Division BAT 46: In order to prevent or reduce waste water generation (e.g. from cleaning, spills and condensates) and the organic load discharged to further waste water treatment, BAT is to use one or both of the techniques given below.
United Kingdom
| Technique | Description | Applicability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| a. | Reuse of water | Aqueous streams (e.g. from cleaning, spills and condensates) are recirculated into the process mainly to adjust the formaldehyde product concentration. The extent to which water can be reused depends on the desired formaldehyde concentration | Generally applicable |
| b. | Chemical pretreatment | Conversion of formaldehyde into other substances which are less toxic, e.g. by addition of sodium sulphite or by oxidation | Only applicable to effluents which, due to their formaldehyde content, could have a negative effect on the downstream biological waste water treatment |