There is a high risk of antibiotic residues entering the environment from wastewater used in manufacturing pharmaceuticals
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Pharmaceutical industries manufacture major antibiotic products. There is a high risk of antibiotic residues entering the environment from wastewater used in manufacturing. Controlling antibiotic pollution in the environment eventually becomes a challenge for pharma companies.
But some innovative methods can be used to counter antibiotic pollution. For instance, losses in wastewater can be reduced by employing good management practices. This can be done by eliminating direct sewer discharges of rejected / spilled material; using dry cleaning practices as much as possible and minimising wet cleaning practices.
Wastewater can be collected at the point of generation and treated by providing dedicated collection and storage tanks; a wastewater transfer system through pumping for treatment; adopting zero liquid discharge for all the wastewater generated and ensuring that there is no release of untreated wastewater from manufacturing plants at all times.
Modifications can be made in wastewater treatment plants by understanding existing operations and capacities; assessing API removal mechanisms and upgrading effluent treatment plant infrastructure by adopting innovative devices to improve efforts at reducing API losses to wastewater.
Runoff control can be attained by providing RCC storage tank for stormwater collection of first runoff rainwater; providing secondary containment for all storage of hazardous chemicals; containment of API storage; introduction of loading / unloading activities through checklist; eliminating outdoor process activities; maintaining registers for tank overflow / spillages / leakages; storage of hazardous waste with bunding; leachate collection facility; site tour to identify the gaps and analysis of all stormwater before and after release.
Ashok Kumar Podisetty is Corporate Head EHS, Neuland Laboratories Limited, Hyderabad
Views expressed are the author’s own and don’t necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth
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