11.2.1.1 Waste water management

Virtually all developed countries, but also emerging economies, have regulations that seek to manage hazardous waste, including waste water. Although not all waste water constitutes hazardous waste, in the Netherlands strict environmental regulations have been implemented in the Wet Milieubeheer (Environmental Management Act), partly derived from European Directives. Companies are required to obtain a licence for their operations, which licence generally addresses all issues related to water, i.e. extracting water from aquifers or rivers, as well as the manner, the amount, the quality and the temperature of waste water (see also Krozer, 2009). Compliance is monitored by regulatory agencies. The emission of polluted water without a licence is prohibited, and can result in criminal sanctions. Typically, such regulations are designed to prevent direct damage to the environment. The effects of the unregulated dumping of hazardous waste water are generally tangible on a short term basis. When dumped in a river, the waste can impact a large area as for instance the degradation of the well-known Yangtze River in China has proven (Young, 2002). Also, the causal link between environmental damage and a company dumping hazardous waste can be determined relatively easily. Therefore, governments have laid down standards for waste water with maximum levels of toxic contents to prevent damage to human, animal and plant life and health.