Abstract:
Methods and systems are disclosed for reducing wastes produced from an industrial process. One embodiment describes communicating with a communications network and acquiring process information concerning the industrial process. A process parameter, associated with a predicted waste output, is predicted according to a predetermined model and based on the process information. The process parameter is then communicated over the communications network.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention generally relates to waste management and, more particularly, to methods and to systems for reducing wastes produced from an industrial process.  
           [0002]    The United States Congress requires the monitoring and the reporting of wastes released into the environment. See Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act §304, 42 U.S.C.A. §11023 (West 1995 &amp; Supp. 2000). Industrial manufacturers must report releases of more than six hundred (600) designated toxic chemicals to the environment. See id. at §11023(g). These reports, called Toxic Release Inventory reports, are then submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency and to state governments. See id. at §11023 (a). These reports are also compiled into a publicly-accessible toxic chemical database. See id. at §11023(h). This database, known as the Toxics Release Inventory, contains information concerning waste management activities and the release of toxic chemicals by facilities that manufacture, process, or otherwise use toxic materials. Citizens, businesses, and governments may then use this information to protect the quality of the land, air, and water.  
           [0003]    Monitoring and reporting these wastes, however, can be a slow, cumbersome, and expensive task. Waste stream monitoring equipment is expensive and requires specialized training and knowledge to operate. This waste stream monitoring equipment also has high installation costs and high maintenance costs. There are also high lead times and high labor costs in gathering waste data and in presenting the waste data in the format required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Once this waste data is gathered and reported, added expenses are incurred to archive thousands of pages of waste documents and of regulatory submissions.  
           [0004]    Even though the waste data is collected and reported, the waste data may not be quickly analyzed to reduce the production of wastes. Because human operators must often slowly and laboriously gather this waste data, days or weeks may pass before the data is analyzed. If the data shows excessive waste production, days or weeks of production have already passed. The manufacturer has missed an opportunity to quickly and efficiently tailor the manufacturing processing to reduce the production of waste. The slow and laborious process of gathering the waste data also causes the manufacturer to unnecessarily suffer increased raw materials costs, increased handling costs, and increased waste treatment and disposal costs.  
           [0005]    There is, accordingly, a need in the art for methods and systems of inexpensively monitoring waste streams, for methods and systems of inexpensively predicting waste production, for methods and systems of quickly reducing the production of wastes, for methods and systems of quickly gathering, formatting, and reporting waste data to regulatory agencies, and for methods and systems that facilitate monitoring and sharing waste data.  
         SUMMARY OF INVENTION  
         [0006]    Methods and systems are disclosed for reducing wastes produced from an industrial process. These methods and systems utilize e-commerce to reduce the costs and the liabilities associated with wastes generated from industrial processes. An integrated six (6) sigma system is discussed that is capable of measuring, analyzing, improving, and controlling process parameters to reduce wastes. These methods and systems utilize communications networks to enhance the transfer of waste data, and other pollution prevention data, between plant sites or between customers.  
           [0007]    One embodiment describes communicating with a communications network and acquiring process information concerning the industrial process. A process parameter, associated with a predicted waste output, is predicted according to a predetermined model and based on the process information. The process parameter is then communicated over the communications network.  
           [0008]    Another embodiment describes a method of displaying industrial waste information from an industrial process. Here process information, concerning the industrial process, is acquired. The process information is acquired from a globally distributed computing network. The process information comprises at least one of i) concentration of a chemical species used by the industrial process, ii) concentration of a pollutant produced by the industrial process, iii) concentration of an effluent discharged from the industrial process, iv) flow rate of the chemical species used by the industrial process, v) flow rate of the pollutant produced by the industrial process, vi) flow rate of the effluent discharged from the industrial process, vii) amount of a chemical species used by the industrial process, viii) amount of a pollutant produced by the industrial process, and ix) amount of an effluent discharged from the industrial process. A process parameter is then acquired that may reduce waste from the industrial process. An image is displayed comprising at least one of the process information and the process parameter.  
