these wastes are dangerous to marine life or not. Some years ago, in the Mediterranean, it was decided that they are dangerous, and Italian factories are supposed to
keep to stricter rules than in other areas. This is the consequence of Corsican and
Italian fishermen being engaged in massive protest against wastes from the titanium
pigment plant in Scarlino, Italy. It has 3000 t of wastes per day: 1000 t of sulfuric
acid, 300 t of iron, 23 t of titanium, 0.5 t of vanadium and 0.1 t each of cadmium
and lead. Dumping takes place 30 nautical miles northwest of Corsica on water 1250 m
deep and in an area without fishing activity of any consequence (perez 1976). These
wastes differ from the wastes dumped into Helgoland Bight by relatively high
amounts of cadmium, which could have some adverse effect. Otherwise it is not easy
to accept that wastes from the same type of frabrication should have different effects
in North Sea and Mediterranean. In many other countries plants exist for the fabrication of titanium pigment, and most of them release their wastes into the sea. However, there are no published reports available on the effects of these wastes upon
marine life.
One thing may be taken for granted: if a factory obtains a permit to dispose of the
wastes via dumping or a pipeline, and if another factory does not have this permit
and is forced to develop alternative means of waste disposal or waste recycling, both
factories have different economic chances on the market due to different expenses
for waste treatment. Since 1977, therefore, guidelines exist set by the European
Community concerning the wastes from the production of titanium dioxide pigment.
These guidelines are to insure that possible adverse effects should constantly be
monitored, and that the amounts of wastes shall be reduced if necessary. By July
1980 there should have been some progress to reduce the quantity of wastes from
titanium pigment fabrication. However, this is only a guideline, not a strict rule, and
it seems that for obvoius economic reasons some nations and some factories do not
keep to it.
Altogether, in 1977 about 900,000 t of titanium pigment were produced within
countries of the European Community. Only 15% were produced by chloride treatment which releases less wastes into the environment, but needs high-quality titanium
ores which are not generally available. But even with the sulfuric acid treatment,
there are ways to recycle or use the wastes. About one third of the ferreous sulfate
produced from the Nordenham-Blexen plant by now is sold to waste water treatment
and drinking water purification plants, or as a material to increase the fertility of
agricultural soils. In principle, it would even be possible to produce high-quality sulfuric acid from waste acid and ferreous sulfate by introducing additional sulfur. The
result, however, is twice as much sulfuric acid as is used in the pigment industry, and
at a price which is not economic. But the example points a way as to how recycling
could eventually reduce the wastes to be dumped into the sea.
The pigment titanium dioxide replaced the toxic white zinc and lead pigments formerly used. The introduction of the nontoxic titanium pigment certainly improved
the quality of man's environment.
63
keep to stricter rules than in other areas. This is the consequence of Corsican and
Italian fishermen being engaged in massive protest against wastes from the titanium
pigment plant in Scarlino, Italy. It has 3000 t of wastes per day: 1000 t of sulfuric
acid, 300 t of iron, 23 t of titanium, 0.5 t of vanadium and 0.1 t each of cadmium
and lead. Dumping takes place 30 nautical miles northwest of Corsica on water 1250 m
deep and in an area without fishing activity of any consequence (perez 1976). These
wastes differ from the wastes dumped into Helgoland Bight by relatively high
amounts of cadmium, which could have some adverse effect. Otherwise it is not easy
to accept that wastes from the same type of frabrication should have different effects
in North Sea and Mediterranean. In many other countries plants exist for the fabrication of titanium pigment, and most of them release their wastes into the sea. However, there are no published reports available on the effects of these wastes upon
marine life.
One thing may be taken for granted: if a factory obtains a permit to dispose of the
wastes via dumping or a pipeline, and if another factory does not have this permit
and is forced to develop alternative means of waste disposal or waste recycling, both
factories have different economic chances on the market due to different expenses
for waste treatment. Since 1977, therefore, guidelines exist set by the European
Community concerning the wastes from the production of titanium dioxide pigment.
These guidelines are to insure that possible adverse effects should constantly be
monitored, and that the amounts of wastes shall be reduced if necessary. By July
1980 there should have been some progress to reduce the quantity of wastes from
titanium pigment fabrication. However, this is only a guideline, not a strict rule, and
it seems that for obvoius economic reasons some nations and some factories do not
keep to it.
Altogether, in 1977 about 900,000 t of titanium pigment were produced within
countries of the European Community. Only 15% were produced by chloride treatment which releases less wastes into the environment, but needs high-quality titanium
ores which are not generally available. But even with the sulfuric acid treatment,
there are ways to recycle or use the wastes. About one third of the ferreous sulfate
produced from the Nordenham-Blexen plant by now is sold to waste water treatment
and drinking water purification plants, or as a material to increase the fertility of
agricultural soils. In principle, it would even be possible to produce high-quality sulfuric acid from waste acid and ferreous sulfate by introducing additional sulfur. The
result, however, is twice as much sulfuric acid as is used in the pigment industry, and
at a price which is not economic. But the example points a way as to how recycling
could eventually reduce the wastes to be dumped into the sea.
The pigment titanium dioxide replaced the toxic white zinc and lead pigments formerly used. The introduction of the nontoxic titanium pigment certainly improved
the quality of man's environment.
63