Guide To Managing Wastewater

Guide to ManagingWastewaterPost-Secondary Studios

Guide to Managing WastewaterPost-Secondary Studios 2019 Metro VancouverThis guide was developed with the cooperation of and input from staff in theregion’s post-secondary institutions. Metro Vancouver wishes to thank Emily CarrUniversity of Art & Design for allowing us to use images of their operations fordemonstration purposes.For more information please contact:Metro VancouverEmail: icentre@metrovancouver.orgTelephone: 604.432.6200City of Vancouver (for post-secondary institutions located in Vancouver)Email: environmentalprotection@vancouver.caTelephone: 3-1-1Outside Vancouver: 604.873.7000

Table of ContentsIntroduction 4Metro Vancouver and the Wastewater System 5Pollution Prevention 6Existing Regulations 7Provincial Acts and RegulationsHazardous Waste RegulationProhibited WastesRestricted WasteSpill ReportingCode of Practice for Photographic Imaging Operations Using Silver778899Pollution Prevention Practices 10Overview 10Wastewater from Fine Arts Studios 10Resources 13Guide to Managing Wastewater3

IntroductionPost-secondary institutions provide an important service in the education andtraining of students and Fine Arts studios are integral to advancing higher learning.Some of the materials found in the wastewater fromfine arts studios in post-secondary institutions candamage the wastewater system and pose a risk tofish and the natural environment. Metro Vancouverhas created this guide to help post-secondary studiosmanage their wastewater safely and responsibly.This guide explains the current regulatoryrequirements of the Sewer Use Bylaw, as well as nonregulatory pollution prevention practices.4Guide to Managing WastewaterThis guide will be of interest to fine artsstudios that do ceramics, painting, jewelry andmetalsmithing, and photo processing inpost-secondary institutions.

18-014-MV-REPORT TEMPLATE-0618.INDDMetro Vancouver and the Wastewater SystemMetro Vancouver is the regional government thatrepresents 21 municipalities, one treaty First Nation,and one electoral area in the Greater Vancouver area.The wastewater system consists of private, municipaland regional trunk sewers that convey wastewater fortreatment at one of five regional wastewater treatmentplants. The treatment plants are regulated by theprovincial and federal governments.Metro Vancouver provides an important service to theregion, collecting and treating wastewater to protectthe environment and public health.Metro Vancouver relies on a range of tools, includingcodes and bylaws, education programs and guidesto reduce or eliminate wastewater pollutants at theirsource.CoquitlamLakeLions BayPittLakeBowen IslandArmWest nabyElectoralArea ‘A’IONAISLAND**PortCoquitlamVancouverPitt MeadowsMapleRidgeNewWestminsterANNACIS ISLANDNORTHWESTLANGLEYStrait of GeorgiaSurreyRichmondLULU ISLANDLangleyCityDeltaLangleyTownshipPrimary WastewaterTreatment PlantSecondary WastewaterTreatment PlantTsawwassenFirst NationBoundary BayWhite Rock* Upgrading to secondary treatment by 2020** Upgrading to secondary treatment by 2030Wastewater PipesThe grey area is land that is notprovided with Metro Vancouver’swastewater collection andtreatment servicesIn Metro Vancouver, there are an estimated 6,400 km of private sewers, 7,100 km of municipal sewers and 530 km of MetroVancouver regional sewers. The entire wastewater treatment system is approximately 14,000 km in length – that’s the totaldistance from Vancouver to Halifax and back.Guide to Managing Wastewater5

Pollution PreventionThe goal of pollution prevention is to eliminatethe causes of pollution rather than treat wasteonce it is generated. Pollution prevention involvescontinuous improvement through design, andtechnical, operational and behavioural changes. It alsoencourages transformations that are likely to lead tolower costs, increased efficiencies and more effectiveprotection of the environment.Pollution prevention practices and techniques focuson areas like substances of concern, efficient use andconservation of natural resources, on-site reuse andrecycling, operating efficiencies, training, procurementtechniques, process changes, and equipmentmodifications.Pollution PreventionResource RecoveryTreatment6Guide to Managing Wastewater

Existing RegulationsProvincial Acts and RegulationsHAZARDOUS WASTE REGULATIONWaste that is classified/defined as hazardous wastemust be managed according to the rules andstandards set out by the Environmental ManagementAct and the Hazardous Waste Regulation.Wastes may be “hazardous” for manydifferent reasons: They are corrosive, ignitable, infectious, reactive andtoxic (the “acute” hazard characteristics). They have the potential to harm human healthor the environment in a subtle manner over longperiods of time (the “chronic” hazards).Under Section 39 of the Hazardous WasteRegulation, “hazardous waste must not bedeposited or discharged into any systemoperated by a municipality A person mustnot deposit or discharge or allow or causehazardous waste to be deposited or dischargedinto any system of waste disposal operated by amunicipality or other public authority unless thedeposition or discharge is expressly authorizedby a permit, approval, order, regulation ora waste management plan approved by theminister.” They may range from paints, oils and solventsto acids, heavy metal-containing sludges andpesticides.Guide to Managing Wastewater7