           [0009]    A central processing center is also disclosed. The central processing center is for reducing wastes produced by an industrial process. The central processing center includes a Waste Reduction module and a processor. The Waste Reduction module acquires at least one of pollutant information and effluent information communicated along a globally distributed computing network. The pollutant information is associated with pollutants produced by the industrial process, and the effluent information is associated with effluents discharged by the industrial process. The Waste Reduction module predicts, or estimates, process parameters that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process. The processor is capable of predicting, or of estimating, the process parameters that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process.  
           [0010]    A further embodiment describes a waste management system. The waste management system has at least one of i) a source producing a pollutant and ii) a source discharging an effluent. The waste management system has at least one of i) a pollutant monitor for monitoring the pollutant produced by the source and ii) an effluent monitor for monitoring the effluent discharged by the source. The pollutant monitor produces pollutant information and the effluent monitor produces effluent information. A Waste Reduction module acquires at least one of the pollutant information and the effluent information communicated along a communications network. The Waste Reduction module predicts, or estimates, process parameters that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process.  
           [0011]    Still another embodiment describes a system configured for reducing wastes from an industrial process. The system includes a Waste Reduction module and a processor. The Waste Reduction module acquires at least one of pollutant information and effluent information communicated along a globally distributed computing network. The pollutant information is associated with pollutants produced by the industrial process, and the effluent information is associated with effluents discharged by the industrial process. The processor is capable of manipulating the acquired information and of predicting, or of estimating, process parameters that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process.  
           [0012]    A computer program product is also disclosed. The computer program product helps reduce wastes from an industrial process. The computer program product includes a memory storage device and a Waste Reduction module stored on the memory storage device. The Waste Reduction module acquires at least one of pollutant information and effluent information communicated along a globally distributed computing network. The pollutant information is associated with pollutants produced by the industrial process, and the effluent information is associated with effluents discharged by the industrial process. The Waste Reduction module predicts, or estimates, process parameters that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the Waste Reduction module residing in a computer system;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communications network further representing an operating environment for the Waste Reduction module;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of one embodiment of the Waste Reduction module;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the Waste Reduction module;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of still another embodiment of the Waste Reduction module;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of yet another embodiment of the Waste Reduction module;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the Waste Reduction module; and  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a method of displaying industrial waste information from an industrial process.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 1 and 2 depict a possible computer operating environment for an embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment of a Waste Reduction module  20  comprises a computer program that acquires information and that predicts process parameters that may help reduce wastes from an industrial process. As those of ordinary skill in the art of computer programming recognize, computer programs are depicted as process and symbolic representations of computer operations. Computer components, such as a central processor, memory devices, and display devices, execute these computer operations. The computer operations include manipulation of data bits by the central processor, and the memory devices maintain the data bits in data structures. The process and symbolic representations are understood, by those skilled in the art of computer programming, to convey the discoveries in the art.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the Waste Reduction module  20  residing in a computer system  22 . The Waste Reduction module  20  may be stored within a system memory device  24 . The computer system  22  also has a central processor  26  executing an operating system  28 . The operating system  28  also resides within the system memory device  24 . The operating system  28  has a set of instructions that control the internal functions of the computer system  22 . A system bus  30  communicates signals, such as data signals, control signals, and address signals, between the central processor  26 , the system memory device  24 , and at least one peripheral port  32 . Those of ordinary in the art understand that the program, processes, methods, and systems described in this patent are not limited to any particular computer system or computer hardware.  
         [0023]    Those of ordinary skill in art also understand the central processor  26  is typically a microprocessor. Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., for example, manufactures a full line of ATHLON™ microprocessors (ATHLON™ is a trademark of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., One AMD Place, P.O. Box 3453, Sunnyvale, Calif. 94088-3453, 408.732.2400, 800.538.8450, www.amd.com). The Intel Corporation also manufactures a family of X86 and P86 microprocessors (Intel Corporation, 2200 Mission College Blvd., Santa Clara, Calif. 95052-8119, 408.765.8080, www.intel.com). Other manufacturers also offer microprocessors. Such other manufacturers include Motorola, Inc. (1303 East Algonquin Road, P.O. Box A3309 Schaumburg, Ill. 60196, www.Motorola.com), International Business Machines Corp. (New Orchard Road, Armonk, N.Y. 10504, (914) 499-1900, www.ibm.com), and Transmeta Corp. (3940 Freedom Circle, Santa Clara, Calif. 95054, www.transmeta.com). While only one microprocessor is shown, those of ordinary skill in the art also recognize multiple processors may be utilized. Those of ordinary skill in the art further understand that the program, processes, methods, and systems described in this patent are not limited to any particular manufacturer&#39;s central processor.  
