Environmental protection in the sugar industry of eastern Germany

Restructuring of the east German sugar industry began in 1991 with the acquisition from the then privatization agency of the private limited liability companies constituted from the 42 sugar factories in the former GDR by west German and Danish sugar companies. This involved an investment of around DM2.5bn, of which an estimated DM250mn to DM300mn is accounted for by measures directly or indirectly related to environmental protection. Starting from the situation at the time, the advances achie-ved in dealing with emission problems in the areas of noise and air pollution, waste water, and beet soil disposal are illustrated by the examples of a rebuilt existing sugar factory and a newly constructed plant. Particular attention is given to the waste water treatment and air pollution control of the sugar factories in the new east German states. The preferred waste water treatment is by an anaerobic/aerobic installation with acidulation and nitrogen elimination. In the field of air pollution, aside from cutting the amount of waste gas produced by reducing energy requirements, flue gas desulfurization through additives (waste lime cake, white lime hydrate, limestone flour, milk of lime) and flue gas particulate control (electrostatic filters, cyclones, fabric filters, flue gas scrubbers), in particular, have led to a sharp reduction in SO2 and dust emissions.