Opportunities For Reducing Cost of Waste

Opportunities for Reducing Cost and Intensity of
Waste Production in the Australian Dairy

Processing Sector
Prepared for:
Mr Ian Olmstead
Program Manager - Manufacturing Innovation & Sustainability - Trade &
Industry Strategy
Dairy Australia, Level 5, IBM Centre, 60 City Road, Southbank, Victoria,
3006
Prepared by:
Isle Utilities
Acknowledgments
Thanks to the following key contributors to study:
 Ian Olmstead
 Michael Robinson
 Jason Briffa
 Colleen Gates
 Jenny Downey
 Allan Box
 Sean Trebley
 Neil Rosier
Disclaimer
Isle does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise
technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Isle research publications
consist of the opinions of Isle’s research organisation and should not be construed as statements of fact. Isle
disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of
merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
Contents
Executive Summary 5
Background 7
Technology selection 9
Upstream Waste Reduction 11
Wastewater Treatment for Waste Reduction 17
Sludge Treatment for Waste reduction 23
Government Policy Developments for Waste Reduction 27
Government Financial Support / Incentive Schemes 29
Appendix A 33
Appendix B 35
Appendix C 39
Appendix D 41
Abbreviations
AS Activated Sludge
BOD Biochemical Oxygen Demand
CAPEX Capital Expenditure
CIP Clean in place
COD Chemical Oxygen Demand
DAF Dissolved Air Flotation
DS Dry solids
EC Electro coagulation
FOG Fat, Oil, Grease
IAF Induced Air Floatation
MABR Membrane Aerated Bioreactor
MBR Membrane bioreactor
MBBR Moving bed bioreactor
OPEX Operational Expenditure
TSS Total Suspended Solids
UASB Upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor
Executive Summary
Australian dairy processors are striving towards wide range of water qualities achieved. The largest
improved sustainability and corporate responsibility savings of trade waste charges can be made through
though reduced waste organic and solid/ packaging- technologies which reduce flow and BOD. Suspended
related material. As part of this, they have voluntarily solids however, can also make up a significant
committed to reduction targets with respect to a proportion of disposal cost. It is therefore logical that the
number of environmental indicators through their treatment option selected should reflect the area of
participation in the Australian Dairy Industry’s greatest cost saving based on its treatment ability (e.g.
Sustainability Framework. This study is intended to Creative Water Technology for BOD and SS removal as
assist dairy processors in the task of achieving these well as flow reduction).
targets by providing information about emerging
Interestingly, while it may not always be suitable to
technologies that have potential to assist dairy
replace existing processes, there are emerging
processors in their pursuit of reducing the economic
opportunities to retrofit technologies which make the
and environmental cost of disposing organic and
overall system more efficient. An example is the
solid/packaging-related material.
Enviplan Aquatector system which can be installed into
A large quantity of technologies and techniques were existing DAF systems. Such an approach may be
considered for their potential to reduce waste suitable for sites with a small footprint or as a cost-
production as well as reduce waste through treatment. effective upgrade to improve final effluent quality.
These were then filtered to produce a list of seventy-
Many more advanced wastewater treatment processes
five potentially promising technologies. Fifteen
can provide a water quality that would only need
technologies were then short-listed based on a set of
minimal polishing to provide high quality water for re-
selection criteria and examined further through
use. Re-use would also be a way to reduce trade
discussions with Dairy Australia to identify and
waste charges associated with water volume, and
prioritise seven key technologies of interest. These are
water could be re-used in several areas on sites such
detailed within this report.
as wash down of equipment or floors, or even toilet
The technologies are split into three main categories: flushing.
upstream waste reduction (organic and packaging
Sludge treatment
waste); wastewater treatment and sludge reduction.
The technologies investigated are commercially Sludge overall did not seem to be a major issue for
available, though many are based outside of Australia. members who could store the sludge, send to
composting or dispose of as animal feed. The
Each technology of the seven prioritised has been
requirement though for more advanced wastewater
profiled in detail in the report and evaluated in terms of
treatments, either for water re-use or minimising trade
cost effectiveness versus waste reduction potential.
effluent costs, will potentially lead to greater amounts of
The remaining shortlisted technologies are profiled in
sludge being produced. This may also be coupled with
the Appendices.
the need to ensure organic wastes are diverted from
Upstream waste reduction landfill, therefore driving a move towards reduction of
volumes and alternative disposal.
Upstream waste reduction is mainly driven by the
desire to reduce the amount of product that is lost as In the short term though, those companies who are not
this has the biggest financial impact in terms of both already doing so can change chemicals used upstream
upfront costs and backend wastewater to food grade or use chemical free treatment
treatment/disposal cost. This can be achieved either processes to provide greater options for disposal (e.g.
though better operated CIP processes or more intense as animal feed).
monitoring of the production process. This is typically
There are also many opportunities to reduce the
achieved through ongoing process optimisation
moisture content in the sludges to reduce trucking cost
activities but it can be supported through new CIP
via dewatering (e.g. AMCON Volute) and
techniques (e.g. Suez Ice Pigging) and monitoring
destruction/drying technologies (e.g. Pyreg).
equipment (e.g. Alvim and Arenal PCS sensors).
Alternative waste disposal options
In terms of packaging waste, dairy processors have
the ongoing challenge of working with the supply chain Packaging waste without a clear recycling route
to source more recyclable and sustainable options. appears to be a particular challenge for dairy
Resource recovery of unrecyclable material, however, processors. In the course of this study, packaging
offers the potential to divert waste from landfill. washing technologies were raised as a good option for
dairy processors to increase waste diversion rates to
Wastewater treatment
recycling facilities, especially where landfill levies are
Wastewater treatment is a complex space with a huge high. There is also the option to get involved in the
range of options for a huge variety of scenarios, with a CSIRO ASPIRE (Advisory System for Processing,
5 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Innovation & Resource Exchange) program - an online
marketplace which intelligently matches businesses
with potential remanufacturer, purchasers or recyclers
of waste resources.
Future technologies
Several technologies were evaluated as part of this
project but were deemed at too early stage of
development. For instance, MABR (Membrane aerated
bioreactors) shows future potential for wastewater
treatment as it is robust, has a good treatment ability
and has low energy consumption. There are also some
interesting technologies being developed at CSIRO
such as Forward Osmosis for extracting/thickening
products and using resins to extract useful
components from waste.
Opportunities for Reducing Cost and Intensity of Waste Production in the Australian Dairy Processing Sector 6
Background
The Australian dairy processing sector produces utilisation etc) and waste management costs (i.e.
significant amounts of organic waste and solid/ storage and handling, treatment/stabilisation,
packaging-related material at its processing sites as by- compliance testing etc). The sum of these costs is often
products of ongoing operations. Both types of wastes poorly understood. What is clear is trade waste costs
take on many forms and vary from site to site based on and landfill costs have risen considerably in recent
the scale of production and mix of dairy products years while at the same time regulators such as EPA
produced. An indication of typical waste streams Victoria are placing greater scrutiny on organic waste
generated from a large dairy processing site might, management and disposal practices – thereby
however, include: potentially increasing the costs of regulatory compliance.
– Organic waste streams: Apart from the obvious commercial drivers for reducing
the cost of waste, many the largest Australian
– Off-spec raw milk/intermediates/final product
processors have also recognised that demonstrating
– Process first flush/product changeover the principles of sustainability and corporate social
responsibility are key to maintaining a social licence to
– Out of date final product
operate and is increasingly influencing consumer
(packaged/unpackaged)
behaviour. As such, these companies have also
– Process by-products (i.e. whey, mother liquor, voluntarily committed to reduction targets with respect
lactose concentrate) to a number of environmental indicators through their
participation in the Australian Dairy Industry
– Wastewater:
Sustainability Framework. Specifically, these reduction
– Wastewater treatment by-products targets include;
– Dissolved/induced air flotation sludge – Target 9: Reduce the consumptive water intensity
of dairy manufacturers by 20%
– Aerobic treatment sludge
– Based on a 2010/11 baseline of 1.75 litres of
– Anaerobic digestion sludge
water per litre of milk processed
– Solid/Packaging-related waste streams:
– Target 10: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions
– Plastic/paper powder bags intensity by 30%
– Film wraps – Based on a 2010/11 baseline of 178.7 tonnes of
CO2-e per ML milk processed
– Cardboard
– Includes Scope 1 and 2 emissions
– Metal
– Target 11: Reduce waste to landfill by 40%
– Timber/pallets
– Based on a 2010/11 baseline of 2.69 tonnes of
– Residual packaging from off-spec product
waste per ML of milk processed
The dairy processors who have made commitments to
The disposal routes for these waste streams is varied these targets report on progress each year and
and often costly. For organic wastes, processors pay substantial in-roads have been made towards
volume/load-based charges for disposal to trade achievement of the goals set. Further work needs to be
waste/sewer, landfill, or compost. Costs can also be done, however, and the industry continues to monitor
incurred for re-use of some of the organics as stock feed and act upon evolving risks and opportunities which
– either due to de-packaging, transport and/or off-take might hinder or support progress.
agreement costs. Costs are also incurred for disposal
One vehicle for supporting processor’s progress
and/or irrigation to land – both in terms of
towards meeting the manufacturing-based Framework
transport/pumping infrastructure and environmental
targets is the Dairy Manufacturer’s Sustainability
monitoring/testing. For solid/ packaging-related wastes,
Council (DMSC). The DMSC is a membership based
in many instances these can be diverted from landfill
community of practice which includes eight core dairy
and recycled/re-purposed. However, there are still
processors. These members include: Devondale
significant packaging waste streams that end up in
Murray Goulburn, Lion Dairy and Drinks, Parmalat
landfill and, as such, processors incur waste
Australia, Warrnambool Cheese & Butter, Bega Cheese,
management and landfill-related costs to their business.
Bulla Dairy Foods, Norco Foods, and Fonterra Australia.
The true cost of waste production for dairy processors, Most of these DMSC members contribute data to the
however, does not just include the final cost of disposal Framework and all of them have an interest in improving
but also costs associated with wasted production inputs the environmental performance of their businesses as
(i.e. milk, ingredients, water, energy, labour, capital well as the overall sustainability of the industry. In

bringing together the environmental, sustainability and
energy managers from the member companies to
discuss progress, evaluate technologies and share
knowledge/experiences with respect to environmental
compliance or performance, the DMSC acts as a
technical working group for the manufacturing related
aspects of the Sustainability Framework. Dairy Australia
supports and manages the DMSC on behalf of its
members.
In order to support the DMSC and the Australian dairy
processing sector in achieving its reduction targets 9
through to 11, Dairy Australia is commissioning an
annual series of study reports which provide a summary
brief to DMSC members on the global risks and
opportunities which are arising that might hinder or
support progress. These reports will look to cover three
main areas of influence on these targets; emerging
technology, policy developments, and funding
availability.
The objective of this study and report is to provide a brief
overview of the current state of the Australian dairy
processing industry, provide a short list of potential
technologies that can provide a reduction in the cost and
intensity of waste production. Also, it provides funding
avenues and a summary of current/upcoming national
and international policy developments which provide
opportunities for reducing intensity of waste production
in the Australian dairy processing sector.
Technology selection
Technology Selection Criteria

