In this context, an important factor that parameterizes the overall efficiency of chemical processes is

E factor, which is defined as

𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑤𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑠
𝐸 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 =
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
• Water used or produced in the typical chemicals processes is not generally included in E factor
calculation.
• Inorganic and organic wastes that are diluted in the aqueous stream must be included.
• The production of bulk and fine chemicals gives E factors of between 1 and 50. Typical E factors
for the production of pharmaceuticals lie between 25 and 100.

However, since accounting for losses of different materials and the exact waste streams is difficult, E
factor is more rationally defined as
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑙𝑠 − 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
𝐸 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑜𝑟 =
𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑢𝑐𝑡
Note: E factor accounts for waste, but not toxicity of the wastes
02/02/2017 1
Q. In reaction A, total 1.5 kg of the starting material give 70% yield of the desired product.
In reaction B the same amount of starting material yields 50% of desired product. If the
total weight of all reactants is 3.5 kg in case A and 2.0 kg in case B, calculate the E-factors
in both cases and state which one will be more green in terms of E-factor.

A.
Desired product
B.
Desired product
Here, Ph = C6H5, Cr = 52, S = 32.

02/02/2017 2
 WASTE : Treatment and Disposal

Waste management simply means the collection, transport, processing or disposal,

managing and monitoring waste materials to reduce its’ impact on the humans and
environment.
Not all methods are green, especially the disposal methods like Sanitary landfilling (most common in
India!).
Sanitary Landfills: Generally the term means a large piece of land away from living places where all
waste from a town is deposited. This can cause environment and heath hazard because of unsorted
wastes.

1&2. Waste Prevention and Minimization:

Prevention means eliminating or reducing the quantity of waste which is produced in the first place,
thus reducing the quantity of waste which must be managed.

02/02/2017 3
 WASTE : Treatment and Disposal
• Prevention is the most desirable waste management option as it eliminates the need for
handling, transporting, recycling or disposal of waste. It provides the highest level of
environmental protection by optimizing the use of resources and by removing a potential
source of pollution.

• Minimization includes any process or activity that avoids, reduces or eliminates waste at
its source.

• Waste prevention and minimization measures can be applied at all stages in the life-
cycle of a product including the production process, the marketing, distribution, or
utilization stages, up to discarding the product at the end-of life stage.
By examining each stage in the life cycle of a product, it may be possible that the
quantities of waste produced at each stage can be reduced.

02/02/2017 4
3. Re-use:
• Re-use means the use of a product on more than one occasion, either for the same purpose or for a
different purpose, without the need for reprocessing.
• It is preferable that a product be reused in the same state e.g., using an empty glass jar for storing
items and using second hand clothes.
• Re-use is normally preferable to recycling as there isn't the same requirement for the material to
have gone through a detailed treatment process thus helping to save on energy and material usage.
• Waste from one source as starting material for another industry:
Example 1:

02/02/2017 5
• Waste from one source as starting material for another industry:
Example 2:

02/02/2017 6
4. Recycling:
• Recycling involves the treatment or reprocessing of a discarded waste material to make it suitable
for subsequent re-use either for its original form or for other purposes.
• It includes recycling of organic wastes but excludes energy recovery.
• Recycling benefits the environment by reducing the use of virgin materials. Many different materials
can by recycled.
• Waste materials can either be recycled for use in products similar to their original use, e.g., paper
recycling
• or can be recycled into a product which is different that the original use, e.g., recycling plastic bottles
into fleece jackets or using construction and demolition waste as road aggregate.
Example:

02/02/2017 7
Example:

02/02/2017 8
Domestic Product Recycling

02/02/2017 9
02/02/2017 10
5. Energy Recovery:

02/02/2017 11
6. Waste Disposal:
When all other method are exhausted, then waste disposal is the only option left. There are two
major methods:
• Incineration Method: This simply means burning waste. A controlled incineration in a closed
chamber is required for waste with chances of contamination (Hospital waste), hazardous
industrial solid wastes, etc. However, too much CO2 is released in these cases.
• Landfills: Can create serious environmental issues and even health issues if proper sorting of
wastes before landfilling is not done. Proper landfills are also lined at the bottom to minimize the
leakage of soil pollutants and other toxins from getting into the water bed.

02/02/2017 12
02/02/2017 13
 WASTE MANAGEMENT HIERARCHY

02/02/2017 14