing industry today. Because water is one of the industry's major waste products, the ability to reduce waste water would be a giant step in the direction of overall waste reduction. Water conservation and water use were considered justifiable only if they represented economic savings either in material recovering or in the avoidance of treatment costs. However, today's industrial facilities are constantly striving to operate more efficiently, and the most successful plans are relentless in their search for the following: higher product yields; beneficial use of by-products; improved energy efficiency; safer and more reliable operations; improved public image; reduced environmental impacts. This paper provides a systematic approach with four outstanding examples from diverse industries: Corrugated board; Dairy; Coke and Cork. The authors have combined the use of proven and accepted technologies and practices with some new emergent technologies developing a new systematic approach for minimizing net water usage at industrial facilities, presented it in a straight forward manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]