The study conducted a global scan to identify emerging
technologies with potential to reduce cost and intensity
of waste production for dairy processors. ‘Emerging’
was defined as commercially available but with no or
low level of take-up by the Australian dairy sector.
Technologies were selected to meet the following
criteria, within the Australian context:
– Judged as being beyond current typical good
practice in Australia
– Assessed as being potentially cost-effective
now or in the near term
– Commercially available
– Demonstrated as applicable to Australian dairy
milk processors
– Will result in materially-significant savings to
waste production intensity of management costs
– Practical to implement
Identified Technologies (and Techniques)

The approach taken to identifying emerging
technologies involved consultation with a body of dairy
industry technology developers and equipment
suppliers. Data was collected from:
– Dairy Australia
Figure 1 Technology selection at a glance
– Isle Utilities’ technology database
These technologies were then narrowed down to
– Industry analysts approximately 5 technologies per category and the
– Technology suppliers to the industry selection criteria used is shown in Table 1 below.
– Research institutions Table 1 Criteria for technology selection
– Overseas technology suppliers Selection criteria Description

– Technical literature and Description
Selection criteria
– Publicly available literature. Applicability Technologies that are applicable to the food
and beverage industry with a focus on dairy
Over 75 technologies and techniques with potential to processing
reduce waste production intensity within a dairy Technology Technologies that are well developed and
processing facility were identified and considered for a development available to the market for waste reduction and
treatment (though they may not be already
more detailed analysis. These technologies were split used in dairy processing)
into three main categories: Uniqueness Technologies that are not widely used in the
dairy industry but provide a potential
– Upstream waste reduction (organic and
improvement in waste management
packaging waste)
Relevance and Case Technologies that have case studies in the
– Wastewater treatment Studies food and beverage industry that are relevant to
dairy processing
– Sludge treatment
A breakdown of how these technologies are spread DMSC Members waste survey
across the three areas is shown in Figure 1 below.
In October 2016 Dairy Australia consulted the DMSC
to understand problematic organic wastes and to
assess the value of co-funding a Meat and Livestock

Australia project aimed at exploring opportunities for
adding or recovering value from organic food
processing waste streams. A survey conducted at the
time provided a high-level overview of the main
concerns faced by the DMSC members and a
snapshot is summarised in the Figure 2 below.
Total Level of Concern Regarding

Waste Types
Process 'first flush'

Anaerobic digestion
Aerobic treatment
product streams
DAF/IAF sludges or
Out of date/off spec
Lactose Concentrate
Out of spec raw
Mother Liquor and

product streams
sludge
similar
sludge
Figure 2 Results of DMSC waste survey
DMSC members expressed a clear concern at the time

with respect to DAF/IAF sludges from wastewater
treatment, but also organic streams associated with
product loss. These results helped to inform the
current study and the technologies shortlisted.
Technologies considered were therefore broken up
into three categories; a) those which can minimise the
chance of off spec products, b) those which produce
less or different type of sludge from a different process,
or c) those which treat the sludge.
DMSC Members discussions

A number of DMSC kindly gave up their time to provide
information on their waste sources, waste treatment
processes and disposal routes. These members were:
– Parmalat
– Bulla
– Norco
– Lion
– Bega Cheese
– Fonterra
A summary of the members’ experiences is included
under each technology category section.
Upstream Waste Reduction
Figure 3 is an overview of the perceived barriers to

DMSC members experiences
innovation and potential opportunities
The discussions with DMSC members covered:
Upstream waste sources
– Upstream waste sources such as CIP, tainted
Based on the discussions with Dairy Australia and the
product disposal and general washing of
DMSC, three clear areas within upstream waste
equipment;
reduction surfaced:
– CIP systems operation, chemicals used and
– CIP
optimisation techniques;
– Product loses
– Production losses and methods employed to
reduce and recover these waste streams where – Packaging
possible;
Potential technologies in these areas were investigated
– Packaging waste from raw products as well as and were shortlisted to 5 using the criteria described in
from the final product packaging process. the table above “Criteria for technology selection”
In particular, many members expressed a desire to Figure 4 below shows the areas that waste reduction
improve their CIP systems in an effort to minimise could be achieved and an overlay of the technologies
product loss and also employ chemical recovery, shortlisted.
though this was very much part of ongoing optimisation
and improvements being undertaken by each company.
Packaging waste was mostly being recycled where
possible, though there were issues with unrecyclable Upstream
waste and therefore a desire exists to widen the Waste
packaging options available. Also recycling abilities
tended to be location specific due different waste
handlers in different areas taking different types of
waste and different levels of contamination. CIP Product Loses Packaging
•Opportunity - Low
cost monitoring to Arenal PCS
improve CIP and Diverting from
Cost process operation
justificat- Landfill
Optimising Monitoring
ion •Opportunity - Use of
cleaning
membranes for the
proceses
recovery of ResourceCo
chemicals Alvim
Suez Ice
Pigging
•Opportunity - BioIonix
Increase monitoring Disinfection
Product-
to reduce product
ion focus
loss on start up /shut
Figure 4 Waste sources and technology opportunities
down
for waste minimisation
• Opportunity - Work
with packaging
suppliers to inform
them of
Lack of requirements
options • Opportunity - Work
with waste
companies to find
routes for
unrecyclable wastes
Figure 3 Perceived barriers to innovation in upstream
waste reduction

The technologies selected are described in more detail A summary of the cost effectiveness of the
in Table 2 below technologies:
Table 2 Shortlist of upstream waste reduction – ALVIM - low cost, widely applicable across
technologies many areas of dairy manufacturing
Company Description – Arenal PCS - moderate cost, evaluate per site
name to understand extent of biofilm problem and
potential savings
Suez Ice A simple technique for cleaning pipes by
pigging pumping a thick ice slurry through piping to – BioIonix - high cost, niche market, evaluate per
act as an “ice pig” - providing enhanced site to understand process suitability and
cleaning shear on the pipe walls, and which
easily adapts to the local topology of the
potential savings
pipe (i.e. expansions, reductions, branches, – Suez Ice Pigging - medium cost, evaluate per
valves and fittings)
Alvim The ALVIM real-time, on line biofilm
site to understand potential savings based on
monitoring system is able to detect bacterial number of CIP runs
colonisation of surfaces from the initial
phase (down to 1% of surface coverage) – Resource Co - cost neutral (worst case),
Arenal PCS Arenal PCS produce an analyser for the applicable in South Australia and soon in NSW
online monitoring of COD and TSS in
industrial wastewater (both organic and
inorganic contaminants). The analyser
incorporates sensors based on two
Technologies prioritised
techniques: ultrasonic sonochemistry and
Following detailed discussions with Dairy Australia, the
conductivity measurement.
BioIonix BioIonix has developed an electrochemical most applicable technologies, with the greatest potential
process that is primarily used in food cost benefit were prioritised and these were:
processing applications to disinfect process
liquids and in many cases also products. – Suez Ice Pigging
The BioIonix process treats contaminants by
applying an electrochemical field in the – ALVIM
liquid as it passes through a reactor. – Arenal
ResourceCo ResourceCo manufacture process
engineered fuel (PEF) from commercial and On the next pages are summary descriptions of each of
industrial, and construction and demolition
the prioritised technologies including information on:
materials. These typically include but are not
limited to timber, metals, plastics, – Applicability
cardboard, paper and bedding, plus some
concrete, bricks and rubble. – Effectiveness of the technology
– Case Studies
Cost and waste reduction technology mapping
– Indicative costs
The technologies were mapped in Figure 5 Figure 5 to
– Contact details of the supplier
provide an indication of cost effectiveness and is
based only an indicative cost information because in ResourceCo were also highlighted as a potential
many cases cost is site dependent. technology of interest because of the diversion of non-
recyclable waste from landfill, though it will only be
Increased product applicable for members who are located close to
No applications in recovery and reduced Adelaide. ResourceCo though have plans to build a
dairy, but two at water use second plant in NSW in the near future therefore it may
breweries become a more widely available option. Information on
this technology and the others that were not prioritised
Arenal Suez - ice can be found in Appendix A.
PCS pigging
Waste reduction
Alternative options for packaging waste

Resource Packaging Washing to increase recycling
ALVIM Co
In certain locations, plastics that are contaminated with
BioIonix organics are unable to be recycled and therefore are
sent to landfill. An alternative solution is to invest in
Mainly applicable
Application at a for cheese packaging washing to ensure a greater amount of
yogurt factory processing plastic is diverted to recycling. An example of where this
Cost has been successful is at an Ingham Enterprises plant
Figure 5 Mapping of upstream technologies in Queensland which introduced plastic washing and
shredding, diverting an additional 20 tonnes per month
from landfill.
Database of potential waste disposal options
CSIRO ASPIRE (Advisory System for Processing,
Innovation & Resource Exchange)
– An online marketplace which intelligently
matches businesses with potential
remanufacturer, purchasers or recyclers of
waste resources.
– This project is currently active but not in all
areas of the country. Click here for more details.
Conclusions
Upstream waste reduction is mainly driven by the
desire to reduce the amount of product that is lost as
this has the biggest financial impact in terms of both
upfront costs and a backend wastewater
treatment/disposal cost. This can be achieved either
though better operated CIP processes or more intense
monitoring of the production process. It will mainly will
be part of an ongoing optimisation task that will need to
be undertaken by most dairy producers but it can be
supported through new CIP techniques and monitoring
equipment.
CIP Process
There are improvements to the operation of CIP that
can be made, such as recovering cleaning chemicals
(e.g. caustic) that are becoming more common.
Technologies such as Suez Ice Pigging though have a
high potential to reduce water, are ready to go and
could be validated through demonstration followed by
implementation
Product waste
Specific monitoring, such as for COD, conductivity or
biofilm would be most effective at identifying either
unplanned product wastage or contamination which
may lead to product loss.
Packaging
Dairy processors have the ongoing challenge of
working with the supply chain to source more
recyclable and sustainable packaging. Resource
recovery though of unrecyclable material will be a
potentially interesting area in the future.

