A Model for Optimal Industrial Wastewater Treatment as a Tool for Managing Port Environmental Security and Sustainability

Abstract

One of the major environmental threats to industrial ports is water contamination from nearby industrial plants, causing discharge of toxic metals such as mercury into the ports and harbors. Appropriate industrial wastewater treatment can reduce the environmental damage and save on the very expensive cleanup of contaminated harbors. A socioeconomic-environmental model to determine the optimal level of wastewater treatment of industrial operations should take into account the effect of different wastewater treatment options on the companies' profits, and the short-term and long-term benefit to society. The benefit to society is a function of the environmental aspects, including the short-term and long-term effects of contaminated harbors on human health. An inclusive model takes into account the welfare of all stakeholder groups. The model takes into account the rate of contamination and the cost of cleanup to estimate the economic value of the benefit from wastewater treatment and compare it with the treatment costs in order to reach recommendations for risk managers regarding optimal industrial wastewater treatment in port areas.