         [0024]    The system memory  24  also contains an application program  34  and a Basic Input/Output System (BIOS) program  36 . The application program  34  cooperates with the operating system  28  and with the at least one peripheral port  32  to provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI)  38 . The Graphical User Interface  38  is typically a combination of signals communicated along a keyboard port  40 , a monitor port  42 , a mouse port  44 , and one or more drive ports  46 . The Basic Input/Output System  36 , as is well known in the art, interprets requests from the operating system  28 . The Basic Input/Output System  36  then interfaces with the keyboard port  40 , the monitor port  42 , the mouse port  44 , and the drive ports  46  to execute the request.  
         [0025]    The operating system  28  is WINDOWS® (WINDOWS® is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond Wash. 98052-6399, 425.882.8080, www.Microsoft.com). WINDOWS® is typically preinstalled in the system memory device  24 . Those of ordinary skill in the art also recognize many other operating systems are suitable, such as UNIX® (UNIX® is a registered trademark of the Open Source Group, www.opensource.org), Linux, and Mac® OS (Mac® is a registered trademark of Apple Computer, Inc., 1 Infinite Loop, Cupertino, Calif. 95014, 408.996.1010, www.apple.com). Those of ordinary skill in the art again understand that the program, processes, methods, and systems described in this patent are not limited to any particular operating system.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a communications network  48 . This communications network  48  further represents an operating environment for the Waste Reduction module (shown as reference numeral  20  in FIG. 1). The Waste Reduction module resides within the memory storage device (shown as reference numeral  24  in FIG. 1) in the computer system  22 . The computer system  22  is shown as a server  50 . The server  50  may communicate with a Local Area Network (LAN)  52  along one or more data communication lines  54  or via wireless interfaces. As those of ordinary skill have long understood, the Local Area Network  52  is a grid of communication lines through which information is shared between multiple nodes. These multiple nodes are conventionally described as network computers or network peripherals. As those of ordinary skill in the art also recognize, server  50  could also communicate with a Wide Area Network (WAN)  56  and with a globally-distributed computing network  58  (e.g., the “Internet”). The communications network  48  allows the server  50  to request and to acquire information from many other computers and peripherals connected to the Local Area Network  52 , the Wide Area Network  56 , and the globally-distributed computing network  58 .  