Suez Ice Pigging
A simple technique for cleaning pipes and ducts by pumping through a thick ice
slurry
Technology highlights:
 70-99% product recovery
 Shorter cleaning cycles and minimal process downtime
 Reduced effluent volume and cleaning costs
Description: The ice slurry forms an “ice pig” which provides enhanced cleaning shear on the pipe walls, and easily
adapts to the local topology of the pipe. It differs from conventional solid pigging in that the Ice Pig is capable of
navigating complex pipework which may incorporate changes in pipe diameter, bends, valve systems, heat
exchangers and other obstructions with no risk of becoming stuck. The Ice Pig is composed of fine ice crystals and a
carrier fluid containing an additive used to maintain the correct fluid characteristics. In most cases the additive can be
an ingredient already used in the product.
Applicability: Effectiveness of the Technology

 Ice pigging was originally developed by Bristol University  Product recovery can range between
(UK) as a solution for pipe cleaning in the potable water 70-99%, depending on the product,
industry compared to 20-30% in traditional CIP
 The technology applies itself well to the first cleaning processes
step of CIP and can easily retrofitted into place  Typically, 180L of water is used per
 Applicable to pipe diameters ranging from 5mm to clean with the ice pig
300mm
 The technology has been proven in the Food and
Beverage industry in Europe, though there have been no
applications in this area in Australia
Case Studies
 Yeo Valley (UK) - Ice Pigging was used to remove a custard product from production machinery. Compared to
the usual flushing process, the process could recover an additional 50 litres of product per run, which was 75%
of the product in the line.
 Food manufacturing client - Ice Pigging was used for the removal and recovery of a thick and creamy cake
topping from production lines while also significantly reducing their water consumption and the amount of
effluent produced. Per week the process saves 124,000 litres of water, 121,000 litres of effluent and an
additional 16,000 litres in product recovered.
Indicative costs
 AQL500 system costs approximately $380,000 depending on the hygiene specification. This does not include
the cost of installing valves and pipework in the factory to distribute the ice
 Suez can provide a detailed business case of the potential cost benefits of the technology if they have details
of the frequency of the CIP, pipe lengths/diameters, product value etc
 An example of the cost benefits of the process using a theoretical situation is shown in Appendix D
Contact details of supplier:

Australian Contact: UK Contact:
Stuart Gowans Martin Herbert
General Manager Business Development Ice Pigging Process Engineer
SUEZ Water & Treatment Solutions SUEZ Water UK
Tel: +61 (0) 2 8759 7918 Tel: +44 (0) 1454 804040
Mob: +61 (0) 408 720350 DDI: +44 (0) 117 332 0461
Email: [email protected] Mob: +44 (0) 7761 158113
Website: https://www.ice-pigging.com/en Email: [email protected]
ALVIM – Biofilm monitoring system
Real-time, on line biofilm monitoring system that is able to detect bacterial
colonisation of surfaces from the initial phase
 Low cost
 Biofilm more representative of biology in pipework
 Discriminates between biofilm and other kinds of deposit
Description: Biofilm is a major problem in many fields, increasing the corrosion rate of metals and the resistance of
bacteria to sanitation treatments. The ALVIM real-time, on line biofilm monitoring system is able to detect bacterial
colonisation of surfaces from the initial phase (down to 1% of surface coverage). These measurements can be
utilised to automatically adjust, optimise and/or monitor the efficacy of disinfection/sanitation processes. It is based on
sophisticated electrochemical measurement of oxygen reduction kinetics on a metal surface, coupling advanced
analogue signal conditioning with a digital, microprocessor-driven stage.

Specific applications of ALVIM’s system include:  Biofilm growth is detected when it grows
 Analysis of biofouling growth (frequency and intensity) directly on the surface of the sensor,
in various locations through the process including therefore positioning in the process is
cooling water systems and heat exchangers; crucial
 Comparative evaluation of different biocides  Increase in signal once 1% of the surface
is covered by biofilm
A project was undertaken with a UK university to provide  Typically takes a minimum of 8 hours to
information on the representativeness of the ALVIM system. detect growth but this is dependent on
The project compared the bacteria growth on the sensor with flow, temperature and cleaning products
growth on stainless steel in the same tank and the results applied
showed very similar bacteria colonised both locations.
Case Studies
 Milk processing plant – The ALVIM probe was utilised to show that the CIP process was effective and that no
biofilm grew while the pipe was out of service (but full of clean water). This application was able to identify
when CIP runs were not carried out and when lines were left empty
 Food production plant – When a flavour was changed at the plant the pipeline was washed with water in a
closed loop that was filtered and treated with UV. Every 3 weeks the loop was cleaned with chemicals and
the filters were sterilised with steam. Over time bacterial concentrations rose and the ALVIM was used to
identify that the cleaning strategy was not robust enough to removal all the biofilm in the system
Indicative costs
 The ALVIM system for hygienic use costs approximately $5000 (no spare parts required), this does not
include the cost for fitting the monitor. It is likely that multiple systems would need to be employed depending
on the process. A control for the ALVIM system would cost $550.
 Multiple, spatially distributed probes and other devices can be simultaneously connected to the site control
PC or PLC for centralised monitoring

Giovanni Pavanello
Director
Tel: +39 0108566345
Mob: +39 3294277678
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.alvimcleantech.com/

Arenal PCS
Continuous monitoring of organic or inorganic contaminations
 Unique combination of ultrasonic sonochemistry
conductivity measurement and chemometry
 Contamination (e.g. biofilm) does not affect sensor
performance
 Wide range of concentrations can be measured
Description: Arenal PCS produces an analyser for the online monitoring of COD and TSS in industrial wastewater
(both organic and inorganic contaminants). The analyser incorporates sensors based on two techniques: ultrasonic
sonochemistry (measuring the propagation of ultrasonic waves as they encounter changes in the environment, a
unique and new method developed by Arenal) and conductivity measurement. COD concentration is determined
using advanced chemometric methods (the science of extracting information from chemical systems by data-driven
means), TSS using acoustic attenuation. A third sensor, e.g. for pH measurement, can be added if the specific
application necessitates it. Ultrasonic sonochemistry offers performance and cost advantages over chemical and
optical measurement techniques.
Applicability Effectiveness of the Technology

 The system can be used for 24/7 monitoring of CIP  A change of the physical property of the
and other process discharges water, like with an increased concentration
 Measurement COD and TSS loading also can be of organic contaminations, the acoustical
used to control contact time in contact tanks and physical properties will change as well
optimise aeration processes in waste treatment.  All concentrations above 1 mg/l are
 In combination with additional sensors connected monitored 1000 times per second
upstream, the device can be used for detection and
prevention of liquid leakage (milk, cream etc) and
hence reduce costs as well as waste
Case Studies
 The distributor Arenal monitor for the food and beverage industry have installed 12 systems so far (6 in
Breweries and 6 in soft drink manufacture). The key reason for installation was to detect peak levels of sugar
(as COD). The sensor was coupled with a conductivity sensor to ensure the readings were corrected
especially during the CIP process.
Indicative costs
 A single point Arenal COD+TSS analyser costs $26,000. ROI is less than 2 years when compared to current
TOC or wet-chemical COD analysers (such devices incur annual O&M costs of approximately $15,000).

Company contact: Distributor:
Marius de Vries Sascha Drangmeister
CEO Project Engineer
Tel: +31-(0)15-301 0071 Chriwa Umwelt-Systemtechnik und Service GmbH
Mob: +31-640108919 Tel: +49 5084 9872 912
Email: [email protected] Mob: +49 151 18824 462
Website: www.arenal-pcs.com Email: [email protected]
Website: www.cuss.de
Website: http://www.arenal-pcs.com
Wastewater Treatment for Waste Reduction

Cost of trade waste discharges
The discussions with the DMSC covered:
The primary cost incurred by dairy processors regarding
– Typical wastewater treatment processes
their wastewater appeared to be in relation to the
– Wastewater treatment challenges discharge of the waste as trade effluent (at sites where
this is relevant). Therefore, this seemed to be a key
– Trade waste disposal of effluent and associated
driver in the type of treatment process that was
costs
employed. Figure 7 is an overview of three different, but
– Spray irrigation using effluent typical, ratios of charges incurred by dairy processors
from trade waste discharges. This indicates that, due to
In particular, many members expressed a desire to
different processors experiencing a combination of
improve their treatment process but did not have the
different wastewater composition profiles and trade
financial driver or clear benefits associated with doing
waste charge structures (based on the type of sewer
so.
network it is discharging into, as well as the capacity and
There was also a common concern raised with regards treatment abilities of the downstream municipal works),
to handling the variable flows that are due to CIP trade waste charge ratios will vary between sites.
processes and the impact of the cleaning chemicals However, in terms of cost reduction, dairy processors
used in CIP, on the treatment process. Therefore, many should be primarily targeting BOD and suspended
members had issues with managing flow balancing, pH solids removal, but volume reduction would also be a
correction and sodium levels in the wastewater effluent. cost reduction benefit if it could be achieved
economically.
Figure 6 is an overview of the perceived barriers to
innovation and potential opportunities.
•Opportunity -
Technologies that
can provide short
term pay back
based on site
Cost specific trade
justificat- waste charges
ion
•Opportunity -
Retrofitting Volume Volume
possibilities for BOD
BOD
minimal CAPEX and Sodium
SS
disruption Nitrogen
Phosphorus Nitrogen
•Opportunity -
Balancing tanks to
manage flows
High/
•Opportunity -
variable
Robust/flexible
flows
treatment
technologies
• Opportunity - Volume BOD SS Nitrogen

