Jim,
I agree 100% on your views (regarding "History repeats itself"). I have seen all too many examples.
One is a mill with a rather over-sized aeration lagoon for effluent treatment, with half a dozen old-style aerators that float on a triangular set of 3 floats upside down. When I enquired the department head advised that when one capsizes, the motor and gearbox are too damaged to be worth fixing. They just install another aerator in and leave the old floater. Often for years I suspect that several finally sank, so are at least out of sight now
Same treatment system was eating a couple of million dollars per year in coagulant chemicals to try to settle out a couple of million dollars/year worth of lost coating material the should never have been discharged to sewer. Also running twice the power cost for a well run effluent treatment system.
Same mill is in constant battle with the environmental regulator, with significant legal fees.
Recently they spent a couple of million to prevent the coating loss, under regulatory pressure, not because anyone in the mill smartened up.
Neil McCubbin****
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