EDITORIAL

Editor: James J. Morgan WASHiNGTON EDITORIAL STAFF Managing Editor: Stanton S. Miller Assistant Editor. Wiiiiam S. Forester Assisrant Editor: Lena C. Gtbney Assistant Editor: Julian Josnnhson MANUSCRIPT REV1 EWI NG Manager: Katherine I . Biggs Editorial Assisiant: David Hanson

MANUSCRIPT EDITING Associate Production Manager:

Charlotte C. Sayre GRAPHICS A N 0 PRODUCTION Head: Bacil Guiley Manager: L t roy L. Corcoran Art Director: Norman Favin Artist: Gerald M. Quinn

Advisory Board: P L. Brezonik, David Jenkins, Charles R . O'Melia, John H. Seinfeld, John W. Winchester

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For author's guide and editorial policy, see June 1974 issue, page 549, or write Katherine I. Biggs, Manuscript Reviewing Office, ES&T

steppingstones Taking the first step in any endeavor is the hardest. It is also the most important as well as the most memorable. It has a lot to do with initiative, as anyone who has ever watched a baby take its first step will agree.

Similarly, some industries are taking their baby steps. For these it is the most important step ever. For all it's the step after which others can be taken. And so it goes with pretreatment, a first step that industries are taking on the long road to zero discharge of pollutants.

ES&Ts Lena Gibney distinguishes compatible pollutants and finds that 31 industries are doing it. At the same time other industries are pretreating their waters, not for disposal but for in-plant use. Feature authors Luttinger and Hoch6 point out that reverse osmosis systems are right on for a number of industries who need ultrapure water. RO systems have already found use for process water for the electronics industry, boiler feed water for utilities, to mention a few.

Many will wonder why these pretreatment steps were not taken earlier. Some will simply point out that there was no requirement to do so; others rely on the economic argument. Pretreatment is a cost factor; it is nonproductive use of revenue.

surfaced. At times it may be difficult to perceive. Nevertheless, it is operative and will continue to strengthen, like an infant's self-assurance and reliance on walking.

What these industries are doing, or being required to do by the Federal Government under P.L. 92-500, is to limit their discharge of certain specified pollutants, those incompatible with the municipal treatment plant connected with that industry. By limiting such discharges, the municipal system is not thrown a curve ball.

begin and others will continue to pretreat waste waters. Competitive systems will become more of a common practice before the dawning of the age of zero discharge of pollutants.

By now, however, an environmental consciousness has

As we move into fiscal year 1975, some industries will

594 Envi ronmenta l Sc ience & Technology