Compact
Available treatment options Figure 7 Three examples of trade
space • Opportunity - waste cost ratios
Reduce waste flow
volumes
Wastewater Technology mapping
To understand which types of technologies are
Figure 6 Perceived barriers to innovation in improving available and most suitable to minimise levels of BOD
wastewater treatment and suspended solids in a wastewater stream, they can
be mapped for comparison. In Figure 8 below, various

technologies have been mapped in terms of their
technical complexity against the water quality that they
produce. Brine CIP Losses
BOD + volume Product Condensate

reduction
losses
Creative
Wastewater Water
Water Quality
Technologies
Enviplan Treatment
DAF MBR
SS + BOD
Removal
FibraCast
NVP USAB Electro-
Technical Complexity Energy coagulation
Figure 8 Typical treatment technologies mapped by
complexity against treatment ability
MBBR Power
and
As can be seen from Figure 8 above, typically Water
technologies employed by the dairy industry for Microvi
processing wastewater tend to have a lower level of
complexity and are targeted towards SS and BOD Figure 9 Waste sources and technology opportunities
removal primarily and a medium water quality. This for wastewater treatment
suggests that technologies such as MBBR, USAB, EC
and MBR might be the areas to investigate. Ideally a
technology would have a lower level of complexity (and The technologies selected and their target treatment
likely a lower cost) but achieve the treatment abilities are described in more detail in Table 3 below.
requirement, though these types of technologies are in
the earlier stages of development. Table 3 Shortlist of wastewater treatment
technologies
Company Description
Wastewater treatment name
Based on the discussions with Dairy Australia, the FOG, solids, low BOD. Enviplan’s
DMSC and the analyses above, three clear wastewater Aquatector Microfloat (eMF) is a micro-
treatment objectives surfaced: flotation process for water and wastewater
treatment, utilising micro bubbles of 20-50
– Solids reduction Enviplan
µm (>90% of the micro bubbles are in this
range) for separation of suspended solids
– BOD reduction and colloidal material.
High BOD. NVP Energy has developed a
– Volume reduction Low-temperature Anaerobic Digestion (Lt-
Technologies with the potential to achieve these AD) process which can be used for
NVP Energy
secondary treatment of low strength
objectives were investigated and six were shortlisted wastewater (COD <3,500 mg/L) at
using the criteria described in the table above “Criteria temperatures as low as 4°C.
for technology selection” Med BOD. FibraCast designs and
manufactures a unique, high efficiency
Figure 9 below shows key technologies types where FibraCast hybrid immersed UF membrane called
waste reduction could be achieved through wastewater MBR FibrePlate. FibrePlate is used in membrane
treatment and an overlay of the technologies shortlisted bioreactors (MBR) to treat wastewater to
reuse or high-quality discharge standards.
in these areas. Broad spectrum treatment or nitrogen
specific. Microvi has developed an efficient,
versatile waste water treatment system
based on advanced biological carriers
(Biocatalysts). Biocatalysts are small,
Microvi extremely permeable polymer spheres with
complex internal structures, providing a
protective environment for high
concentrations of microbes, specifically
selected for target pollutants.
Broad spectrum treatment. Technologies prioritised
Sonoelectrochemistry is the next advance in
electro-based water treatment. Combining Following detailed discussions with Dairy Australia, the
Power and power ultrasound with electrolysis. The most applicable technologies, with the greatest potential
Water treatment process offers the advantage of
physical, chemical and oxidative (advanced
cost benefit were prioritised, these were:
oxidation process, AOP) treatments with all – Enviplan
the benefits of physical treatment.
Volume reduction and mineral removal. – Creative Water Technology
Creative Water Technology (CWT) is a
Creative
Melbourne based Australian company that Power and Water were also considered as a potential
has developed world-class techniques in technology of interest because electro-coagulation
Water
zero liquid discharge (ZLD) and fractional
Technology
crystallization of minerals to apply to a wide
could be a suitable alternative to chemical coagulant
range of water treatment and recycling dosing before a physical separation process such as a
applications. DAF and it is particularly effective at removing soluble
or colloidal constituents.
Cost and waste reduction technology mapping Information on this technology and the others that were
not prioritised can be found in Appendix B.
The technologies were mapped to provide an indication
of cost effectiveness and is based only an indicative On the next pages are summary descriptions of each of
cost information because in many cases cost is site the prioritised technologies including information on:
dependent. In addition to the shortlisted technologies, – Applicability
membrane aerated bio-reactors (MABR) have be
mapped on the diagram. This technology is currently at – Effectiveness of the technology
a relatively early stage of development but has potential – Case Studies
for high rate, low energy treatment. This technology is
described in more detail below. – Indicative costs
– Contact details of the supplier
Designed to cope with Future opportunities

high flows, has high solids
reduction and biogas MABR (Membrane aerated bioreactors)
generation
A unique attached growth process which allows
Fibracast
MBR aeration from the carrier side. Due to the environment,
MABR NVP the attached biofilm is very robust and can handle
Trade waste reduction
Energy hydraulic shocks. There is also a much lower sludge

yield than typical aeration processes. There is also a
Enviplan low energy consumption due to the low pressures
Microvi required and 95% of the oxygen can be transferred to
the bacteria. Typically, it can be retrofitted into an
Applications in existing tank. Currently the technology is the early
dairy in Europe Power
and retrofittable Creative stages of commercial use
and
Water Water
CSIRO Agriculture and Food
Technology
The projects below are at an early development stage
Biocatalyst allows but they have potential for reducing waste in the future
Cost increased treatment and should be closely watched
in a tight footprint
– Forward Osmosis for extracting/thickening
Figure 10 Mapping of wastewater treatment products
technologies
– Use of resins to extract useful components from
waste
The technology mapping in Figure 10 provides an

indication of installation cost relative to trade waste Conclusions
charge reduction. As previously mentioned due to
complexity of these technologies, all plants will need Wastewater treatment is a complex space with a huge
site-specific business cases due to variability in waste range of options for a huge variety of scenarios, with a
characterisation wide range of water qualities achieved.

Trade Waste
The largest savings can be made through reduction on
SS and BOD, though waste volume can make up a
significant proportion of cost. Therefore, it is logical that
the treatment option should reflect the area of greatest
cost saving, based on its treatment ability.
Retrofitting
It may not always be suitable to replace existing
processes but there are opportunities to retrofit with
more efficient technologies. This may also be a suitable
solution to sites with a small footprint or as a cost-
effective upgrade to improve final effluent quality.
Water re-use
Many advanced wastewater treatment processes can
provide a water quality that would only need minimal
polishing to provide high quality water for re-use. Water
re-use would be a way to reduce trade waste charges
associated with flow and water does not have to be re-
used in the process, it could be for wash down of
equipment or floors, or even toilet flushing on site.
Enviplan - Aquatector Microfloat
A micro-floatation process that produces a high bubble density for
superior separation
 Advanced control and optimisation
 Uses no or less chemicals than conventional IAF/DAF systems
 Self-cleaning valves
 Simple to retrofit
Description: Enviplan’s AQUATECTOR Microfloat (eMF) is a micro-flotation process for water and wastewater
treatment, utilising micro bubbles of 20-50 µm (>90% of the micro bubbles are in this range) for separation of
suspended solids and colloidal material. The high bubble density and turbulence free distribution in the micro-
flotation tank provides over 99.9% separation. Particles <10 µm can be separated. Most existing eMF plants
operate without chemicals or flocculating agents. eMF systems offer high hydraulic and solids loading rates in a
small footprint, low energy consumption and maintenance free operation thanks to the iFloat self-cleaning injector
nozzles.

 The Aquatector can be installed as a new  The removal efficiencies will vary depending
process step or retrofit into existing tanks the wastewater type but typically the
 The iFloat injector nozzles and expansion Aquatector can achieve a COD removal of 45-
valves flush when the controller detects a rise 70%, TSS removal of 90-99%, FOG removal
in pressure making them especially applicable 90% (depending on if it is particulate), if
for wastes with high levels of FOG dissolved FOG then much lower removal.
 The process has already been proven at a
number of dairy processors but mainly in
Europe
Case Studies
 Ehrmann AG – Enviplan installed micro-floatation plant at a site processing raw milk and producing yogurt,
following a demonstration to prove the effectiveness of the technology. The process feed rate is 45m3/h
and achieves 52% reduction in COD and 100% of settleable solids. The pressure in the system is 2.5bar
and the energy requirement is 30Wh/m3.
 Molkerei Gropper GmbH & Co. KG – Due to production increases at the site, Enviplan upgraded their own
plant in 2017 which was originally installed in 2009 to treat wastewater from processing raw milk and
producing various dairy products. The process feed rate is 100m3/h and achieves 58% COD removal, 90%
settleable solids removal and 91.5% removal of oily substances.
Indicative costs
 As an indication of cost, the CAPEX for an 800m3/d plant is approximately $250,000. The operation costs
will be mainly based on the energy required to pressurise the air in the water
 There is an opportunity to rent small microfloat system (1-12m3/h) for testing the performance of the
system. The service cost for this is typically $11,000 (not including transport of the system in a container)
and then there is an ongoing weekly rental fee of $2200

Heike Fischer
Project Manager
Tel. +49.5292.9869.24
Website: www.enviplan.de

Creative Water Technology
Low temperature thermal distillation
 Handles high levels of contaminants
 Reuses waste thermal energy from the process (e.g. boilers,
spray dryers, cooling towers)
 Recover chemicals and minerals for reuse or resale
 Recovers high quality water for reuse in the production process
Description: The GENESIS series uses a low temperature, thermal distillation process known as adiabatic
recovery to desalinate, dewater and/or recycle highly saline and highly contaminated wastewater. The technology
has been specifically designed to handle the high levels of contaminant that alternative technologies struggle to
process, with proven results for water samples with TDS levels over 300,000 ppm that were reduced to less than 20
ppm. The unit has a low power cost of 15 kWh per tonne of water evaporated and can use existing thermal energy
sources, such as spray dryers, boiler and cooling towers, as a primary power source (site application dependent).
The GENESIS series has a simple self-cleaning cycle using its own recycled water and no problematic filters or
membranes. Soluble and insoluble contaminants are separately extracted for reuse or, with optional accessories,
dried and/or bagged for sale. The compact nature of the process allows it to be located on a clean site or as a
retrofit to existing water processing plants to treat waste or brine discharge.

 The system is custom designed specifically for  GENESIS WRX reclaims up to 97% free water
each application making the process very where required and up to 100% of the
versatile contaminants contained in the feed water.
 The process has applications in dairy industry  Recover up to 25% of water for re-use where
primarily due to the potential heat that may be minimising waste volume is a priority.
available from existing processes  The principle of this technology is to achieve
 As a rule of thumb it is suitable for any waste industrial quantities of evaporation at normal
that is liquid enough to be pumped atmospheric pressures with temperatures as
low as 30°C. This is used to desalinate,
dewater and/or recycle highly saline and highly
contaminated wastewater.
 If containment level below 5% TS then
Creative Water Technology suggest a filtration
system upfront
Case Studies
 Organic Pharmaceutical Wastewater – The wastewater (retentate after ultra-filtration) was organic in nature
and had a high nutritional value, containing high BOD, COD, TSS and TDS. The flow originally was 40,000
litres a week but the capacity of the system was double. After treatment, results showed the total dissolved
solids had been reduced by 99.8% and volume was reduced by 87.5%. The remaining liquid was sold as a
fertilizer and the clean water was used for various uses on site such as truck washing. The total solution was
less than $500,000 and payback was less than 12 months compared to the original trade waste charges.
Indicative costs
 The system is custom designed specifically for each situation, heat available and treatment objectives.
 Demonstrations of 1kL - 4 kL process are available at Creative Water Technology’s site.
 The GENESIS series system may also be rented for a trial and the cost of this is $2,500 / day onsite
including operator plus all expenses at cost. Expenses include delivery, insurance, and operator expenses.

