BOD5 & SLUDGE REDUCTION, COUPLED WITH AMMONIA REDUCTION
POULTRY PROCESSING, RENDERING & DELI PLANT
WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT

Biological Treatment Summary

BZT® Waste Digester & BZT® Aquaculture

The Situation

One of the largest poultry processing, rendering and deli plants in the United States was coming face to face with the State Regional Water Control Board and their concerns with organic sludge accumulation, increasing BOD₅ and Ammonia levels occurring throughout the facility's secondary lagoon system. Three years earlier, the facility was forced to dredge their two aerobic headwater lagoons for sludge removal and disposal, costing in excess of $2 million dollars. Now, just three years later, the facility is once again faced with the sludge dilemma and the enormous cost to dredge and dispose of the sludge. In addition to the sludge dilemma, the facility was also facing non-compliant issues with Ammonia levels in their land application discharges.

The Solution

The facility wanted a treatment program developed for comparative purposes in sludge reduction between their two aerobic headwater lagoons. Bio-Form LLC designed an experimental sampling program to include a "control" lagoon, which had no treatment application, and an "experimental" lagoon, which would be treated with BZT® Waste Digester and BZT® Aquaculture. The "control" lagoon consists of 10 MG in total volume, while the "experimental" lagoon has a 13 MG total volume. A bioaugmentation treatment program was proposed to include the addition of BZT® Waste Digester and BZT® Aquaculture for BOD₅ and Sludge reduction coupled with Ammonia reduction in the 13 MG lagoon. Both of the lagoons were sampled in sequential order prior to the initial "seed" applications and again at 30-day intervals using identical sample and data collecting methods.

The Results

Within one month of the initial seed application, there were sensational decreases in BOD₅, COD, TOC, TSS and Ammonia levels.

Sludge depth readings were collected prior to the initial seed and again at 30-day intervals. Within the first month of treatment, sludge reduction showed > 60% of the overall total sludge volume had been reduced and later data continues to show a consistent decrease in overall sludge volume and the comprised waste constituents from the waste stream. The "control" lagoon continues to show a significant increase in all areas of the waste constituents and accumulation of sludge from the waste stream.

The facility views this program as a remarkable achievement and a complete success. In fact, the company is in the process of implementing the BZT® Waste Digester and BZT® Aquaculture treatment program throughout their entire secondary treatment system, which consists of 12 secondary lagoons ranging from 8.6 MG to 31.6 MG in total volume.