Feasibility of minimization of industrial liquid waste materials in the Ammonia Unit of Raazi Petrochemical Complex

The Razi Petrochemical Complex is one of the greatest factories producing nitrogen and phosphate fertilizers and various other chemicals. The site, comprising 17 production units with a total surface area of around 100 hectares, is located on the outskirts of Imam Khomeini port. The ammonia (1) section of the plant, with its production capacity of 1000 tons/year, was selected as the setting for this research on the feasibility of waste minimization programs. This study was conducted form October 2003 to May 2005, and it involved more than 20 visits to the site to gather data. We covered areas such as quality and quantity of liquid waste, reasons for waste generation and the production period. We also studied the current system of waste management. The materials were subsequently classified according to method proposed by the United Nations. Finally, strategies were proposed to minimize waste production. Results showed that the unit produced 305509.38 cubic meters of liquid waste annually, and water used for cooling accounted for 62.35% of the total volume. The main reasons for the production of liquid waste were problems with the production. Over 95% of the waste was produced on a permanent basis. After classification, it emerged that 18.02% of the material was dangerous. Currently, 85.65% of the liquid waste in this factory is disposed of in the surrounding environment, and 14.35% is recycled. The proposed strategies for minimizing the liquid waste production materials in the factory are: recycling and re-use (95%), production process modifications (4.79%), and volume reduction (0.01%). With the use of waste minimization methods, we can avoid the dumping of huge amounts of waste into the environment, reduce the loss of raw material, and make out a strong case for the efficiency of waste minimization efforts.