Beth Shelley
Business & Communications Manager
Mob: +61 438 88 22 86
Website: www.creativewater.com.au
Sludge Treatment for Waste reduction

Sludge sources
The discussions with the DMSC covered:
Based on the discussions with Dairy Australia and the
– Sources of sludge from dairy processing
DMSC, there are three clear types of sludge that are
– Any dewatering or thickening techniques utilised typically produced from the treatment of the dairy
processing wastewater:
– Disposal routes such as site storage,
composting, fertiliser, animal feed, composting – Grease trap sludge
or landfill and the associated costs with each
– IAF/DAF sludge
method.
– Secondary treatment sludge
There was a general consensus that there needed to be
a move away from any sludge going to landfill and Technologies with the potential to achieve these
therefore all options would be considered. objectives were investigated and four were shortlisted
using the criteria described in the table above “Criteria
In particular, many members expressed a concern
for technology selection”
regarding their IAF/DAF sludge in terms of handling and
disposal, with some who felt that use as animal feed Figure 12 below shows the areas that waste reduction
was the best solution and others who wished to find could be achieved and an overlay of the technologies
alternative and more profitable uses. shortlisted.
Figure 11 below provides an overview of the perceived
barriers to innovation and potential opportunities.
Sludge
•Opportunity - treatment
Thickening and
Handling dewatering to
issues reduce the volume Secondary
Grease trap
IAF/DAF sludge treatment
•Opportunity - sludge
sludge
Drying the sludge
AMCON
•Opportunity - Destruction
To generate Dewatering
energy / heat to Biodiesel
offset costs Pyreg
Costs •Opportunity -To STC
recover valuable
Pumpfree
components,
such as
phosphorous, Drying
that can be sold
• Opportunity - To Figure 12 Waste sources and technology
consider the opportunities for sludge reduction
sludge as a
commodity either
as a fuel or to The technologies selected are described in more detail
Alterna- recover useful
in Table 4 below.
tive components
disposal • Opportunity - Table 4 Shortlist of sludge reduction technologies
routes Changing
chemicals to food Company Description
name
grade options so
the sludge has The PumpFree approach involves retrofitting
more options for existing grease traps with an organic filter
reuse PumpFree
and an adsorbent media layer. This set up
means that the tankers only pump out and
Figure 11 Perceived barriers to innovation in sludge carry valuable FOG and organic matter
handling

The Volute is a dewatering screw press – PYREG
made up of fixed rings and moving rings
with a uniquely designed tapered shaft and – AMCON
AMCON flights. It has a modular design, operates on
a continuous process and the shaft motor is Pumpfree were also selected at a potential technology
controlled by a frequency drive and rotates of interest because of the potential opportunity to
at 2 rpm. selectively remove FOG at a high quality for
PYREG 500 is a carbonisation technology
reprocessing as bio-diesel. This technology also can
that can treat a wide range of biomasses to
Pyreg produce a range of products including a mix potentially be applied in grease traps and DAF units but
of fixed carbon, biochar, and mineralised at the moment the scale is only applicable for retail food
ash and heat. outlets.
STC manufactures drying equipment that
uses hot air convection processes. The STC Information on this technology and the others that were
thermal dryer takes dewatered sludge, with not prioritised can be found in Appendix C.
STC
a dry solids content as low as 20%, and
produces sludge pellets with greater than On the next pages are summary descriptions of each of
90% DS. the prioritised technologies including information on:
– Applicability
– Effectiveness of the technology
Cost and waste reduction technology mapping
– Case Studies
The technologies were mapped to provide an indication
of cost effectiveness. Cost information is indicative only – Indicative costs
as, in many cases, cost is site dependent. – Contact details of the supplier
Small scale destruction

processing 1,400 Conclusions
Works well with ton/annum
greasy wastes
Despite the results of the October 2016 DMSC member
survey, sludge did not seem to be a major issue for
some members who could store the sludge, send to
PYREG
Waste Reduction
composting or dispose of as animal feed. The

requirement for more advanced wastewater treatments
AMCON STC though, either for water re-use or minimising trade
effluent costs, will potentially lead to greater amounts of
sludge being produced. This may also be coupled with
the need to ensure organic wastes are diverted from
Pumpfree landfill, therefore driving a move towards reduction of
Anaerobic
volumes and alternative disposal.
Digestion
Diversion from landfill/composting
Cost
Early stage technology but
DAF sludges are suitable to be used as an animal
potential to turn recovered
FOG to biodiesel feedstock if the chemical used in the upstream
processes are altered to food grade options or
Figure 13 Mapping of sludge reduction technologies processes used are chemical free.
Transport costs
There are many opportunities to reduce the moisture
The technology map in Figure 13 above is an indication content in the sludges to reduce trucking cost, with
of the cost effectiveness in relation to the transport and technologies for dewatering and drying.
disposal costs of the sludge. The CAPEX cost though
tends to be variable due to the wide range of sludge
types and volume. All plants will need site-specific
business cases
Based on scale, the suggested technologies have a
high potential.
Technologies prioritised
Following detailed discussions with Dairy Australia, the
most applicable technologies, with the greatest
potential cost benefit were prioritised and these were:
AMCON - Volute
Compact screw press for thickening and dewatering
 Capable of dealing with oily/greasy sludges
 Low energy requirements
 Reduced or no chemicals required
 Low wash water requirements
Description: The Volute is a screw press made up of fixed rings and moving rings with a uniquely designed tapered
shaft and flights. It has a modular design, operates on a continuous process and the shaft motor is controlled by a
frequency drive and rotates at 2 rpm. The Volute when direct dewatering from an activated sludge plant can
achieve substantial commercial savings on the requirement for polymers, thickeners and sludge storage tank
construction. The system can be quickly installed without significant amount of civil infrastructure work. The system
can be installed for new infrastructure or retrofitted into existing treatment plants. Volute can be installed in places
where placement would not be possible with other technologies for reasons such as low building ceilings or limited
area. Therefore, the construction cost of a large building for installation is not required.

 The volute has been employed on many oily sludges  DAF sludge that is 1.5% to 3% dry solids
in the food and beverage industry (e.g. meat can be dewatered up to 30% dry solids
processing, frozen food production, juice processing  Compared to a standard screw press the
etc) that are difficult to thicken and dewater with footprint can be reduced by 70%
standard equipment  The Volute can also achieve up to 85%
 It can easily be retrofitted into place and it has a energy saving compared to centrifuge
small footprint technology due to the simple press
 Improving the solids content of the sludge will reduce operation of the system and low rotation
the costs associated with transportation regardless of speed
the disposal route
Case Studies
 Dairy processor – The volute replaced an existing belt press to dewater a mixture of DAF and secondary
sludge. The wastewater was dewatered from 2.4% total solids to 18% solids with a throughput of 18.7Kg
DS/h
Indicative costs
 The capital cost for the system is between $4,500-$80,000 for equipment that can process sludge at 5%
TDS from 4Kg DS/hr to 800Kg DS/hr. Operational costs will depend on labour cost, disposal cost, power
price, etc. Multiple case studies of this technology indicate that the overall operating costs is lower than belt
process by 20 to 35% and centrifuges by 10 to 30%
 The maintenance costs for moving rings starts from $1,800 to $55,000 (largest unit with 843 rings) per unit.
Time required for overhaul service is between 8 - 96 hours per year.
 Energy consumed of the units is between 4.06 - 26.14 kWh/d
 Volute can be installed in places where placement would not be possible with other technologies for
reasons such as low building ceilings or limited area. Therefore, the construction cost of a large building for
installation is not required.
Seiji Kikuchi
Deputy General Manager
T: +81-45-540-8580
Email：[email protected]
Website：http://en.amcon.co.jp/

PYREG
Advanced thermal conversion
 Suitable for small, compact decentralised
deployment
 Produces excess heat that can be used to dry the
sludge and also potentially could be used in the dairy
processing
 The biochar can be used for fertiliser, especially if it
contains high levels of phosphorus
Description: Pyreg (owned by ELIQUO STULZ) has developed an advanced thermal conversion (ATC) technology
referred to as slow pyrolysis. Pyreg 500 is a carbonisation technology that can treat a wide range of biomasses to
produce a range of products including a mix of fixed carbon, biochar, and mineralised ash and heat. The process
requires temperatures up to 800°C and a retention time of 15-30 minutes, after which biomass feed stocks are
reduced to one third in volume of biochar and two thirds to syngas. The system can process approximately 1,250 t/a
of sludge at approximately 80% DS and will mean an output of approximately 500 t/a ash with up to 20% P and up
to 200kW th excess energy. The feedstock should be characterised by dry solids greater than 50% and particle sizes
lower than 30mm. The footprint of the system is only 8.8m × 3.5m × 2.7m (L/W/H). Typically, the Pyreg technology
is coupled with the EloDry low-temperature belt dryer from ELIQUO STULZ upfront, this is to ensure the correct dry
solids range is reached.