         [0027]    As FIG. 2 shows, the server  50  may request and acquire information from many peripherals and many computers connected to the communications network  48 . The server  50 , for example, may acquire information from an emissions monitor  60 . The emissions monitor  60 , for example, may monitor pollutant emissions emitted from an industrial process. Such emissions may include, but are not limited to, nitrogen oxides (NO X ), carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), nitrous oxide (N 2 O), sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ), volatile organic compounds, and particulate matter. The server  50  could also acquire information from effluent monitor  62 . The effluent monitor  62  monitors effluent streams of air, water, and solids discharged from the industrial process. FIG. 2 also shows that remote users, such as environmental engineers, Environmental Protection Agency regulators, and plant operators, may use a remote computer  64  to access the communications network  48  and to remotely access the server  50 . Because many computers and peripherals may interface with the communications network  48 , peripherals, computers, and computer users may share and communicate a vast amount of information acquired and processed by the Waste Reduction module. The Waste Reduction module acquires this information and uses this information to predict process parameters that may reduce waste from the industrial process.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of one embodiment of the present invention. The Waste Reduction module  20 , as before, resides within the memory storage device  24  of the server  50 . An industrial process, simply shown as block  66 , generically represents all industrial processes. As those of ordinary skill recognize, the industrial process  66  consumes one or more inputs, such as raw materials  68 , water  70 , and energy  72 , and produces wastes, such as solids  74 , wastewater  76 , products  78 , and emissions  80 . At least one monitor  82  measures the wastes and produces pollutant information  84  and effluent information  86 . The pollutant information  84  is associated with pollutants produced by the industrial process  66 . The effluent information  86  is associated with effluents discharged by the industrial process  66 . The pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  are communicated along the communications network  48  to the Waste Reduction module  20  residing within the server  50 . The Waste Reduction module  20  acquires the pollutant information  84  and/or the effluent information  86 . The Waste Reduction module  20  then models the industrial process  66  using the pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86 . The Waste Reduction module  20  predicts or estimates one or more process parameters  88  that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process  66 . The process parameters  88  are communicated along the communications network  48  to the industrial process  66 . Plant personnel, or computer-controlled equipment, may then receive the process parameters  88  and alter the industrial process  66  to help reduce waste. The use of the communications network  48 , therefore, reduces the costs and the liabilities associated with wastes produced by the industrial process  66  and, thereby, enhances process efficiencies.  
         [0029]    The pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  may represent many indications of wastes produced by the industrial process  66 . The pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  could represent industrial process information such concentration of a chemical species used by the industrial process, concentration of a pollutant produced by the industrial process, concentration of an effluent discharged from the industrial process, flow rate of the chemical species used by the industrial process, flow rate of the pollutant produced by the industrial process, flow rate of the effluent discharged from the industrial process, amount of a chemical species used by the industrial process, amount of a pollutant produced by the industrial process, and amount of an effluent discharged from the industrial process. As those of ordinary skill in the art recognize, sometimes the concentration of a pollutant or effluent is difficult to determine. The concentration of a solid in a feed or waste stream, for example, metals and scrap metals, is difficult to determine. Measuring the amount of pollutant or effluent is instead preferred. The pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  could include information concerning an effluent stream of air, an effluent stream of water, and/or an effluent stream of a solid. The pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  would include inorganic materials, acids, heavy metals, and inorganic species used by the industrial process and/or discharged from the industrial process. A species of acid, for example, could include information concerning at least one of hydrochloric acid (HCl), nitric acid (HNO 3 ), perchloric acid (HClO 4 ), sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4 ), phosphoric acid (H 3 PO 4 ), acetic acid (HC 2 H 3 O 2 ), hydrogen fluoride (HF), carbonic acid (H 2 CO 3 ), and any other chemical compound that ionizes in water to provide a hydrogen ion H + . A heavy metal species could include information concerning at least one of lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), and cadmium (Cd). The organic species could include information concerning at least one of an alkane, an alcohol, an ether, an alkene, an alkyne, an aromatic compound, an alkyl halide, an ester, a carboxylic acid, a carbonyl compound, an aldehyde/ketone (e.g., formaldehyde, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone, diethyl ketone), an amine, and an amide. The organic species could include benzene (C 6 H 6 ), toluene (C 6 H 5 CH 3 ), xylene[C 6 H 4 (CH 3 ) 2 ], naphthalene (C 10 H 8 ), dichloromethane (CH 2 Cl 2 ), trichloromethane (CHCl 3 ), styrene, ethylene, phenol, methylene chloride, xylene, and methyl ethyl ketone. The pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  could include information concerning air pollutant emissions produced by the industrial process, information concerning a volatile organic compound produced by the industrial process, and information concerning an ozone depleting compound produced by the industrial process.  
         [0030]    The at least one monitor  82  measures the wastes and produces the pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86 . The term “monitor” includes meters, sensors, and other measuring/metering/sensing devices that acquire, or that indicate, the amount of wastes produced by the industrial process  66 . The term “monitor,” however, also includes any analog-to-digital conversion devices, data acquisition devices, or other electrical/computer enhancements that enable the at least one monitor  82  to acquire and to share the pollutant information  84  and the effluent information  86  along the communications network  48 . See, e.g., The American Heritage Dictionary 810 (1991).  
