Wastewater effluent treatments and control technologies in the beef processing industry

Abstract

This study was an investigation of the overall environmental impact as a result of a beef processing facility being located in the Wisconsin Rapids West-side Industrial Park. The main purpose of this survey was to determine whether the Wisconsin Rapids Wastewater Treatment Facility, a POTW could accommodate the additional water usage and contaminant loadings that would be introduced as a result of this proposed processing plant. Also, other factors, such as water usage, chemical and organic loadings, and treatment technologies are identified, quantified, and evaluated according to the specific information known about the facility proposed by Quality Beef Processors, LLC. Overall water usage was estimated at between 500,000 and 750,000 gallons per day, with 80-95 percent of this discharged into wastewater streams as effluent. These effluents are relatively high strength, with biochemical oxygen demands (BOD) and total suspended solids (TSS) concentrations much higher than other industries. This is due to the presence of blood and manure in wastewater streams, since both of these components are readily biodegradable in the environment as well as treatment systems. Chemical usage was also estimated and evaluated according to available data from the meat processing industry. While chemicals are used in moderate amounts as detergents and other cleaning compounds, their concentrations are not regulated according to the NPDES permit held by the POTW facility. Currently available control practices and treatment technologies are effective enough to reduce these levels to concentrations that are at or below industry averages. Treatment technologies, including primary, secondary and tertiary treatments, are widely used in the meat processing industry to reduce contaminant concentrations to levels that are easily handled by POTW facilities. Pretreatment standards for new sources (PSNS) technologies have been shown in industry document to be up to 99.9 percent effective in removing pollutants of concern. These reduction levels are more than sufficient in order to produce effluent strengths that are easily treatable by POTW facilities.