 Applicable for all types of sludge feedstocks  The combustible gas generated in the PYREG
 Carbohydrate based substrate will lead to a reactors is completely burned by the FLOX
bigger biochar yield and the low levels of method (flame-less oxidation) at a temperature
heavily metals will make it very suitable as of 1.250°C inside a separate combustion
fertiliser chamber, therefore thermal NOX is significantly
 Protein based substrate will have a smaller avoided
yield on biochar as more material will be  The process is self-sustaining once it has
transferred into gas phase started, therefore no further external energy is
 For dairy sludge, it is expected that there would required
be a smaller throughput than the typical
120KgDS/hr due to the higher gas yield
Case Studies
 Linz-Unkel WWTP (Germany) –Municipal sewage sludge is dewatered to 31%DS and then further dried
with the EloDry to above 85% DS using the spare heat from the Pyreg unit. Two dual screws then transport
the sludge through the Pyreg reactor, which is at approx. 650 °C. The input is designed for 700t/a and
produces 400t/a of phosphorus rich ash. The project contract value was $2 million, but the sludge
transportation has been reduced by 90%.
Indicative costs
 The CAPEX for a PYREG 500 is approximately $674,000 ex-works, with an additional allowance to
establish feed systems, product delivery and storage, site delivery, installation and commissioning in the
region of $250,000. If required the wet scrubbing system (dependant on emission regulations) including the
activated carbon filter for a PYREG P500 is approximately $220,000 to 300,000. OPEX is approximately
$150,000 per annum.
 The biochar produced is likely to have 35 to 45 % of carbon and therefore it is likely that it could be sold for
multiple applications such as a soil enhancer.
Mike Weaver
Tel: + 44 (0) 1223 440020
Mob: + 44 (0) 7876 755401
Website: www.pyreg.com
Government Policy Developments for Waste Reduction
The following section is a brief summary of the used packaging and conserve virgin materials through
current/upcoming national and international policy the encouragement of reuse and recycling.
developments which may provide risk or opportunity
Product Stewardship Act 2011
towards achieving the industry’s waste-to-landfill
intensity reduction targets. This provides the framework to effectively manage the
environmental, health and safety impacts of products,
and in particular those impacts associated with the
International conventions and agreements disposal of products
Australia is party to a number of these international Industrial Waste Resource Regulation Review
conventions and agreements relevant to waste that
The Regulations are an important part of Victoria’s
have been reflected in national legislation. Below is a
regulatory framework for environmental protection, and
summary of the most relevant.
expire in mid-2019. The Regulations categorise
Paris Agreement 2015 industrial wastes by risk profile to ensure that each is
appropriately handled, stored, treated, transported and
The Paris Agreement sets in place a durable and
disposed of. The Victorian Government's response to
dynamic framework for all countries to take climate
the Independent Inquiry into EPA signals an intention
action from 2020, building on existing international
for major reform of the Environment Protection Act
efforts in the period up to 2020.
1970. The reform is likely to require changes supporting
Though the agreement is not strictly about waste, it is regulations such as the Industrial Waste Resource
clear that the targets to reduce greenhouse gas Regulations. The review of the Regulations will focus on
emissions will especially impact on organic waste going the hazard categorisation of waste so that it
to landfill. Australia in particular has set an ambitious appropriately reflects the risks arising from the
target to reduce emissions by 26-28 per cent below management of waste. EPA is reviewing scientific
2005 levels by 2030 understanding of the contaminants and components of
waste, from its creation to disposal. This research will
This may result in policy changing with:
inform the new Regulations to ensure human health and
– A move away from waste incineration to reduce environmental impacts of waste are minimised.
emissions
– An increase in levies at landfills
Direct waste reduction policies
– A move towards composting to increase carbon
The first comprehensive domestic approach to waste
capture
management was agreed under the 1992 National
Kyoto Protocol 2012 Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development,
which committed Australia to improving the efficiency
The Kyoto Protocol (Kyoto Protocol to the United
with which resources are used, reducing the impact on
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change),
the environment of waste disposal; and improving the
which entered into force in 2005, obligates certain
management of hazardous wastes, avoiding their
developed countries (including Australia which ratified
generation and addressing clean-up issues. These aims
the Protocol in 2007) to reduce their emissions of six
were eventually put into a dedicated waste policy in
main greenhouse gases. The Kyoto Protocol was
2009.
amended in 2012 to incorporate a second commitment
period from 2013-2020. Similarly, to the Paris Australian National Waste Policy 2009
agreement this will influence industry targets relating to
The National Waste Policy is an efficient and
organic waste going to landfill.
environmentally responsible approach to waste
management in Australia. The policy sets Australia's
Australian legislation waste management and resource recovery direction to
2020. The aims of the policy are:
As mentioned, the International agreements have been
– To avoid waste generation and reduce waste
reflected in national legislation and below is a summary
disposal;
of ones that are relevant to waste.
– Manage waste as a resource;
National Environment Protection Council Act
1994. – Ensure that waste treatment, disposal, recovery
and re-use is undertaken in a safe, scientific
Under this the National Environment Protection
and environmentally sound manner; and
Measures (NEPMs) are a special set of objects and the
key one relating to the dairy industry is the Used – Contribute to the reduction in greenhouse gas
Packaging Materials NEPM. This objective is to reduce emissions, energy conservation and production,
environmental degradation arising from the disposal of water efficiency and the productivity of the land.

What does this all mean for the dairy industry
Within the National Waste Policy there are 16 waste
strategies and a number of these will impact directly on
the dairy industry around the following areas:
– There is an ongoing covenant for industry to
reduce the environmental impacts of consumer
packaging by creating/using more recyclable
materials;
– Reduced biodegradable (organic) material to
landfill through increased landfill levies and
increasing composting options;
– Schemes to avoid commercial and industrial
waste and resource recovery to increase
recycling;
– Regional and remote waste and resource
recovery to increase the options for industry
located far from regional hubs.
Government Financial Support / Incentive Schemes
The following section is a brief summary of experiment that is undertaken to generate new
current/upcoming national funding programs available knowledge. Other non-experimental activities that
which have the potential to reduce the cost and directly support a core R&D activity may be eligible as
intensity of waste production (directly or indirectly) for supporting R&D activities. Core and supporting R&D
Australian dairy processors. activities are defined under sections 355-25 and 355-30
of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997.
Potential appropriate financial support /incentive
schemes (Table 50 More details can be found here
– Dairy Australia Technology Assessment

Scheme (DATA) Scheme
– Dairy Australia Grant Access Support (GAS)
Scheme
– The Enterprise Solution Centre
– Innovation Connections
– Organics Infrastructure Large and Small
– Bin Trim Rebates Program
– AgriGrowth Loan Scheme
– Resource Recovery Infrastructure Fund
– Advanced Food Manufacturing Grants Program
– Recycling Infrastructure Grants Program
– Food and Beverage Implementation Grants
Schemes not directly relevant (Table 6)

The following schemes are not financial in nature but
could provide dairy processors with relevant support in
reducing waste generation and disposal
– Certain Input to Manufacture
– Supplier Improvement Plan
– Business Evaluation
– ACTSmart Business Recycling Program
– Better Business Partnership
– ecoBiz Queensland
– Resource Productivity Assessments
R&D Tax Incentive

The R&D Tax incentive is a self-assessment program.
It provides a tax offset for some of a company's cost of
doing eligible research and development (R&D)
activities by reducing a company's income tax liability.
Tax offsets of 43.5% or 38.5% are available for costs
incurred on eligible activities depending on a company’s
annual aggregated turnover. The 43.5% benefit is a
refundable offset.
To be eligible for the R&D Tax Incentive the dairy
processer must conduct at least one activity that meets
the legislated definition of a core R&D activity. A core
R&D activity involve at least one hypothesis guided

Table 5 Details of potential Government Financial Support / Incentive Schemes
Name Link State Agency Status Description Funding Ratio Contact details
available
Dairy Australia National Dairy Open An initiative providing financial assistance to Australian $50K 100% Ian Olmstead
Technology Australia dairy processors to undertake a detailed commercial Program Manager
Assessment Scheme assessment of an innovative technology or practice which T: 03 9694 3811
(DAT) Scheme the project proponent can demonstrate has clear potential
to significantly improve the Australian dairy industry’s
economic or environmental performance
Dairy Australia Grant National Dairy Open An initiative funded by Dairy Australia(DA) which provides $10K 100% Ian Olmstead
Access Support (GAS) Australia financial assistance to Australian dairy processors to Program Manager
Scheme engage specialist grant writers and technical consultants T: 03 9694 3811
to assist with developing submissions for project funding
support.
The Enterprise Link National FIAL Open The programme aims to boost competitiveness and $50K 50% T: 03 9731 3422
Solution Centre capability in the Australian Food and Agribusiness Sector [email protected]
by providing matched funding to industry partners to
deliver innovation that addresses a technical challenge
that is limiting a company’s ability to maximize their
market potential.
Innovation Link National AusIndustry Open Provides small and medium sized businesses with access $50K 50% T: 13 28 46
Connections to expert technology advice to address technology and
knowledge gaps, and collaborate with the research sector
in developing new ideas with commercial potential.
Organics Link NSW NSW EPA Round 4 The Waste Less, Recycle More Organics Infrastructure T: 1300 361 967
Infrastructure Large Closed (Large and Small) Program provides $43 million over four [email protected]
and Small years to fund infrastructure and equipment to reduce food
and garden organics waste going to landfill.
Bin Trim Rebates Link NSW NSW EPA Open Bin Trim Rebates Program, part of Waste Less, Recycle $50K 50% T: 1300 361 967
Program More initiative, aims to increase workplace recycling by [email protected]
providing rebates to small and medium-sized businesses
for recycling equipment.
AgriGrowth Loan Link TAS Business Open Scheme to provide low interest loans to Tasmanian farm $1.5M T: 1800 440 026
Scheme Tasmania businesses and agri-food businesses with the aim to [email protected]
increase the value of the agriculture and agri-food sectors
in Tasmania.
Resource Recovery Link VIC Sustainability Round 1 Program to support the development of infrastructure $500K 50% T: 1300 363 744
Infrastructure Fund Victoria closed which improves the collection and processing of recycled [email protected]
materials. The program seeks innovative projects that will
increase jobs in the resource recovery industry while also
increasing the recovery of priority materials.
Advanced Food Link SA SA Food Round 3 The AFM grants program is designed to encourage T: 08 8226 0109
Manufacturing Grants Innovation closed collaboration between food manufacturers and research [email protected]
Program Centre and development providers, creating partnerships that will
lead to future opportunities. Grants are available to
support South Australian food businesses to partner with
public or private research providers to develop innovative
or novel products or processes.
Name Link State Agency Status Description Funding Ratio Contact details
available
Recycling Link SA Green Open Aims to help companies and organisations install $300K 50% Justin Lang
Infrastructure Grants Industries SA equipment and/or provide innovative ways to reuse, Program Manager
Program recycle or repurpose resources and decrease the amount M: 0419 948 931
of landfill waste
Food and Beverage Link SA Green Open Food and Beverage Implementation Grants offer eligible $300K 50% Oliver Lovat
Implementation Grants Industries SA businesses the opportunity to install, upgrade, or add to Project Officer,
trade waste management infrastructure at a reduced cost. M: 0437 641 138

