ABSTRACT
In 1980 the world consumption of 23 major petrochemical products was well over 250 million metric tons per year. The size of the petrochemical industry, coupled with the nature and complexity of the wastes, produces the potential for significant impact on public health and environmental quality. The need for adequate waste management is obvious. Raw materials used in the production of petrochemicals include crude petroleum, natural gas, refinery gas, natural gas condensate, light tops or naphtha, and heavy fractions such as fuel oil. The wide variety of process sequences coupled with the wide variety of products produced by the petrochemical industry leads to a complex waste problem. Thermal pollution from petrochemical discharges will also affect receiving waters, including death or decreased productivity of many aquatic species. Waste streams from petrochemical unit operations have also been found to contain toxic substances in many cases.
