Biological nutrient removal is a key part of keeping an industrial facility compliant with environmental laws and good practices. For newer employees, the details of biological nutrient removal is confusing because the process concentrates on getting rid of nitrogen and phosphorus, which are, by themselves, not bad and a necessary part of growing plants, including those used for food. This could lead some of those newer employees to become a little lax when handling wastewater if they don't fully understand just why you want to treat it before disposing of it.

Yes, Both Are Found in Fertilizers

Nitrogen and phosphorus are both necessary nutrients for plant life, and you do find them in fertilizers, even the ones meant for home use. However, those nutrients are both added in standardized forms and amounts, and they are not mixed in with potential pathogens that are often found in wastewater, like bacteria that could make people ill. So while the nutrients themselves are good, the versions found in wastewater are not usable in their current form.

But Wastewater Discharge Is Not Kept for Agricultural Use

Plus, wastewater isn't kept for agricultural use. There's simply too much of it and very little storage space, relatively speaking. Companies that generate wastewater that contains nitrogen and phosphorus can't just ship it out, either, as no one else has that amount of storage space. Again, it has to do with the amounts in the wastewater and the potential for additional pathogens to get into whatever the wastewater is being added to.

Excessive Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Water Lead to Unwanted Growth

But aside from pathogens and storage space, what really makes removing nitrogen and phosphorus so important is the same thing that makes them so helpful in the garden: They make plants grow. That means that if untreated wastewater gets into a body of water, the nutrients could make algae and other aquatic plants grow rapidly. The algae, especially, is a problem because it can remove oxygen from water, essentially starving other aquatic life. The algae and plants can also choke waterways.

Biological nutrient removal helps take out phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater to protect the environment and anyone or thing that comes in contact with the water after its disposal. You can contract with a company that specializes in the process so that you don't have to worry about training your own staff to take care of the job.