Table 6 Details of indirect schemes to provide support to reduce waste
Name Link State Agency Status Description Contact details
Certain Input to Link National AusIndustry Open The Certain Inputs to Manufacture (CIM) programme aims to improve the T: 13 28 46
Manufacture competitiveness of Australian industry. CIM does this by providing import duty
concessions on certain imported raw materials and intermediate goods such as
good used in food packaging
Supplier Improvement Link National AusIndustry Open Supply Chain Facilitation services are tailored to assist and enable eligible T: 13 28 46
Plan Australian small and medium businesses to participate in domestic and global
supply chains, generate sustainable business growth and find opportunities to
connect and network with their customers
Business Evaluation Link National AusIndustry Open Provides businesses with access to experienced, independent Business T: 13 28 46
Advisers to review the business and provide a Business Evaluation Action Plan
with recommended strategies for business improvement or growth. The
Evaluation includes up to 12 months of mentoring to help implement the
strategies.
ACTSmart Business Link ACT ACT Open ACTSmart Business Recycling is a free, 10-step program that helps T: 13 22 81.
Recycling Program Government businesses with efficient recycling and waste management. [email protected]
Better Business Link NSW Better Open Better Business Partnership aims to help reduce energy and water bills of Nathan John
Partnership Business businesses in Sydney’s North Shore region. Businesses will gain recognition Manager
Partnership for joining the scheme and reducing their energy, water and waste. T: 9777 7516
Participation in the Better Business Partnership is free for small to medium
sized businesses located in Ku-ring-gai, North Sydney and Willoughby City
Council areas.
ecoBiz Queensland Link QLD CCIQ Open The program provides Queensland businesses and organisations access to T: 1300 731 988
complimentary tools and events including one-to-one coaching, site survey, [email protected]
online benchmarking, workshops and webinars to reduce energy, water and
waste
Resource Productivity Link SA Green Open Aims to identify opportunities for improving business operations by making it Oliver Lovat
Assessments Industries SA more efficient, saving resources (materials, water, energy), preventing waste Project Officer,
and increasing productivity, all of which can help reduce operating costs and M: 0437 641 138
improve business performance and profitability.
Appendix A
Upstream Waste Source – Technology profiles
BioIonix
Advanced disinfection treatment for difficult liquids
 Directly treats process liquid
 Utilises strong but short-lived oxidants
 High capacity
 Designed for CIP systems
 Reduces chloride discharges
Description: BioIonix has developed an electrochemical process that is primarily used in food processing
applications to disinfect process liquids and in many cases also products. The BioIonix process treats contaminants
by applying an electrochemical field in the liquid as it passes through a reactor. This generates a range of
complementary oxidants (including hydroxyl radicals and various superoxides) that provides both virtually
instantaneous disinfection, and a safe, low-level, long-term residual disinfection effect. BioIonix utilises advanced
catalytic ceramic plate materials that optimise specific performance parameters and extend running times. In
addition, the BioIonix automated control system minimises (or eliminates) operator intervention and provides an
online estimate of disinfection efficacy.

 BioIonix is primarily used to treat liquid streams  Provides a low level of residual oxidation in the
containing at least trace quantities of sodium processing fluid, so it continues disinfecting
chloride (salt) any surface it encounters.
 A common application is the disinfection of  Unlike chemical alternatives, BioIonix disinfects
process brines for reuse. without the use of expensive consumables and
 Currently there are systems in meat; cheese; produces no harmful by-products or toxic
poultry; RTE slicing; and seawater. gases
 BioIonix have successfully treated liquid
streams containing 2500ppm NaCl
Case Studies
 There are currently 15 full-scale systems operating worldwide
 Kraft/Polly-O - This plant manufactures mozzarella and string cheese and with the BioIonix system there is
no need for CIP. Helps provide a longer shelf life of the product and extended the life of the brine.
Indicative costs
 Systems range from $100,000 – $525,000+ depending on requirements. Typically, the ROI is from 3
months to 1 year and this achieved through the cessation of chemical dosing, enhancement of existing
treatment system performance, reduction of cleaning down time, increased production rates, increased
product shelf life and reduction of chloride discharge.

Jeremy Vogel
VP of Operations
M: +1 608 469 0670
Website: https://www.bioionix.com/

ResourceCo
Processed engineering fuel production
 Diverts un-recyclable waste from landfill
 Alternative fuel source
Description: ResourceCo manufacture process engineered fuel (PEF) from commercial and industrial waste. This
material is typically comprised of mixed light loads which usually contain a mix of timber, metals, plastics, cardboard
and paper. This material is sorted and the ferrous and non-ferrous metals, inert fractions (bricks, concrete etc.) and
non-recyclables are removed from the combustible portion of this material stream. The combustible material is then
processed for manufacturing of PEF. PEF has a high calorific value and can be used as a fuel substitute for coal
and gas in high combustion facilities. Their facility in South Australia was built in 2007 and has the capability to
convert up to 350,000 tonnes of raw material per annum into 100,000 to 150,000 tonnes of PEF. All raw materials
are separated during processing and over 90% of the material is recycled.

 ResourceCo can turn non-recyclable  Over 90% of the material bought into the plant
commercial and industrial waste, that is is recycled
currently going to landfill, into PEF for use as
an alternative fuel
 ResourceCo have plans to build a second plant
in NSW in the near future
Case Studies
ResourceCo have a facility in Wingfield, SA which has the capacity to convert up to 350,000 tonnes of raw
material per annum to 100,000 to 150,000 tonnes of PEF. The finished alternative fuel is transport to the
Adelaide Brighton Cement Birkenhead plant for use as a fossil fuel substitute in the cement making process.
Indicative costs
 The gate fee for ResourceCo will depend upon the waste composition and the quantity, but will be within
the range of local landfill costs.

Tamara Lanigan
SUEZ
Strategic Sales Manager
M: 0447 602 697
Website: www.resourceco.com.au47 602 697
Appendix B
Wastewater treatment – Technology profiles
NVP Energy
Low temperature anaerobic digestion
 Low sludge production
 Low temperature
 Suitable for retrofit and new installations
Description: NVP Energy has developed a Low temperature Anaerobic Digestion (Lt-AD) process which can be
used for secondary treatment of low strength wastewater (COD <3,500 mg/L) at temperatures as low as 4oC. The
technology attenuates high levels of COD (~80%) and TSS (~50%), producing biogas as a by-product. Low-strength
wastewater enters the reactor at the base and travels up through the tank at a rate of 3m3/hr, mixing with
suspended granular seed sludge to initiate anaerobic digestion. The wastewater then passes through a filter to
remove solids, after which it is either re-circulated or removed from the top of the reactor vessel. Biogas is collected
at the top of the reactor. Sludge production is almost negligible.

 NVP Energy reactors treat the mixed liquors  NVP energy reactors are carbon neutral and
from primary settlement, augmenting or energy positive, operating <200C (a low
replacing conventional secondary biological temperature for a high-rate AD reactor).
treatment technologies (activated sludge, Effluent is high quality and in many cases, can
trickling filters, etc.). meet discharge requirement for COD without
 NVP energy currently has a reference site at the need for post-treatment.
Arrabawn Dairies in Ireland.  Where most AD systems only remove COD,
the Lt-AD technology removes both COD and
TSS.
Case Studies
 A pilot scheme with dairy wastewater has been trialled at Arrabawn Dairies Co-op, Carbery Foods and
Kerry Group, Ireland.
 Arrabawn Co-op – After installation the influent COD 2,466 mg/L was treated to 657 mg/L (73% removal).
Equally the Influent BOD was 1,675 mg/L and treated to 157 mg/L (91% removal)
 Kerry Group - After installation the influent COD 2,197 mg/L was treated to 193 mg/L (91% removal)
Indicative costs
 Modular system so CAPEX and OPEX are dependent on the characteristics and volume of the wastewater
requiring treatment. Although CAPEX may be more than activated sludge treatment the OPEX is much
lower, so there are significant whole-life cost benefits over conventional technologies.
 No energy intensive aeration is required. Thanks to its biogas production capabilities the system can be
energy positive.
 Typical 2 MLD of dairy wastewater (4 NVP Energy reactors) has a CAPEX of $7 million and OPEX of
$110,000 per year

Michael Murray
Tel: +353 1 239 3250
Mobile: +353 87 667 7007
Website: www.nvpenergy.com

FibraCast MBR
Hybrid UF membrane
 Combining benefits of hollow fibre and flat sheet
membranes
 Low footprint
 High flux capacity
Description: Fibracast designs and manufactures a unique, high efficiency hybrid immersed UF membrane called
FibrePlate. FibrePlate is used in membrane bioreactors (MBR) to treat wastewater to reuse or high-quality
discharge standards. FibrePlate combines the strengths (omitting the weaknesses) of conventional hollow fibre and
flat sheet membranes configurations into a new, smaller, smarter and stronger hybrid platform with superior
backwash capability and excellent hydraulics. The result is a reinforced sheet with hundreds of hydraulically efficient
channels that act as fibres for permeation and back pulsing.

 FibrePlate is used in MBRs for industrial,  Compared to conventional immersed
commercial and municipal wastewater membranes, the unique FibrePlate
treatment. configuration provides ≥50% smaller footprint,
 The technology can be installed in greenfield ≥40% energy saving (for air scour) and ≥30%
developments or retrofit into existing higher peak flux.
MBRs/conventional wastewater treatment  Additionally, FibrePlate systems have the
plants to increase capacity and/or discharge ability to auto-desludge (in-situ) for recovery
quality. from plant upsets.
 More resistant to FOG than other membranes
Case Studies
 Fibracast has 25 sites operational or in construction in North America, Europe and Asia
 Fibracast have retrofit into both flat sheet and hollow fibre MBRs
 Applications in municipal water and wastewater treatment, as well as industrial MBRs
Indicative costs
 FibrePlate systems have a lower CAPEX requirement thanks to smaller footprints, fewer connections and
higher peak flux capabilities. OPEX is reduced through energy and chemical savings in the membrane air
scour process.

Australian contact:
David Leinster
Industrial Water Specialist
Aquatec Maxcon
T: +61 (0) 7 3813 7100
T: +61 (0) 7 3813 7111
M +61 403 059 271
Website: www.aquatecmaxcon.com.au
Power and Water - Soneco
Next generation electro-based water treatment
 No chemical (flocculants / coagulants) addition
 Small footprint
 Automated
Description: Sonoelectrochemistry is the next advance in electro-based water treatment. Combining power
ultrasound with electrolysis. The treatment process offers the advantage of physical, chemical and oxidative
(advanced oxidation process, AOP) treatments with all the benefits of physical treatment. Adaptive software
ensures optimum treatment performance and energy efficiency. Chemical-free, with no moving parts, the design is
simple, safe, and effective, with lower CAPEX and OPEX compared to comparable water treatment technologies.

