Oil and Gas Wastewater Use in Road Maintenance is a Potential Pollution Source

Did you know that at least 13 states–including IL, IN, MI, NY, OH, & PA bordering the Great Lakes–allow wastewater from oil and gas extraction to be used in a variety of road maintenance applications? The high salt content of oil and gas well wastewaters makes them  effective for use in deicing or retaining road moisture for the purposes of dust suppression. At first blush, this arrangement seems like a win-win, saving the well operators money in terms of wastewater treatment, and saving local government funding that might otherwise need to be spent on deicing and dust control fluids. The cost-effectiveness of this arrangement could be particularly important for rural communities with limited budgets.

Map of US highlighting states with regulations for spreading oil and gas (O&G) wastewaters on roads.
From Tasker et al., 2018. Environmental Science & Technology, 52 (12), pp. 7081-7091.

However, a report published in a recent issue of Environmental Science and Technology highlights the potential environmental and human health ramifications of using oil and gas wastewater in this fashion.  From the article’s abstract: “Analyses of O&G wastewaters spread on roads in the northeastern, U.S. show that these wastewaters have salt, radioactivity, and organic contaminant concentrations often many times above drinking water standards. Bioassays also indicated that these wastewaters contain organic micropollutants that affected signaling pathways consistent with xenobiotic metabolism and caused toxicity to aquatic organisms like Daphnia magna. The potential toxicity of these wastewaters is a concern as lab experiments demonstrated that nearly all of the metals from these wastewaters leach from roads after rain events, likely reaching ground and surface water. Release of a known carcinogen (e.g., radium) from roads treated with O&G wastewaters has been largely ignored. In Pennsylvania from 2008 to 2014, spreading O&G wastewater on roads released over 4 times more radium to the environment (320 millicuries) than O&G wastewater treatment facilities and 200 times more radium than spill events. Currently, state-by-state regulations do not require radium analyses prior to treating roads with O&G wastewaters. “

The researchers propose the following means to reduce potential harmful impacts from using oil and gas (O&G) wastewater for road treatment. Note that “DRO” stands for “diesel range organics” and “GRO” is “gas range organics” which is indicative of the total petroleum hydrocarbon present (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_petroleum_hydrocarbon for further information).  “1) Only O&G wastewaters that have been treated at wastewater treatment facilities should be considered for road spreading. The high calcium, sodium, and magnesium concentrations in O&G wastewaters are important for suppressing dust. In addition to the high salt concentrations, these wastewaters contain lead, radium, and organic compounds that could be potentially toxic. Wastewater treatment facilities are not designed to remove the high salt concentrations in O&G wastewaters. However, they can effectively remove radium, oil and grease, and other trace metals. 2) O&G wastewaters approved for road spreading should contain <60 pCi/L radium and <10 mg/L of total DRO and GRO, similar to other industrial wastewater effluent standards. No induction to human cell receptors was observed at DRO and GRO concentrations below 10 mg/L. In most cases, the chemical composition of O&G wastewater intended for road spreading must be submitted and approved before use. However, requirements for these chemical characterizations are relatively modest, vary widely between states, and currently do not include radium. Having chemical standards for O&G wastewaters that can be spread on roads could help reduce the potential toxicity concerns associated with this practice. 3) Affordable nontoxic dust suppressants should be developed and used.”

In other words, they recommend development and use of cheaper, nontoxic alternatives for the benefit of communities with limited road maintenance budgets, and in instances where oil and gas wastewaters are used, those substances should be treated first to remove potentially toxic trace metals, as well as tested and confirmed as having levels of radium and petroleum hydrocarbon levels deemed safe based on industrial wastewater treatment standards.

Read the full article at https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.8b00716.

Citation: T. L. Tasker, W. D. Burgos, P. Piotrowski, L. Castillo-Meza, T. A. Blewett, K. B. Ganow, A. Stallworth, P. L. M. Delompré, G. G. Goss, L. B. Fowler, J. P. Vanden Heuvel, F. Dorman, and N. R. Warner. 2018. Environmental and Human Health Impacts of Spreading Oil and Gas Wastewater on Roads. Environmental Science & Technology, 52 (12), pp. 7081-7091. DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b00716.

Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention seeks presentations for 2018 Conference and Trade Show

The Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention (http://www.in.gov/idem/ppp/2329.htm) invites submission of
presentation proposals for the 21st Annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Trade Show on September
19, 2018 at The Marriott North Indianapolis, in Indianapolis, Indiana. The theme of the conference is Sustainability: Pollution Prevention is a Piece of the Puzzle.

The Annual Conference and Trade Show is attended by manufacturers, consultants, not‐for‐profits, government agencies, and vendors interested in promoting pollution prevention efforts in Indiana and beyond. Updated information about the 2018 Conference
will be available at http://www.in.gov/idem/ppp/2334.htm. Presentations from the 2017 conference can be
seen at http://www.in.gov/idem/ppp/2333.htm.

Topics of interest include:

  • wastewater management and success stories in pollution prevention/reduction via
    manufacturing efficiency;
  • green chemistry and engineering;
  • emerging technologies for waste reduction and treatment; and
  • resource conservation.

Presentations that discuss the intersection of sustainability and environmental stewardship with pollution prevention are also sought. Presentations that provide continuing education units (CEUs) for wastewater operator/apprentice, drinking water operator, legal, and professional engineer credits will be given highest consideration.

Submissions must be received by March 11, 2017.

Selection Criteria

Particular consideration will be given to presentations that discuss:

  • Pollution prevention, sustainability, and related concepts
  • Emerging innovations in pollution prevention
  • Success stories, new technologies, and best management practices
  • Economic analyses and life cycle assessments
  • Demonstrated protection of human health and the environment
  • Environmental Management Systems
  • Updates on existing and emerging regulations and government programs and their implications

Please note the definition of pollution prevention used by the Partners: Pollution prevention (P2) means working at the source of pollutants to prevent them from being generated or to reduce the amount generated. It is using materials and energy more efficiently, and conserving natural resources, including water. It is following best management practices, and involving all employees in their implementation, to reduce and prevent pollution. Finally, P2 means also seeing the financial benefits of increased efficiency in the use of raw materials, energy, water or other resources.

Instructions for Submitting Proposals

You may submit more than one presentation idea. All submissions must be received by March 11, 2018.

For each proposed presentation, please submit the requested information to Steve Leeper via email
(stephen.leeper@evonik.com) or U.S. Mail to the address below:
Steve Leeper
Evonik Corporation Tippecanoe Laboratories
Mail Stop TL72
1650 Lilly Road
Lafayette, IN 47909‐9201

Presenter(s):
Name(s) of Author(s):
Title(s) of Author(s):
Organization(s):
Address(es):
Phone Number(s):
Fax Number(s):
Email(s):
Biography for each author (Limit: 125 words – per author):

  1. Presentation Title:
  2. Abstract (Limit: 200 words – to be printed in the conference materials and included on the conference web
    site, for accepted presentations):
  3. Intended Audience:
  4. Learning Objectives (i.e., knowledge and skills conveyed by your presentation):
  5. Previous presentation of this material, if any (When and Where):
  6. Audio Visual Needs (beyond microphones, screens, projectors, and laptop computers):
  7. Planned Duration (either 25 or 50 minutes, including time for questions and discussion):

All submitters will be notified of the decisions of the Executive Committee by mid‐April 2016.

The Executive Committee reserves the right to accept or reject presentations based on fit with the overall conference agenda. Submission of a proposal does not guarantee participation in the conference program.

For accepted presentations, a draft presentation MUST be submitted to the Partners by June 1, 2018. Draft presentations will be reviewed and comments provided to provide presenters with insight into the conference audience and to ensure that presentations are strategically focused.

Final presentations MUST be received (PowerPoint and/or pdf) to Partners by September 1, 2018.

Please address any questions to Steve Leeper (stephen.leeper@evonik.com; 765‐477‐4302). Backup contacts are Ben McKnight (bmcknight@electro‐spec.com; 317‐738‐9199 ext 935) and Jennifer Collins (jcollins1@idem.in.gov; 317‐234‐9730).