         [0031]    The Waste Reduction module  20  then arranges modeling of the industrial process  66 . The Waste Reduction module  20  interfaces with various process analysis models and/or process simulation models. These various models determine the process parameters  88  that could reduce, or minimize, the wastes produced by the industrial process. The models, in general, predict the amount of solids  74 , wastewater  76 , products  78 , and emissions  80  produced as one or more of the process parameters  88  are changed. Although these process analysis models and/or process simulation models can be specially-designed for unique or for proprietary industrial processes, several models are commercially available. The Hydromantis GPS-X computer product is one example of wastewater treatment process modeling and simulation technology (Hydromantis, Inc., Suite 302, 1685 Main Street West, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8S 1G5, Tel: (905) 522-0012, www.hydromantis.com  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of another embodiment of the present invention. Here the Waste Reduction module  20  also receives information concerning the inputs to the industrial process  66  and information concerning operating variables for the industrial process  66 . The at least one monitor  82 , for example, monitors the usage of the raw materials  68 , the water  70 , and the energy  72  inputs and generates input usage information  90 . The at least one monitor  82  could also monitor the industrial process  66  itself by receiving feedback control information  92 , such as machine settings, process operating variables, and control data for the industrial process  66 . The input usage information  90  and the feedback control information  92  are communicated along the communications network  48  to the Waste Reduction module  20  residing within the server  50 . The Waste Reduction module  20  acquires the input usage information  90  and the feedback control information  92 , models the industrial process  66 , and then communicates the updated process parameters  88  along the communications network  48  to the industrial process  66 . Plant personnel, or computer-controlled equipment, may then receive the process parameters  88  and alter the industrial process  66  to help reduce waste.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 5 is a schematic drawing of still another embodiment of the Waste Reduction module  20 . FIG. 5 shows the Waste Reduction module  20  could report waste releases and transfers to governmental regulatory agencies. The Waste Reduction module  20  acquires the pollutant information  84 , the effluent information  86 , the input usage information  90 , and the feedback control information  92 . The Waste Reduction module  20  could then format the acquired information to the reporting requirements of a state or federal agency. The Waste Reduction module  20 , for example, could create a toxic release inventory report  94 . The toxic release inventory report  94  could be communicated along the communications network  48  to a regulatory agency  96 . The Waste Reduction module  20  may thus reduce, or even eliminate, the need for plant personnel to monitor and to report waste releases.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing of still another embodiment of the present invention. Here the pollutant information  84 , the effluent information  86 , the input usage information  90 , and the feedback control information  92  are communicated along the communications network  48  to a central processing center  98 . The central processing center  98  would include the server  50  running the Waste Reduction module  20 . The Waste Reduction module  20  acquires any of the pollutant information  84 , the effluent information  86 , the input usage information  90 , and the feedback control information  92 . The Waste Reduction module  20  models the industrial process  66  and predicts the process parameters  88  that may reduce wastes. The process parameters  88 , as before, are communicated along the communications network  48  to the industrial process  66 . The central processing center  98  serves as a remote analysis center for the industrial process  66 . Because the process analysis models and/or process simulation models are often quite complex, local plant personnel may not have the expertise or the resources to analyze waste data. The central processing center  98  would be staffed to analyze waste data, to predict the process parameters  88 , and to generate regulatory reports. The central processing center  98  could also serve as a central document storage facility to store waste data and regulatory reports for subsequent retrieval.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing of yet another embodiment of the present invention. As FIG. 6 suggests, the central processing center  98  could serve more than one industrial process or site. The central processing center  98 , including the server  50  running the Waste Reduction module  20 , could receive waste data from many different plants or processes. The central processing center  98  could then serve as a single waste reduction facility for an entire corporation. The central processing center  98  could also offer waste reduction services on a contractual relationship with process/plant customers. As FIG. 7 shows, the Waste Reduction module  20  could receive waste data  100  from a first industrial process The waste data  100  could include any of the pollutant information, the effluent information, the input usage information, and the feedback control information (shown respectively as reference numerals  82 ,  84 ,  90 , and  92  in FIG. 5). The Waste Reduction module  20  models the first industrial process  102 , predicts the process parameters  88  that may reduce wastes, and sends the process parameters  88  along the communications network  48  to the first industrial process  102 . The Waste Reduction module  20 , likewise, could receive waste data  104  from a second industrial process  106 , predict the process parameters  88 , and send the process parameters  88  along the communications network  48  to the second industrial process  106 . Although only the first industrial process  102  and the second industrial process  106  are shown, those of ordinary skill in the art now understand that the central processing center  98  could serve as many industrial facilities as resources and computing infrastructure permit.  
