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:
Fat to rendering groups
Blood into blood products or fertilisers
Bone to fertilisers
Paunch waste to renderers and fertilisers
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:
Contaminant material present in the wastewater which includes traces of blood, paunch waste, oil and grease - all contributing to high Trade Waste charges.
Costly residual Chemical Oxygen Demand/Biochemical Oxygen Demand.
Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen and Suspended Solids post effluent treatment
Total Oxidised Sulphur and suspended solid and semi-solids post effluent treatment extrapolating to non-compliance and significant cost.
Residual Oils, Fats and Grease discharged to the sewage conveyance network behaving as an accumulating organic load leading to Septicity, Odour and Corrosion Issues within the pump wells and the network in general.
All the above lead to increased Maintenance and Labour Costs; increased Operating Costs; and a reduction in the Life of the Plant and its Capital Equipment.
Our Solution
The application of Solutek Natural Bio-Organic Concentrate into selected parts of the wastewater treatment system.
Expected Results
Reduction in Total Suspended Solids.
Substantial reductions in Oil and Grease with a resultant cleaning of wastewater pipes.
Significant reduction in BOD/COD
Reduction or elimination of Odour within the plant.
Reduction in Kjeldahl Nitrogen.
Aerobic and Homogeneous effluent presented to the treatment plant.
Reduction in Operating Energy costs; reduction in maintenance costs and extended plant life.
Other Major Benefits
Our Natural Bio-Organic concentrate is 100% bio-degradable, is user and environmentally safe, non-corrosive, non-hazardous, non-flammable and non-corrosive
Our Organic Concentrates comprise elements extracted from sustainably harvested, naturally occurring kelp. They do not contain ‘live-cell' bacteria (bio-culture) or enzyme concoctions and cannot introduce renegade bacteria into your system
When added to the water used to wash down the floor of the abattoir or processing plant, our Natural Bio-Organic concentrate ensures that, after 12 to 14 weeks use, concrete floors look like they are new - clean of any ground in viscera
Sullage water and water ponds will become clear, lose any malodour and the water my be treated for re-use
Malodour within the processing plant will be eliminated within 5 to 10 days

Food Processing - Abattoir Case Study

M. C. Herd Pty Ltd
Corio, Australia

Background

Our objective was to improve the quality of wastewater from the abattoir
The contaminant material present in the wastewater prior to the introduction of Solutek Natural Bio-Organic Concentrate included traces of blood, paunch waste, oil and grease etc. which contributed to Trade Waste charges
The plant operated a treatment process consisting of Coagulation, twin DAF's, Trickling Filter and Filter Press to treat the effluent produced prior to discharging to the local Water Board sewer.
However:residual Chemical Oxygen Demand/Biochemical Oxygen Demand
- Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
- Total Oxidised Sulphur
- Suspended Solids post effluent treatment
- …..were concerns and extrapolated to periodic non-compliance, resulting in significant costs to the business
The amount of residual Organic loading, once discharged to the sewage conveyance network was potentially leading to septicity, odour and corrosion issues within the network in general

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

Total Flow Rate: 750,000 L/day
Solutek Dose Rate: 16 mg/L (Waste water)
Dosing Points No.: 1 (Main influent pit)
Total Solutek Dose: 12 L/day

Outcomes

Substantial (82%) reduction in Suspended Solids
Substantial (89%) reduction in Oil and Grease
Reduction (66%) in Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen
Reduction (22%) in Chemical Oxygen Demand
Reduction in Odour within the plant

By Roger Holden
Director Media and Communications
Solutions Ecologique Limited