New data summary reports available: Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Fabricated Metals Industry

In 2015, the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) began a project to analyze data from U.S. EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory (TRI)Greenhouse Gas Emissions database, and the Census Bureau’s County Business Patterns database to determine the impact of manufacturing on the economy and environment of the six states in U.S. EPA Region 5. The following fact sheets are currently available:

The full report, The Economic and Environmental Impact of Great Lakes Manufacturing: Snapshot of Emissions, Pollution Prevention Practices, and Economic Impact Using Public Data, is available in IDEALS, the University of Illinois’ institutional repository.

Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention Conference and Trade Show and P2 and Risk Management Workshop, September 19-20, 2017

The 20th Annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Tradeshow will be held on Wednesday, September 20, 2017, at the Palms Banquet and Conference Center in Plainfield, Indiana. This year’s conference theme is “Celebrating 20 Years of Pollution Prevention in Indiana.”

For the twentieth year, the Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention (Partners) are hosting a statewide pollution prevention conference and trade show. Conference topics will range from new and innovative pollution prevention technologies being used in Indiana to training on how pollution prevention (P2) can save facilities money.

This year’s conference features keynote speakers Mr. Tom Neltner, Chemicals Policy Director of the Environmental Defense Fund and Mr. Sam George, managing partner for Rivergreen Water Recycling. Mr. Neltner was a principal founder of the Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention and will share his perspective on the early days of the Partners for Pollution Prevention. Also a principal founder of the Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention, Mr. George will share his thoughts, from a manufacturing perspective, on the founding and early history of the Partners for Pollution Prevention and how it’s changed over the last 20 years.

The Partners Conference will also feature two concurrent breakout sessions and a tradeshow of exhibitors displaying their products and services to promote P2.

Cost: $100 (early-bird, ends August 15); After August 15, $125.

Register for the conference.

Pre-conference workshop

Managing Risk Through Pollution Prevention will be held at The Palms on September 19. This one day workshop will lead to a better understanding of environmental risk management for businesses and how to reduce those risks with pollution prevention techniques. Although all medias will be covered, there will be an emphasis on wastewater treatment risks and mitigation. The day will combine lecture with hands on exercises to lead the group towards identification of specific practices they can undertake at their facilities to reduce risk.

Cost: $150

Register for the workshop.

 

Climate Ride Midwest: September 6-9

[Post author: Lauren Murphy]

In September, Climate Ride will be hosting their first-ever ride through the midwest. Climate Ride is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness for sustainability, active transportation, and other environmental causes with various bike ride fundraisers across the country. Starting in Grand Rapids, Michigan, this ride will wind its way along Lake Michigan, through the states of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois, coming to an end in Chicago. With Climate Ride carefully planning out the details of the route and the accommodations, participants simply have to focus on the riding portion. At 60-80 miles of riding per day, this ride will be a challenging, exhilarating way to contribute to a great cause.

For those who wish to participate in the ride or simply donate to the cause, visit the climate ride website. Each rider must raise at least $2800 by August 29 to secure their spot, along with paying the $100 registration fee. Spots are filling up quickly so register soon!

You can also follow the fundraiser progress on the website, to see how much has already been raised and how close the participants are to their goals.

Earth Day Festivities Become Week Long Celebrations

[Post author: Lauren Murphy]

Happy Earth Day, everyone!

Every year, schools and universities across the nation participate in Earth Day activities. Many of the ‘Big Ten’ universities have extended Earth Day into a week-long series of events to create sustainable awareness across the student population.

INDIANA UNIVERSITY

Indiana University is hosting a week full of events and activities  to involve students  in the Earth Week Celebration. The Environmental Management and Sustainable Development Association (EMSDA) has planned an event each day, including presentations about sustainability and renewable energy, a documentary viewing about sustainable agriculture, and a bike ride to a  farm to learn about local organic farming practices, while promoting green transportation as well! To learn more about how Indiana University promotes Earth Week, please visit http://www.indiana.edu/~iuemsda/earthweek.php .

MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY

One of the main events hosted by Michigan State University for Earth Week is the Greening the Supply Chain Conference 2014, which took place on Monday, April 21, 2014 at the Jack Breslin Student Events Center.  In addition to the conference, the annual Tri-County Environmental Leadership Awards will take place on Wednesday, April 23 to honor the sustainability leaders from Eaton, Clinton and Ingham counties. The University has also hosted a Spring Bike Sale to promote sustainable transportation and has several Community Reuse Days planned to encourage the community to reduce, reuse and recycle. A full list of events can be found here.

OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

To celebrate this planet that we all share, Ohio State hosted many events in the past week leading up to Earth Day. The celebration has been a huge success,  with the popular Green Lunch Series events and the Sustainability Summit. Whether it was the Community Recycled Art Project, the Environmental Film Screening, or the many seminars about recycling and sustainability, there was something for every member of the Ohio State community to become involved in to celebrate Earth Week. More information and a full list of events can be found here.

UNIVERSITY OF IOWA

In efforts to accommodate all students’ busy schedules, the University of Iowa celebrates Earth Day with an entire month of sustainability and environmental activities, with events almost every day throughout the month of April. Although the month is coming to an end,  Earth Month has been a great success, and there are even more  excellent events to come! For a full list of upcoming events or to submit your own event, visit the University of Iowa sustainability page and check back often for updates!

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign  is currently celebrating Earth Week this week to promote awareness for the sustainable living and environmental appreciation. With a variety of events and activities, the students of the University, as well as the members of the surrounding community, are given a plethora of opportunities to become a part of Earth Week. From a Clothing Swap held at the University YMCA to the Sustainability Symposium held by the Institute for Sustainability, Energy & Environment, there is something for everyone to attend! More information and a full list of events can be found at the sustainability website.

Happy P2 Week! (Sept. 19-25, 2011)

P2 Week Poster 2011Happy Pollution Prevention (P2) Week! Celebrated during the third full week of September every year, P2 Week is a time to reflect on what you and/or your organization are currently doing to promote pollution prevention and sustainability, as well as a prime time to consider what more you could be doing. Check out the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) web site and the US EPA site for more information on activities taking place this week throughout the country; tips for increasing energy efficiency, reducing waste and sustainable practices; and news. (And of course, you can always browse through the online resources on the GLRPPR and P2Rx web sites for more information and best practices specific to your sector.)

In the Great Lakes region, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) and the Indiana Partners for Pollution Prevention (P4P2) will be hosting the 14th Annual Pollution Prevention Conference and Trade Show on Thursday, September 22.

GLRPPR’s sister Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) center, the Pacific Northwest Pollution Prevention Resource Center (PPRC) is hosting a 20th anniversary banquet for its regional P2 roundtable during P2 Week.  Highlights will include a presentation by Dara O’Rourke, founder of the Good Guide, and former PPRC staff member.

And to kick off P2 Week, P2Rx has announced the launch of the National Sustainable Lodging Network, an online community of sustainable hospitality practitioners and an information clearinghouse to support the work of this community, found online at www.SustainableLodging.org. This site brings lodging operations together with federal, state, local, and tribal sustainable hospitality programs, including environmental agencies, tourism boards, and lodging associations. The goals for the site are to provide forums for sustainable hospitality practitioners to share information on practices and challenges; elevate sustainable hospitality programs and the facilities that participate in them; increase the adoption of sustainable hospitality practices nationwide; and foster innovation in sustainable lodging through the exchange of ideas.

If your organization or community is hosting a special event this week, tell us about it in the comments section of this post.

Register for GLRPPR/EPA Region 5 Webinar

Join the Great Lakes Regional Pollution Prevention Roundtable (GLRPPR) and U.S. EPA Region 5 for a webinar on May 12.  Space is limited. Reserve your webinar seat now at: https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/440261202.  After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

The GLRPPR/EPA Webinar provides an opportunity to hear about P2 Programs in the region, ask questions and stay connected.

Agenda:

  1. Opening comments by Julie Guenther, Region 5 EPA
  2. Presentation by IL: a. GLRPPR – Bob Iverson; b. I-CORE – Mike Springman
  3. Presentation by MN – Phyllis Strong: a. P2 Grant work; b. Green Chemistry and Design program; c. P2 integration program
  4. Presentation by MI – Karen Edlin: a. Economy, Energy and Environment (E3); b. Michigan’s Sustainable Hospital Initiative; c. Advancing Green Chemistry
  5. Presentation by IN – Jennifer Schick

Title: GLRPPR/EPA Region 5 Forum
Date: Thursday, May 12, 2011
Time: 8:30 AM – 10:30 AM PDT  

System Requirements:

  • PC-based attendees–Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server
  • Macintosh®-based attendees–Required: Mac OS® X 10.4.11 (Tiger®) or newer

Contact Bob Iverson, GLRPPR Executive Director, for further information or questions.

Our thanks to Donna Walden, Regional Coordinator at the Western Sustainability and Pollution Prevention Network (WSPPN), one of our sister P2Rx Centers, for assisting with the set up and administration of this webinar.

Call For P2 Results Data, Calendar Years 2007, 2008 & 2009

The National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (NPPR) / Pollution Prevention Resource Exchange (P2Rx) P2 Results Task Force requests that your agency/program submit P2 results data for the calendar years 2007, 2008, and 2009 to your regional P2Rx center (GLRPPR for U.S. EPA Region 5) for input into the P2 Results Data System per the P2 Results Memorandum of Understanding. The P2 Results Data collection will begin on August 1, 2010 through September 30, 2010.

Continue reading “Call For P2 Results Data, Calendar Years 2007, 2008 & 2009”

Four Hoosier Companies Recognized for Environmental Leadership: Businesses to Participate in IDEM’s ESP

[Post author: Wayne Duke]

Having demonstrated long-term compliance with environmental laws, four Indiana companies have made commitments to implement continuous environmental improvements. The four, Kimball Office and GKN Sinter Metals, both of Salem, Kimball Office, Jasper, and NTN Driveshaft, Inc., Columbus, have been accepted into the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM’s) Environmental Stewardship Program (ESP).

“Sound environmental management is good for business, and these companies recognize this,” said IDEM Commissioner Thomas Easterly. “Members of IDEM’s ESP voluntarily eliminate waste, preserve resources and protect Hoosiers and the environment. They definitely deserve recognition for going beyond the basic requirements of the law.”

This is the fifth year of the ESP program, and currently there are 50 members. ESP’s newest members and their environmental initiatives include:

GKN Sinter Metals, GKN PLC – Salem (Washington County)
During its first year of membership, GKN Sinter Metals has agreed to reduce and recycle scrap metals and reuse ceramic heating plates. Efforts will result in a reduction of 65 kilograms of waste per ton of product shipped by the end of 2010.

Kimball Office – Jasper (Dubois County)
Kimball Office in Jasper intends to reduce landfill waste by encouraging vendors to reduce packaging and by obtaining items cut to size to reduce scrap. It will also begin training employees to reduce waste. Efforts will result in the reduction of 51,593 pounds of waste, equivalent to a 2 percent reduction of waste.

Kimball Office – Salem (Washington County)
Kimball Office in Salem has agreed to switch to UV finishing to have less sandpaper waste, eliminate water pans, use reusable filters, and use electronic carts, which eliminates the use of cardboard in the finishing line. Efforts will result in the reduction of 203,432 pounds of waste, equivalent to a 2.5 percent reduction of all waste.

NTN Driveshaft, Inc. – Columbus (Bartholomew County)
To reduce water consumption, NTN Driveshaft, Inc. will examine its water usage and recycle treated wastewater. Efforts will result in approximately 144,000 gallons of treated wastewater being reused by the end of 2010.

To become an ESP member, businesses must maintain an exemplary compliance record, certify that they have adopted and implemented an approved environmental management system, and commit to specific measures for continued improvement in their environmental performance.

By continually improving their environmental performance, ESP members qualify for expedited permit review, reduced reporting frequencies, and coordination of compliance inspections. To maintain ESP membership, companies must report on their environmental initiatives every year and reapply for ESP membership every three years.

For details about the program, visit IDEM’s Web site at www.idem.IN.gov/prevention/esp.