Oil And Ghee Industry Pollution

Environmental degradation by the industrial sector is a matter of serious concern not only in Pakistan, but also all over the world. Steps have to be taken to initiate measures to combat pollution, thereby, enabling the industries to comply with the international local standards, e.g., National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) and the ISO 14000 certification. In Pakistan, there are 20 industrial sectors which are of the most concern. One of which is the edible oil and ghee sector.

This report aims to address the environmental pollution problems of the Edible Oil sector. It has been compiled on the basis of the statistical data available on the sector both at global and national level and the information related to the case study from both primary and secondary data sources. The objective of this report is to assess the nature and extent of environmental problems caused by an edible oil industry, to quantify the pollution loads, water reuse and recycling, process modifications and recommendations.

Many technological processes are carried out in order to obtain refined vegetable oils from seeds. The main processes include refining, degumming, neutralization, bleaching, deodorization and winterization. During these processes by-products and wastes are formed.

The operating conditions and processes carried out influence the amount and characteristics of the by-products and wastes formed. The wastewater varies both in quantity and characteristics from one oil industry to another. The composition of wastewater from the same industry also varies widely from day to day.

However, despite the use of these methods, disposal and waste treatment still remain major challenges in the fats and oils industries. One of the contributing factors as to why such wastewaters are difficult to treat is the complexity of their sources. Sources, among others, include heat exchangers, barometric condensers, gas scrubbers, cleaning of greasy floors and equipment, leakages, process water from the refining plant and soap stock splitting effluents.

Moreover, vegetable oil refinery wastewater is known to contain chemical compounds like phenol, heavy metals from bleaching earth, catalysts used in the hydrogenation process, oxidizable substances and fats and oils. Because of quantity and characteristic variations and complexity, wastewater treatment to meet the desired effluent standards is complicated, and the choice of methods of wastewater treatment depends on many local conditions and, therefore, cannot be standardized.

Water use minimization and wastewater reuse and recycling is a far better option to go for, especially when there are limited finances for end of pipe treatment methods. This could also involve process modifications for the oil and ghee industry.

Research Objectives:-

Air emission:

Emissions are generally generated from the generators, boiler, and vegetable oil processing and oil extraction solvents. Level of effluents in an industry.

Waste Water:

Effluents are produced mainly from deodorization, boiler blow down, refinery section, neutralization, degumming etc. On average 12,600 m3/day of wastewater is generated having considerably high BOD (mg/L), COD (mg/L), TDS, TSS, etc. level of waste water produced in industry.

Solid Waste:

Theoretical frame work:-

To formulate theoretical framework, first we need to enlist all the variables in our study and state the weather it’s independent or dependent.

List

Variables

Air emission

Independent variable

Waste Water

Independent variable

Solid Waste

Independent variable

pollution

Dependent variable

The variable Pollution is dependent and it is the main focus of our research. All the other variables influence it. Increasing or decreasing Air emission caused by the production of edible oil and ghee directly affects air pollution. Likewise, any change in the amount of water waste or solid waste produced will also directly affect water pollution.

As a result, if we minimize the air emissions, water and solid wastes than we will be able to bring pollution to a minimum level. This can be done by maximizing recycling and disposing off the wastes properly and safely.

Literature Review:-

Industrial pollution is also a major health risk in Faisalabad. According to Dr Amjad Ali Rana, a senior teacher at Community Medicine department of Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad: “Here the diseases have some connection or the other with environmental pollution like skin diseases, asthma, TB, heart diseases, hepatitis and even cancer. They are found in greater ratio than any other city in Punjab.” (By Dr. Amjad Ali Rana)

He also reveals some terrifying consequences of industrial pollution in Faisalabad. “According to findings of different studies, industrial pollution in Faisalabad is not only disturbing the Ozone layer in atmosphere, it is also becoming a source of its production on ground. On ground level ozone simply works as a poison. In winter it forms smog (smoke+fog) along with many other hazardous emissions of industries. This is why the death rate among infants and elderly people is more in four winter months in Faisalabad as compares to other eight months of the year.” (By A. Sahi)

In a survey conducted by PPI, revealed that presently almost five hundred factories were currently operating in the I-9 and I-10 industrial estates which were causing water and air pollution in the area. Out of the existing 500 plants, there were 204 manufacturing units in the area. Complaints of diseases like chest congestion and asthma, which were directly linked to air pollution, are frequent among I-9 and I-10 residents. The quality of air in these areas was never tested due to the non-availability of adequate facilities. Experts say that commissioning 500 more industrial plants in the area would increase pollution levels considerably. (By A Survey conducted by PPI)

Environmental damage and pollution created by the oil industry have caused violations of the rights to good health and a clean environment, the right to an sufficient standard of living (including the right to clean drinking water and unpolluted food) and the right to have a livelihood through work for thousands of people. (By Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).

“Oil companies have been exploiting weak regulatory system for much long. They do not effectively prevent environmental damage and they repeatedly fail to properly address the overwhelming impact that their dreadful practice has on people’s lives.” (By Audrey Gaughran of Amnesty International.)

