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Environmental Programs
Mercury Minimization
The purpose of the mercury minimization program is to serve as an outreach into the Racine community to better inform the public of activities that can reduce mercury releases into the environment. Mercury reduction is considered a priority in the Great Lakes Region, and therefore the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has required that the Utility prepare a Mercury Minimization Plan specific to Racine.
The City of Racine through the Wastewater Utility operates a successful Household HazardousAnything that involves danger Waste collection program with mercury collection as one of its goals. Local residents are encouraged to bring mercury thermometers, thermostats and fluorescent lights for collection and recycling to the 7 annual collection events. These common household products all contain mercury. The Racine Wastewater Utility also has a dental amalgamA mixture of mercury and another metal management program involving area dental offices that place or remove dental amalgamA mixture of mercury and another metal. Dental facilities are inspected or surveyed yearly. Records are generated at each location tracking proper dental amalgamA mixture of mercury and another metal recycling and disposal.
The program continues to work towards education and reducing the current uses of mercury in four sectors identified by the DNR. These sectors are Medical, Dental, School, and Industry. The Utility submits an annual Mercury Pollution Minimization Plan status report to the DNR that measures progress towards reducing the amount of mercury in the environment as well as lowering the level of mercury discharged into the lake from the wastewater plant.
Promotion of Public Involvement
The Utility is eager to work with organizations that have similar goals. Please contact the Utility if you or your organization is looking to conduct or be part of an environmentally beneficial project. The DNR is interested in all forms of mercury release, not just those that involve discharge to the wastewater treatment plant. The wastewater treatment plant staff may be of assistance to you in your efforts to remove or reduce mercury. You could also gain recognition for your accomplishments through inclusion in the Utility’s Mercury Minimization Plan.
Projects that your organization may be interested in could include sponsoring public outreach programs, organizing recycling drives, and producing promotional or educational products.
Household Hazardous Waste & Recycling (HHW)
Common household products that contain hazardousAnything that involves danger materials pose a safety problem when used or disposed of incorrectly. Improper handling of hazardousAnything that involves danger products may cause extreme danger to you, your family, your property, public workers, wildlife and the environment.
Products classified as “hazardousAnything that involves danger” have become so commonplace in most homes that many times we don’t realize they can be dangerous to use and/or dispose of. Read the product’s label. Key words like DANGER, CAUTION, WARNING, FLAMMABLE, or POISON indicate the product is potentially hazardousAnything that involves danger and requires special attention.
There are several ways you can dispose of hazardousAnything that involves danger household products. Options include using the entire supply, recycling unused portions, taking unused supplies to a household collection event or donating unused supplies to a local group or organization that may have a need for them.
For more information on Household Hazardous Waste Collection events
Fats, Oil and Grease (FOG) Management
In complianceThe act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion. with the City of Racine Municipal Code, the Racine Wastewater Utility has developed a policy regarding residential and commercial discharge of fats, oils and grease (FOG) to the sewer system flowing to the Racine Wastewater Treatment Plant.
What Is FOG?
Fats, oils and grease (FOG) are found in food scraps, meat fats, lard, oil, margarine, butter, sauces and dairy products. FOG is commonly associated with fried foods and baked goods prepared at home or in a food establishmentThe action of establishing something or being established.. When FOG is not disposed of properly, it can clog plumbing as well as city sewers. FOG is also associated with automobile repair shop discharge.
Residential Discharge: Residents of the City of Racine are governed by the City of Racine Municipal Code which prohibits the discharge of any pollutant or wastewater that will negatively affect the sewer collection system and/or Racine Wastewater Treatment Plant and its receiving waters. Homeowners can follow these simple practices to reduce FOG in the sewers:
- Wipe greasy pots, pans and dishes with paper towel before washing, and throw toweling in the trash.
- Do not put used cooking oil, oil-based paints, motor oil, solventsA usually liquid substance capable of dissolving or dispersing one or more other substances or other chemicals down sewer lines or storm drains. These items should be brought to a HHW event
- Large quantities of home cooking oil from fryers should be poured back into the original oil containers and dispose of the containers at a HHW event.
