TREATMENT OF WOOD AND AGRO BASED PAPER MILL WASTEWATER IN INDIA

Abstract

Water is the most pivotal and elementary resource for the survival of human beings on the planet. Due to its necessity for residential, industrial, and agricultural purposes and its limited availability it has to be considered as the most important resource. Inadequate availability, supply, changing climatic patterns, and the deterioration of the quality of water are a few of the major issues concerning most parts of the World. Because of the uneven distribution of water resources, ever-increasing human population, urbanization, pollution and contamination of both surface and groundwater are the major issues pertaining to water resources (Ahmed et al., 2021). According to Musie and Gonfa, by 2023, more than 2.5 billion people in developing nations will be under severe water scarcity by 2025. Unplanned and injudicious use by the industries is the main reason for this present issue of water crisis. Increased use of chemicals, incorrect applications, and inappropriate regulations by the authorities are putting huge pressure on the natural resource. Discharge of untreated effluent depending on the amount of water they consume and the concentration of different pollutants negatively affects the water quality as well as the aquatic life. The pulp and paper processing industries, egg processing industries, and rice mills are considered the most water intensive industries utilizing huge quantities of chemicals in their process. The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) has categorized industries based on the pollution they discharge into Red, Orange, Green, and White Industries. Red Category industries are typically considered to be highly polluting in nature followed by orange, green, and white. Red category industries have 17 industries on the list, and the paper and pulp industries are sixth among the same (CPCB, 2001). The pulp and paper manufacturing industries are traditionally important, economically crucial, and decisive industries for both developed and developing nations. It has renowned and esteemed value in commercial as well as financial expansion of the nation. And because of the crucial role of paper since ages as a prime medium of record, its production day by day is increasing.