Environmental assessment of wastewater from food and beverage production in the Romanian urban water cycle

The food and beverage industries are considered essential sources of wastewater contaminated with pollutants discharged into the sewerage networks of cities. This study focused on monitoring the analytical parameters regulated in the environmental legislation in force in Romania for factories with various sectors of activity in the processing industry. The main objective is to understand the presence of conventional contaminants in the effluents from the food and alcoholic beverages industry and raise awareness of the effects of spillage in local networks. The study occurred over three years, between 2020 and 2022 when monthly wastewater samples from factories processing chocolate, meat, and alcohol were monitored. Values that exceed the maximum allowed limits were recorded for the meat processing factory due to the processed raw materials. The effluents resulting from the technological processes of meat processing significantly impact the aquatic environment.