Food Service Establishments (FSE) or Commercial Discharge
FSEs which discharge any fats, oils, and grease associated with food preparation, food service, and kitchen clean-up are also governed the City of Racine Municipal Code. The code also requires that commercial establishments follow Best Management Practices to minimize FOG discharge and requires that they install and maintain grease removal devices (separators, traps and interceptors) to minimize or eliminate the discharge of fats, oils, and greases.
Auto Repair Shop Discharge
Best Management Practices (BMPs) have been developed to help automotive repair shops reduce contaminants discharged to the sewer system and environment, to comply with local regulationsA rule or directive made and maintained by an authority. and to improve their operationsThe fact or condition of functioning or being active.. Automotive repair shops can save money by applying pollution prevention principles including employee education, cleaning floors, mopping up spills, installing oil/water separators, maintaining repair shop floor drains, recycling antifreeze and used oil, and properly disposing of used oil, transmission and fuel filters.
Industrial Pre-Treatment
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) runs a Pretreatment Program required by the federal Clean Water Act, An “industrial pretreatment discharger” is a facility that doesn’t send its wastewater directly into Wisconsin’s natural waters. Instead, the wastewater goes to a municipal sewage treatment plant—known as a publicly owned treatment works (POTW)—where it’s mixed with other sewage and treated before being released into the environment. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has authorized the Wisconsin DNR to manage this federal program at the state level. In response, Wisconsin has adopted state rules found in Wis. Admin. Codes NR 211 and NR 220–297, which lay out the requirementsA thing that is needed or wanted. for pretreatment discharges. The state has also given the Racine Wastewater Utility the authority to issue permits to industries that discharge into the Racine Wastewater Utility.
Industrial pretreatment dischargers are issued permits also known as control documents from the Racine Wastewater Utility. The industrial users must abide by federal, state and local requirementsA thing that is needed or wanted. through a permit system. Permits have an expiration date of four years, but may be modified as needed during this period. The discharge limitations are grouped by categories of industrial and commercial dischargers. Some industries have discharge limitations based upon local discharge limits found in the Racine Municipal Code. The Industrial Wastewater Discharge Permit outlines and references the requirementsA thing that is needed or wanted. necessary to comply with all applicable wastewater regulationsA rule or directive made and maintained by an authority..
Industrial users are monitored in order to control the pollutants discharged into the sewer system and into our treatment facility. The Racine Wastewater Utility tracks complianceThe act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion. and performs sampling, inspections and, if necessary, enforcement. A report is sent to the Wisconsin DNR twice per year summarizing all pretreatment activities.
Each industrial user’s facility is inspected annually by Racine wastewater Utility staff. As part of these inspections, operationsThe fact or condition of functioning or being active. that use and/or discharge process water are reviewed, including any pretreatment systems. Some industries must treat their industrial wastewater before discharge in order to meet their permitted limits.
The Racine Wastewater Utility staff is proud of the effort it makes to control the discharge of pollutants into the sewer system. Our goal is to reduce our environmental footprint and improve our local environment.
WPDES Permits
Through the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit program, the DNR regulates municipal, industrial, and animal waste operationsThe fact or condition of functioning or being active. discharging water to surface waters (such as lakes, rivers, or streams) or ground waters. Each permit contains monitoring, reporting, and operational requirementsA thing that is needed or wanted. needed to ensure protection of Wisconsin’s water resources.
The WPDES Wastewater Permit Program controls:
- Wastewater discharged by industries and municipalities to surface waters and groundwater.
- BiosolidsTreated sewage sludge that has met strict federal and state standards for safety and quality/Sludge and by-product solids disposal practices, such as farm land application.
- Facility upgrading through plan approval.
- Correction of wastewater overflows and treatment bypasses.
- Utility regulation of industrial pretreatment.
- Discharges of toxic substancesA kind of matter with a specific composition and properties to surface or ground waters.
- Maintenance of the quality of surface water and groundwater resources (anti-degradation, complianceThe act or process of complying to a desire, demand, proposal, or regimen or to coercion. maintenance, etc).
The Racine Wastewater Utility is allowed to discharge treated wastewater into Lake Michigan under the guidance and conditions of its WPDES permit. This permit is renewable every five years and sets the stringent conditions and requirementsA thing that is needed or wanted. that determine the degree of treatment that must be provided in order to comply with the regulationsA rule or directive made and maintained by an authority. of the state.