         [0036]    Because the central processing center  98  could serve many industrial processes, the Waste Reduction module  20  should coordinate modeling. If multiple industrial processes are served, each industrial process would likely have its own unique model and/or modeling parameters. The central processing center  98  would then also maintain a database of models and model parameters, and the Waste Reduction module  20  would access the database for the correct model(s) corresponding to the industrial process. The central processing center  98  could also maintain one or more databases for storing process inputs, waste data, operating parameters, and regulatory emissions reports.  
         [0037]    The Waste Reduction module  20  could also be advantageous for emissions trading programs. As the Environmental Protection Agency allows, affected sources of pollutant emissions can buy and sell emission allowances on the open market. See Clean Air Act (Title IV, Acid Rain Program) §401, 42 U.S.C.A. §7651(b) (West 1995 &amp; Supp. 2000). Participants in this market-based system for buying and selling emissions allowances can use the Waste Reduction module  20  to track, monitor, and report waste emissions. Participants could also use the Waste Reduction module  20  to verify the allowances offered by other participants. Participants could access website, via the communications network  48 , and view emissions trading allowances offered by other participants. The Waste Reduction module  20  thus provides a single, on-line source for verifying, buying, and selling emissions allowances.  
         [0038]    [0038]FIG. 8 is a flowchart describing a method of displaying industrial waste information from an industrial process. Process information is acquired from a globally distributed computing network (Block  108 ). The process information could comprise at least one of i) concentration of a chemical species used by the industrial process, ii) concentration of a pollutant produced by the industrial process, iii) concentration of an effluent discharged from the industrial process, iv) flow rate of the chemical species used by the industrial process, v) flow rate of the pollutant produced by the industrial process, and vi) flow rate of the effluent discharged from the industrial process. A process parameter is also acquired (Block  110 ). An image is displayed (Block  112 ). The image comprises at least one of the process information and the process parameter. A computer user may request a dynamic update of the image (Block  114 ), or the image may be updated independent of intervention by a user (Block  116 ).  
         [0039]    The Waste Reduction module  20  may be physically embodied on or in a computer-readable medium. This computer-readable medium may be CD-ROM, DVD, tape, cassette, floppy disk, memory card, and a large-capacity disk (such as IOMEGA® ZIP®, JAZZ®, and other large-capacity memory products) (IOMEGA®, ZIP®, and JAZZ® are registered trademarks of Iomega Corporation, 1821 W. Iomega Way, Roy, Utah 84067, 801.332.1000, www.iomega.com). This computer-readable medium, or media, could be distributed to end-users, licensees, and assignees. These types of computer readable media, and other types not mentioned here but considered within the scope of the present invention, allow the Waste Reduction module  20  to be easily disseminated. A computer program product for reducing wastes from an industrial process includes the Waste Reduction module  20  stored on a memory storage device. The Waste Reduction module  20  acquires at least one of pollutant information and effluent information communicated along a globally distributed computing network. The pollutant information is associated with pollutants produced by the industrial process, and the effluent information is associated with effluents discharged by the industrial process. The Waste Reduction module  20  models the industrial process and predicts process parameters that may reduce wastes produced by the industrial process.  
         [0040]    While the present invention has been described with respect to various features, aspects, and embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art, and those unskilled, will recognize the invention is not so limited. Other variations, modifications, and alternative embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.