Packers conducting their own rendering operations are probably facing increasing wastewater surcharges for several reasons.
First, increasing environmental concerns are leading to higher surcharges. Second, many meat companies are processing more meat than ever.
Wastewater treatment, however, can vary greatly between big, medium and small packers.
"In a big operation like an IBP or Excel, they would more than likely have a very extensive system with dissolved air flotation and other components" says the marketing manager of one rendering equipment/systems manufacturer. "A large meatpacker will probably run all of its wastewater from the production and rendering area through one large system."
This supplier makes components for wastewater systems that can be used by packers in their own rendering operation-or to recover oils and solids from plant wastewater.
"Ours is not a wastewater system in itself," the marketing manager notes. "Ours is a primary clarifier that can be used as a single unit or as part of a larger system."
He explains that one processor runs its wastewater through his company's gravity separators. The collected oils and solids are then sent to a renderer.
Mechanical separation is a term used when referring to a gravity separator. As the temperature of the water drops, the oils in the water come to the surface and are scraped off. Solid particles will drop to the bottom and are dragged off.
"We're trying to hold that water for one hour, in which case the oils, fats and greases will come to the top and we'll skim them off," he maintains. "The solids that settle out go to the bottom, where we will drag the solids off the unit. A good share of the oils and solids will be removed from the water at that point.
"For many smaller meat plants, that's all that is necessary," he adds. "The water will be cleaner and the local city district will accept it without penalty."
No big move for small plant
As previously mentioned, major packing plants would more likely go to the next step and use larger dissolved air flotation systems. But smaller packers can also upgrade their wastewater system without making that big of a move.
"In smaller meat plants where the wastewater flow rates are much smaller, they can add aeration to our units so their systems become something more than primary clarifying," says the marketing manager. "It begins to act as a secondary system, as well, where we're trying to remove the suspended solids from the water.
"Thirdly, you can add certain chemicals to our unit, which will help to remove more of the suspended solids."
There are reports that a chemical company in Europe has developed chemicals for use in wastewater systems that allow the recovery of fats, oils and solids which can later go on to rendering to be used in animal feed.
At present, chemicals used in wastewater systems result in recovered materials that cannot be included in any type of foodstuffs.
Help for growing pains
As meat production expands at a larger packing plant, the wastewater system at that plant may become inadequate. But thanks to the component concept, the plant does not necessarily need an entirely new wastewater system.
"You can add a gravity separator before the dissolved air flotation system," says the marketing manager. "There again, it will act to take the oils and greases out of the water, thereby, allowing the system to do a better job because the load has been reduced-which lessens the burden of removing heavy amounts of solids and oils out of the water.
"If you go to a larger meatpacking plant, it will have a far more elaborate wastewater system because its flow rates are into the thousands of gallons an hour," he adds.
The marketing manager claims his company makes units that handle a range from 1,000 gallons to 47,000 gallons a day.
"But in some situations, the flow rates can be more than 1 million gallons a day," he adds.
Although he adds that most companies would rather invest money into their production operation, there is always an interest in cutting costs wherever possible, therefore, a good wastewater system will pay for itself.
"If there is a chance to reduce or at least hold the present wastewater surcharges, then packers will begin looking at another system, larger systems or more systems," the marketing manager says.