ABSTRACT
Almost all industrial sectors produce by-products, or wastes. Petroleum and natural gas, petrochemicals, pulp and paper, agricultural chemicals, pharmaceuticals, dis tillation, automotive, plastics molding, carbon fiber, and fiber optics production are just a few of the diverse areas that produce by-products. The by-products can be the remains of the less than 100% efficient chemical pro cesses used to create hydrocarbon-based products. The by-products can also be impurities and catalysts pres ent in feedstocks that are not fully consumed during the manufacturing process. In addition, manufacturing processes in widely varying fields often require signifi cant ventilation resulting in streams of contaminated air that must be treated. By-products may vary from a few parts per million in air or water to nearly 100% con centration of a hydrocarbon.