Metro Vancouver Sewer Use BylawUnder the provincial Environmental ManagementAct, Metro Vancouver is authorized to regulate thedischarge of waste into its own sewers and into sewersowned by its member municipalities through aSewer Use Bylaw.The purpose of the Bylaw is to: protect sewers and sewage facilities; protect biosolids quality; protect human health and safety; assist Metro Vancouver’s efforts to remain incompliance with provincial and federal laws andregulatory instruments; and protect the environment.PROHIBITED WASTESSchedule “A” of the Sewer Use Bylaw specifies wastesthat are prohibited from discharge to any sewer orsewage facility.Hazardous WastesThe Bylaw prohibits the discharge of hazardous wasteas defined by the BC Hazardous Waste Regulation.Hazardous wastes, including solvents and acids, canbe generated at a cross-section of fine arts studios ona post-secondary campus.8Guide to Managing WastewaterRESTRICTED WASTESchedule “B” of the Sewer Use Bylaw specifieswastes that are restricted in the amounts that can bedischarged to a sewer. All dischargers must complywith these restricted waste criteria or be regulatedfurther, through a permit or sector-specific regulation.ReminderIt is illegal to dilute samples with water to meetrestricted waste criteria.

SPILL REPORTINGSpills of untreated chemicals or other contaminantscan potentially have serious impacts on sewerinfrastructure and human and environmental health.Contaminants of significant concern are listed underthe Prohibited Wastes specified in the Sewer UseBylaw. These contaminants include: flammable wastes; explosive wastes; andCODE OF PRACTICE FOR PHOTOGRAPHICIMAGING OPERATIONS USING SILVERSchedule “H” of the Sewer Use Bylaw sets outrequirements for managing the discharge of ‘silverrich’ solutions to sanitary sewer. The Code of Practicerequires the use of silver recovery technologies totreat ‘silver-rich solutions’ prior to discharge to sanitarysewer. These systems are commercially available andrecover the silver, usually in cartridges. An alternative isto contract a third-party waste management companyto properly manage these wastes. specific hazardous wastes that can cause significantrisk to worker safety and infrastructure integrity,including pH wastes less than 2.0 or greaterthan 12.0.A spill greater than five litres of any of these wastes tothe sanitary sewer must be reported to municipal andMetro Vancouver staff in a timely manner.For other contaminants, the threshold for reportingcan be found in the Schedule contained in theprovincial Spill Reporting Regulation.The Sewer Use Bylaw requires that spills that mayenter the sanitary sewer be reported at the firstavailable opportunity.Metro Vancouver 24-hour Spill Line604-643-8488Report any spills that have entered(or may enter) the sanitary sewer system.Guide to Managing Wastewater9

Pollution Prevention PracticesOverviewPollution prevention practices help studio usersreduce the amount of contaminants discharged to theenvironment, comply with regulations and improveoverall waste management practices.The following practices can help studio managerscomply with existing regulations, decreasecontaminants entering the sewer system, and improveoperations through the application of pollutionprevention principles. Post-secondary institutions arealso encouraged to influence suppliers by requestingand purchasing less toxic, alternative products andbuying from suppliers who accept materials andcontainers back for recycling.Wastewater fromFine Arts StudiosIn the process of creating art, contaminatedwastewater is often produced. The wastewater may becontaminated with solids that could block sewer pipesor contain chemical contaminants that could impactsewer infrastructure or human and environmentalhealth.Wastewater containing hazardous products, labeledwith the words ‘Danger’,‘Warning’, ‘Caution’ or‘Poison’ should not be poured down the drain. Mopwater from studio floor cleaning is usually acceptablefor disposal to the sewer as long as chemical spills arecleaned up first.i. CeramicsWastewater containing high solids is generated duringpreparation and shaping processes. Procedures shouldbe put in place to separate much of the solids priorto disposal down the drain. To keep these solids fromentering the sewer system, solids interceptors shouldbe installed and properly maintained to capture anysolids that enter the drain, to ensure that the dischargemeets the 600 mg/L restriction for total suspendedsolids in the Sewer Use Bylaw.Glazes and stains may consist of many chemicalsand materials, some of which would be consideredhazardous, including those that contain these metals:antimony, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt,copper, lead, manganese, selenium and vanadium.10Guide to Managing Wastewater

ii. Jewelry and MetalsmithingWater is used to rinse pieces of jewelry between thevarious steps involved in casting, stripping, cleaningand plating operations. The following hazardousproducts can be used in the various steps of jewelrymaking: Corrosive degreasers; Flammable cleaning solvents; Cancer-causing degreasing solvents; Toxic tarnish removers and sealants; Corrosive etchants and pickle compounds; Corrosive and toxic patinas; and Poisonous cyanide electroplating compounds.If the glaze has toxic chemicals, or if you are notsure if it does, an option would be to put it in abowl of bisque and fire it. This will lock in the toxinspermanently and then the piece can be disposed of inthe regular garbage. If firing the toxic glazes isn’t anoption, treat it as hazardous waste for disposal usingan appropriate off-site waste management company.Since the wastewater generated from the use ofthese products is generally considered harmful tohuman health and the environment, it is important tomanage it safely. If you generate wastewater throughthe use of any of these products, treat it as hazardouswaste for disposal using an appropriate off-site wastemanagement company.Before doing business with an off-site wastemanagement company, ask for references and makesure to check them. Also ask questions about theirrecycling and disposal practices. All hazardous wastecollected by the off-site waste management companyshould be delivered to a site authorized by theprovincial or federal government. Always keep copiesof all your transactions.Guide to Managing Wastewater11