Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-10-18
How Waste is Turned into
Money.

In discussion of waste utilization it
is customary to begin with that shining
example Of what can be accomplished
along these lines-the coal-tar industry.
A few years ago the thick, black. viscid
liquid which condenses in the pipes
during the distillation of gas from coal,
was not only waste and useless, but its
removal was positive nuisance and
source of trouble and expense. Today
this tar on further distillation yields a
series of products each of which is the
basis for valuable chemical manufac-
ture. Among these products are par
affine, naptha, benZol, creosote, an
thracene, carbolic acid, napthalene. and
pitch. Basic oil of coal tar is the
source of the analine colors. the various
hues of which are due to the oxidation
of aniline by means of acids or other
chemicals. The utilization of some of
these products has called into being
entirely new industries in the manufac
ture of dyes, perfumes, medicaments,
antiseptics, paving materials and fuels
1t is undoubtedly true that no branch
of science has contributed more to our
knowledge of the waste values than
than chemistry, and very large
number of the great advances have
been made along chemical lines. One
of the most important of these was LIE
Blanc's discovery that the treatment of
chloride of sodium common salt-with
sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid and
sulphate of soda. This led to the up
building of one of the worlds greatest
industries of today, that of soap max
ing. which formerly had been limited
to the soda derived from the sulphuric
acid manufacture. Hydrochloric acid.
at first waste, was soon found to be
valuable agent in bleaching. Original
ly, however. this use was not extensive,
and it was necessary to employ de-
composing agent to obtain the chlorine
from the acid. This agent was binoXide
of manganese; and while the products OF
the decomposition other than chlorine
were at first allowed to go to waste, a
complete system of reclamation was
soon developed.
The use of furnace Stag, in former
years not only useless but expensive to
to remove as well, is becoming more
general for various commercial pur
poses, and the field for further develop
ment is excellent. At present. quanti-
ties of this material are made into
bricks. paving stones, cements, and
used as fertilizer. Stag wool, made by
blowing steam through stream of
melted Stag, is splendid heat-insulat-
ing material. The heat in the Stag as
it runs from the furnace has also been
used in various ways. A good example
of metallurgical waste utilization is
found in the production of pure tin,
good weldable iron, ammoniac, and
Prussian blue, from the waste clippings
Of white iron. The introduction OF the
gas engine offers excellent means for |
employing waste blast-furnace gases, |
though these have previously been made |
use of in other ways.
Few indeed are the industries which |
have developed utilization of by-pro- |
ducts to such a state of perfection as |
has the slaughtering industry. 1t is no |
to say that the animal |
slaughtered is used from the tip of the |
horn to the hair at the end of the tail |
The quantity and variety of the pro-
ducts from formerly useless portions of |
the carcasses are almost incredible. |
Some of these are gelatine. glue, |
fertilizers, hair, bristles. meats foot oil, |!
bones horns, hoofs, glands, and mem
branes from which are obtained pepsin.
thymus, thyroids, pancreatin, parotid |
substances, capsules, ETC.; soap-stock, |
glycerine, isinglass, albumen. and |
hides, skins. wool, and intestines.-Sci |
Am.