EPA
and Poland
EPA and Poland are involved in more than 30 research
and development projects under the Scientific Activities
Overseas Program, funded by U.S.-owned Polish cur-
rency accrued through the sale of surplus agricultural-
products. The work is coordinated in Poland by the
Ministry of Administration, Local Economy, and En-
vironmental Protection.
Poland has large coal reserves and excellent agricul-
tural land but is seriously deficient in water resources.
Research has therefore concentrated on mining prob-
lems and the efficient use of water.
• EPA and Poltegor, the Polish mining research in-
stitute, are seeking environmentally acceptable
methods to dispose of mining slag and of ash and slag
wastes from coal-fired power plants. These wastes
represent a major land-use problem and contribute to
pollution of Poland's waters. Information from these
projects may contribute to the solution of similar prob-
lems in the United States.
• An EPA—Polish team has tested seven different
techniques for advanced treatment of wastewater from
Polish textile manufacturing plants. One coagulation
process cost about 50 percent less than conventional
methods and required less time. As with all SAO
demonstration projects, the results of this experiment
can be used by American industry without restriction.
• EPA is working with Polish agricultural specialists to
develop techniques for making use of animal wastes
from Poland's hog industry, experimenting with
methods to use the energy and protein content of these
wastes. The ultimate goal is to derive both methane gas
and consumable protein (which is then fed back to the
hogs), and to use the remaining wastewater for fertilizer
and irrigation.
• EPA and Polish scientists are exploring methods of
using effluent from sewage treatment as a coolant in in-
dustrial processes.
A booklet describing these and other projects in
Poland is available from the Office of International Ac-
tivities at EPA.
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