Throughout the last few years, the electroplating industry has faced increasingly restrictive environmental regulation, which has led to a wide range of technologies dealing with the different pollutants in the waste water and discharge generated by this industry. The Directive 96/61/ EC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) not only demands enterprises to provide an integrated environmental permission for each of their facilities, but points out that threshold discharge values must be related to the application of the Best Available Techniques (BATs).
ZERO PLUS is an international project focusing on using Best Available Techniques (BAT) in the manufacturing process, specifically in the surface treatment industry. It approaches zero discharge from the production chain and promotes compliance with the most stringent requirements of Directives on Industrial Pollution. Consequently, ZERO PLUS defines a management model for liquid waste (wastewater) generated in the galvanic industry. In fact, achieving zero discharge through the application of new techniques in the manufacturing processes is rather a difficult target, due to the generation of refuse flows using the present techniques. This is the reason why the ZERO PLUS project focuses on obtaining two kinds of results. On the one hand, it deals with regeneration at the source of baths and rinsing solutions, recovery of chemicals and water, and reduction of generated waste. On the other hand, it treats the waste flows at the source so as to minimise the ultimate pollution and approach the closest zero discharge.
This factor is what makes the difference between ZERO PLUS and other similar proposed projects, as ZERO PLUS expects to reach an equivalent zero discharge by making the inevitable pollution non-toxic, and by making the COD levels of final discharge compatible to urban treatments.
Moreover, the ZERO PLUS project brings very broad reaching benefits to the wide variety of businesses associated with the surface treatment industry.