Development of a cost effective & environmentally-sustainable waste management system for the fish-meal processing industry.
Summary
To identify the most appropriate and economic systems and methods of dealing with the wastes and wastewaters from the fish meal manufacturing process so as to ensure compliance with all relevant environmentally regulatory requirements in a manner which is consistent with sustainable development and best international practice.
The Research Team
Mr. Noel Connaughton Principal Researcher Department of Science, IT, Sligo. Mr. Pat Timpson Joint Researcher Department of Science, IT, Sligo. Mr. Noel Greaney Research Student Department of Science, IT Sligo.
Background
Fish meal manufacture has numerous environmental aspects which to date have not been adequately addressed by the industry either in Ireland or overseas. The wastewaters generated are very difficult to deal with due to the extremely high organic content, high oil content, and variability of characteristics.
Project Details
The overall approach will follow the waste management hierarchy of initially looking at ways to prevent or reduce wastes and wastewaters arising in the first instance and then at the ways of reusing and recycling these wastes.
Finally, the options available for the efficient and economic treatment of the residual wastes and wastewaters will be addressed
The specific objectives of the research project include:-
- Identifying the quantity and characteristics of the various waste streams and relating these to production rates.
- Calculating the mass balance of nutrients for the manufacturing process.
- Assessing the practicality and cost effectiveness of preventing and/or reducing the quantity and/or concentration of the various waste streams.
- Identifying the most suitable methods to treat the residual wastewater.