A Natural Bio-Organic Wastewater Treatment for the Meat Processing Industry

Bio-Organic Wastewater Treatment Abattoir Case Study

Following our first blog: "Natural Bio-Organic treatment for wastewater - an environmental and financial imperative", we have begun a series of discussions on the merits of Natural Bio-Organic practices generally in wastewater treatment. This blog looks at the meat processing industry and includes a specific case study at an abattoir in Australia.

One of the main difficulties when discussing wastewater treatment within the meat processing industry is the variety of conditions that have to be faced.

The industry includes the slaughtering of animals and fowl; processing of the carcasses into meat products (cured, canned, etc.); and the rendering of inedible and discarded remains into useful by-products, such as lards and oils. A wide range of processes are used and remember, an average of 35% of the animals' weight is considered ‘waste'.

Efficient operators ensure they process the entire animal:

But if the meat processor doesn't have a way of collecting any of these groups or cannot find a buyer for it, they often just grind it up and send it down the drain. This act not only imposes a huge strain on the environment but also attracts significant trade waste charges.

The variety of different animal types included in the industry also cause huge variations in the wastewater content

The industry has the potential for generating large quantities of solid waste and wastewaters with a biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) level of 600 milligrams per litre (mg/L) are not unusual: This can be as high as 8,000 mg/L) or 10 to 20 kilograms per metric ton (kg/t) of slaughtered animal. Suspended solids levels of 800 mg/l and higher can occur, as well as the generation of offensive odours.

The amounts of wastewater generated and the resulting pollutant load depend on the kind of meat being processed. For example, the processing of gut has a major impact on the quantity and quality (BOD and COD levels) of wastewater generated.

The wastewater from a slaughterhouse can contain blood, manure, hair, fat, feathers, and bones. The wastewater may have a high temperature, and may contain organic material and nitrogen content. It may contain pathogens, including Salmonella and Shigella bacteria, parasite eggs, and amoebic cysts.

Pesticide residues may be present from treatment of animals or their feed. Chloride levels may be very high (up to 77,000 mg/L) from curing and pickling processes. Smoking operations can release toxic organics into the air. Rendering is an evaporative process that produces a condensate stream with a foul odour.

Our subject - Natural Bio-Organic solutions to wastewater issues - means we need to address as many of these problems as possible. However, slaughterhouses do vary immensely from culture to culture and place to place and, depending on the exact style, type and manner of animal despatch and the subsequent handling of the carcass, the amount of natural bio-organic product required needs to be adjusted so as to develop, over a period of some months, an optimum dosing solution. Further, real time monitoring of effluent flows, if possible by electronic sensors that can handle this type of continuous monitoring, would allow for an optimum dosing result to develop.

In summary, a Natural Bio-Organic concentrate tries to address the following wastewater issues:

Our Solution

The application of Solutek Natural Bio-Organic Concentrate into selected parts of the wastewater treatment system.

Expected Results

Other Major Benefits

Food Processing - Abattoir Case Study

M. C. Herd Pty Ltd
Corio, Australia

Background

Results

Following the introduction of Solutek Natural Bio-Organic Concentrate to the wastewater, significant reductions were found in Suspended Solids, Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen and Chemical Oxygen Demand. There was a significant reduction in odour and in oil and grease.

Details and Outcomes

Details

Outcomes

By Roger Holden
Director Media and Communications
Solutions Ecologique Limited

www.soleco-technology.com