“More than half of the people in the region rely on the natural environment for their livelihood but pollution by the oil producing factories are destroying their essential resource.” (By Audrey Gaughran)

The Pakistan Environment Protection Agency (Pak-EPA) has asked owners of the industrial units in the Industrial Estate Islamabad to install efficient devices to control pollution in the federal capital.

INTRODUCTION

Industry overview:

The selected Shan Oil and Ghee Industry is one of the biggest manufactures of oil and ghee in

Lahore. In 1982, the unit of production is 30M tons per day. After the installation of new units in

1995, the production reaches 150M tons per day. The major product includes cooking oil, ghee and soap. The total area of Shan Oil and Ghee industry is around 10 Acre and covered area is 70% of the total area which make approximately 7 acre. Main departments include Office Block, refining section, boiler section oil storage section, Storage area, Hydrogen cracking plant, oil and ghee filling and storage section and CO2 filling section and solid scrap storage area.

Location and Surrounding:

Shan oil and ghee industry is located in Quaid-e-Azam Industrial Estate, Kot Lakhpat Lahore. Other prominent industry around the ABC oil and ghee industry is Hamdard Factory.

Drainage Disposal

The total area of Shan Oil and Ghee industry is around 10 Acre and covered area is 70% of the total area which make approximately 7 acre. Main departments include Office Block, refining section, boiler section oil storage section, Storage area, Hydrogen cracking plant, oil and ghee filling and storage section and CO2 filling section and solid scrap storage area.

Importance of Oil and Ghee Industry:

Consumers use it widely in commercial as well as in home applications. The oil is used in stir-fry dishes, snack foods, seafood, vegetables and different foods around the globe. It can be used in place of any vegetable oil. Generally it is used to make mayonnaise, sauces, salad dressing and marinades etc. It can be used for baked goods as well as for spreads on foods such as bread and muffins. In refined shape, cottonseed oil is nearly clear and provides very little taste, serving mainly as a catalyst for holding ingredients together.

SECTORAL INFORMATION:

Role of Oil and Ghee Industry in the National Economy:

The number of small and medium enterprises producing Vegetable oil and ghee amounts to 160 presently. The total capacity of these plants is approximately 2 million tons per annum. An additional advantage of vegetable oil production is that one of it’s by – product is soap which is sold separately and it also has a very good role on our economy. The total number of solvent extraction plants is nearly 50 at the moment. The net worth of oil production by these plants in rupee terms is 17 billion. According to the latest research the average Pakistani consumes 16- 18 kg in a year. The actual demand increase at the rate 4.4 % from 1988 to 2000 whereas the domestic production increased by 7.3% during the same period.

Role of oil and Ghee Industry in the Global Economy:

The production of oil depends on the large scale industries as far as the production in Pakistan is concerned its total quantity cost. The cooking oil and vegetable ghee industry is a large manufacturing sector. In Pakistan its production was 4000 tons in 1950s, it has grown to about 60,500 tons in 2000. However, the actual demand is approximately 117,000 tons; a shortfall has been witnessed over the last two decades. This shortfall is made up through the import of cooking oils, which are added to the local production. Pakistan imported edible oil worth Rs. 11,500 million in 2001-02 and it is still increasing. In 1976, the Ghee Corporation of Pakistan was established to manage the affairs of this industry. Edible oil consumption has been increasing at an annual rate of 9% over the past 10 years, and country’s production has risen only 2% per annum. At present indigenous production of cotton seed oil, and other edible oils meet only 35%, of the total requirement of the country and the rest 65% is imported. There are 160 units producing ghee and cooking oil with an installed capacity of around 2.5 million tonnes and 1.7 million tonnes to meet annual national requirements of about 14 million tonnes.

The total installed capacity of Ghee/ Edible Oil is about 3.3 million tons. The total annual domestic demand of edible oil in the country is around 2.9 million tons (including 0.2 Million tons export to Afghanistan), however the local production of edible oil is around 1.3 million tons per annum. The rest of the demand is being met through imports. Imported palm oil constitutes around 56-58 % of all oil used for production of edible oil/ghee in Pakistan.

Questionnaire (customer sample):-

Dear participants, I am the student of business administration in the university of central Punjab (UCP) are conducting survey on the comparative study on oil and ghee industry pollution and its effects on human life’s. I am delighted to select you as participant and your contribution in this effort will be highly appreciated select the suitable choice by marking or encircling.

1Q. How far is your home situated to the nearest oil and ghee manufacturing company?

2Q. Do the industry dispose off its gaseous waste directly into air?

3Q. Have you noticed any changes in the flavor or color of the water supplied to you?

4Q. Have you experienced any foul smells near the oil and ghee industrial area?

5Q. What percentage of your daily diet is composed of oil and ghee products?

6Q. Do you recommend the shan oil and ghee products?

7Q. Does the pollution from the oil and ghee industries cause thermal pollution?

8Q. Does the industrial pollutants contain health hazardous substances?

9Q. Does the environment pollution caused by the oil industries increase the incidence of asthma, chest congestions, cough etc in the population?

10Q. Is the increase in pollution contributed by these industries linked with increased appearance of cancer?

11Q. Does this type of pollution assist in the spread of any lethal diseases e.g. tuberculosis, cholera, malaria, dengue etc?

12Q. Do you drain your waste water directly into the sea or ocean or is it detoxified and uncontaminated first?

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