Groundwater and airborne volatile organic compound emissions are regulated by myriad rules from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Industrial owners complying with EPA rules generally treat airborne emissions by using activated carbon filters and burning the residue. Waterborne emissions are frequently treated through biotreatment with organisms.
Why not consolidate the approach, says Carl Adams, global leader for industrial wastewater treatment at ENVIRON International. “Why have two processes to treat one problem?” he asks. ENVIRON launched its VOC BioTreat� process in 2010, which pipes biodegradable airborne VOCs into the biotreatment plant treating waterborne VOCs.