Environmental engineering

UNIT – I

Chapter - 1(D)

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING - OVERVIEW

Environmental engineering is a relatively new branch of the engineering profession that has developed in response to environmental pollution. Environmental engineers work to provide safe drinking water, treat and dispose of solid waste, clean-up sites contaminated by hazardous waste, and maintain air and water quality.

Environmental engineers must have a thorough understanding of the biological, chemical, and physical processes involved in treating and disposing of society's by-products. For example, they need to know the following aspects:

(i) how bacteria living in the soil work to break down a particular waste product, (ii) how minerals such as iron and magnesium in the soil react with the waste, and

(iii) how the waste travels through the soil and groundwater.

Environmental engineers are responsible for the following:

(i) developing new waste treatment processes,

(ii) designing, constructing, and maintaining pollution control and waste treatment facilities,

(iii) developing long-range environmental protection plans for facilities or communities and

(iv) developing and administering regulations established by law to protect the public and the environment.

Environmental engineering overlaps some areas of chemical engineering and environmental science. Environmental engineers use many of the principles and tools of chemical engineering to address problems of public health and environmental impact due to pollution. Few other careers have such an impact on our health and quality of life.