 Applications focus on secondary wastewater  The technology is patented, robust, and simple
treatment. with no moving parts.
 It can be used for Electro-coagulation, Electro-  Adaptive software control ensures optimum
flocculation, Electro -flotation, Electro - treatment performance and energy efficiency
disinfection and AOP. even under changing influent flow and water
 Process would require a solid/liquid separation quality.
tank downstream, therefore could be coupled  The treatment units are modular and can be
with existing DAF systems. delivered as factory built solutions.
 Expected COD reductions are 30-70%
depending upon the soluble nature and
composition of carbohydrate, fats, proteins etc
in the waste stream
Case Studies
 Mining water remediation (UK) - Sono-electrochemical treatment (combined electrolysis and power
ultrasound) was used to produce magnesium hydroxide to raise pH of the water, precipitate iron as
insoluble iron hydroxide (Fe(OH)2) and preferentially precipitate other metals in their stable hydroxide
forms. Iron was reduced from 800mg/L to below 0.02mg/L and copper from 40mg/L to <0.1mg/L.
Indicative costs
 Based on the case study above and a flow of 12L/s the CAPEX is $1.4million for the Soneco reactor and
power supply excluding the solid-liquid separation tank. The OPEX is $380,000 per annum for the Sono-
electrochemical plant excluding replacement anodes.
 The operation costs will vary from application to application depending on what the treatment requirements
are.

Philip Morgan
T: +44 1792 700225
M: +44 7736 332880
Website: https://www.powerandwater.com/

Microvi
Biocatalytic wastewater treatment
 Specific microbes for targeted pollutants
 Reduced sludge production
 No additional chemicals
Description: Microvi has developed an efficient, versatile waste water treatment system based on advanced
biological carriers (Biocatalysts). Biocatalysts are small, extremely permeable polymer spheres with complex
internal structures, providing a protective environment for high concentrations of microbes, specifically selected for
target pollutants. The Biocatalysts are suspended in an MBBR-like reactor. Polluted water enters the permeable
biocatalysts and is biologically degraded into harmless end-products (e.g. N2, CO2, H2O). Biocatalysts are retained
in the system through hydraulic design. Microbes never leave the biocatalysts and remain functional for years with
no loss of performance. The high concentration of purpose-built pollutant removers accelerates biodegradation
processes, offering significantly faster treatment compared to conventional biological processes

 The Microvi system is suitable for primary,  In contrast to conventional biological
secondary and tertiary treatment of various wastewater treatment processes Microvi
municipal and industrial wastewaters. utilises specific microbes to target pollutants,
 It is designed to remove all pollutants of rather than making do with the thousands of
concern including BOD, COD, nitrate, undifferentiated microbes provided by nature,
ammonia, phosphorus and pharmaceuticals. most of which are not useful in the treatment
 Microvi have had multiple municipal and process.
industrial installations in North America, Asia
and Australia.
Case Studies
 BOD removal case study, Sydney - Influent into the process has a BOD range of 4,000-6,000 mg/L, after
treatment the effluent has <100 mg/L COD. Hydraulic retention time is 8 hours
 Municipal WWTP application - Influent into the process has a BOD of 120 mg/L after treatment it is <10
mg/L. Similarly, influent COD is 250 mg/L and after treatment effluent has <40 mg/L COD. Hydraulic
retention time is 2 hours
Indicative costs
 Much smaller footprint and significant lower CAPEX compared to conventional treatment, with savings of
50% for new plants being common. Higher savings are achievable when retro-fitting to existing
infrastructure.
 OPEX savings of around 30% are realised through lower air and pumping requirements, as well as reduced
sludge generation.
 Example Project: 10 MLD Municipal WWTP – Retrofitting the Microvi reactor, secondary clarifier, solids
disposal and blower system. Estimated CAPEX - £5,000,000. Estimated OPEX - £173,000 per year.
 Significant savings over activated sludge and MBR alternatives

John Darmody
T: +61 458 454 712
Website: www.microvi.com
Appendix C
Sludge treatment – Technology profiles
Pumpfree
Onsite grease trap cleaning and
 Onsite grease trap cleaning
 FOG, BOD and SS reduction
 Oil recovery for use as a biodiesel
Description: Onsite Grease trap cleaning technology which removes the need to haul ~90% of water with Fats, Oils
& Greases (FOG) from grease trap. The Pumpfree technology consists of an organic filter and proprietary media
installed into a grease trap. Organics and food waste are trapped by the filter and FOGs are absorbed by the media.
To extract the FOGs, the media is vacuumed out of the grease trap and processed to desorb the FOG, the clean
media is then returned to the grease trap. The organics and food waste in the filter are also vacuumed out of the
grease trap for disposal. These FOGs can then be used a biodiesel feed stock. The water left in the grease trap is
has reduced FOG, BOD and SS.

 Pumpfree have focused on cleaning  Increase in grease trap water quality with a
commercial grease traps (restaurants) with the reduction in BOD of 54%, a reduction in FOG
reduction of trade waste costs. of 75% and a reduction in SS of 65%
 Pumpfree believe that the technology could
easily be used in industrial grease traps but the
technology has not yet been used in larger
scale operations / applications.
 Retrofitting the system into a DAF may be
possible but not if polymers are being used as
these degrade the oil
Case Studies
 Trials have been completed in conjuncture with Sydney Water, focusing on restaurant grease traps and
decreasing trade waste costs. Removal rates in these trials have been between 40-60% of BOD and 60-
80% of FOG
 A large restaurant saved up to $6,000 per year through the reduction of trade waste costs.
Indicative costs
 Capital and operational costs will depend on the volume of FOG and whether it is more economical for the
dairy processor to purchase the equipment to regenerate and extract the oils from the media on site or
whether an outside contractor performs this task.
 In the trials with Sydney Water trade waste customers it was estimated that they each will make a saving
between $2,000-6,000 per annum.

Mark Runnalls
Chief Operating Officer,
T: +61 411643958

STC
Low Temperature drying
 Decrease waste volumes
 Use waste heat sources
 Fully automated
Description: STC is a Spanish company that specialises in the design, manufacture, installation and maintenance
of drying equipment through hot air convection processes. The STC thermal dryer takes dewatered sludge, with a
dry solids content as low as 20%, and produces sludge pellets with greater than 90% DS. The first stage of the
process consists of an extruder which produces strings of the dewatered sludge and evenly spreads them across
the drying belt. As the sludge travels along two consecutive belts, hot dry air circulates perpendicular to them and
the resulting hot moist air is drawn into heat exchangers where the water is condensed. The energy needed to heat
up the sludge and evaporate the water is recovered from the saturated air at the same time as condensation takes
place, maximising the use of residual heat. The dryer operates using water at temperatures of between 85 and 90°C
and is perfectly suited for coupling with low grade or waste heat sources such as CHP engines, gasifiers or
pyrolysers. The final product then passes through a crushing mill to produce a homogenous pellet.

 The STC system has been installed in  Re uses waste heat from other processes to
municipal WWTPs in Spain, France and the dry the sludge, therefore waste heat needs to
UK. The largest installation has a capacity be available
70,000 tonnes of sludge per year.  Can produce 90% DS pellets from sludge at
 There are limited commercial or industrial 20% DS
installations of the system as of yet.
Case Studies
 Industrial case study – Cement plant in Spain: 60,000 tonnes per year capacity equipped with two drier
units with a capacity of 3,000 litres per hour of evaporated water per unit. Heat used for the process is
waste heat recovered from the plant
 Shanganagh Municipal Wastewater treatment (Ireland) – The system has 2 lanes each with 1260 kg H2O/h
and uses residual heat from CHP generators combined with a biogas boiler
 Yorkshire Water (UK) - 1.000 Kg/h of urban digested sludge is dried from 25% to 90% dry matter in one
unit with an evaporation capacity of 700 L/h and the heat is from the cogeneration engine on site.
Indicative costs
 Higher CAPEX compared to competitors, but less OPEX due to utilisation of spare heat from the site
 Approx. 0.3 kWe consume per kg H2O evaporated

STC is a subsidiary of Suez:
Stuart Gowans
General Manager Business Development
SUEZ Water & Treatment Solutions
T: +61 (0) 2 8759 7918
M: +61 (0) 408 720350
Website: STC low temperature sludge drying
Suez Evaporis LT
Appendix D
Suez Ice Pigging cost example
Below is an example scenario provided by Suez for the installation of Ice Pigging including assumptions and
payback
Key Inputs and Assumptions
Number of lines 8 Lines

Ice Pigging operations 120 Per week
Average current recovery 45 %
Estimated recovery with Ice Pigging 85 %
Average product temperature 4 °C
Average CIP 1st rinse volume 640 Litres
Key Outputs
Ice required per week 4,288 Litres

AQL500 Utilisation 50 %
Per Week Per Year (50 weeks)
Additional product recovered (litres) 1,736 86,809
Water saved (litres) 68,168 3,408,399
Effluent saved (litres) 67,397 3,369,839
Potential savings $4,135 $206,726
Payback Period (Years)
Cost Quantity
AQL500 cost $380,000 1
Installation cost per line $8,500 8
Payback Time 2.2 Years
Additional assumptions:
 Electricity price of 0.13kWhr
 A product value of between 1-2$/L
 Freezing point depressant used is Sugar at $0.64/Kg
 Cost of water $3.39/1000L
 Cost of effluent $23.70/1000L
 Cost of NaOH $0.25/L
N.B This calculation does not factor in a monetary value for time savings.


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Opportunities for Reducing Cost and Intensity of

Waste Production in the Australian Dairy

5 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

7 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Technology Selection Criteria

Identified Technologies (and Techniques)

– Overseas technology suppliers Selection criteria Description

9 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Total Level of Concern Regarding

Process 'first flush'

Out of date/off spec

Mother Liquor and

Figure 2 Results of DMSC waste survey

DMSC members expressed a clear concern at the time

DMSC Members discussions

Figure 3 is an overview of the perceived barriers to

11 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Alternative options for packaging waste

13 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Applicability: Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier:

Applicability: Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier:

15 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Applicability Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier:

DMSC members experiences

• Opportunity - Volume BOD SS Nitrogen

17 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

BOD + volume Product Condensate

Designed to cope with Future opportunities

Energy hydraulic shocks. There is also a much lower sludge

The technology mapping in Figure 10 provides an

19 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Applicability Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier:

21 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Applicability Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier:

DMSC members experiences

23 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Small scale destruction

composting or dispose of as animal feed. The

Applicability Effectiveness of the Technology

25 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Applicability Effectiveness of the Technology

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– Dairy Australia Technology Assessment

Schemes not directly relevant (Table 6)

R&D Tax Incentive

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Name Link State Agency Status Description Contact details

Applicability: Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier:

33 DA Report - Opportunities for reducing cost of Dairy Processing waste FINAL

Applicability: Effectiveness of the Technology

Contact details of supplier: