USPOULTRY presents clean water awards

11-03-2009 | Home | News

Four poultry processing plants have been selected to receive the US Poultry and Egg Association’s 2009 Clean Water Awards.

Presented annually, the awards recognise excellence in the operation of wastewater treatment plants, says the Association. The awards were presented during the Association’s recent Environmental Management Seminar in Nashville, TN, USA.

Awards are presented in two categories: pretreatment and full treatment. The pretreatment category covers facilities that discharge pretreated effluent to publicly-owned full treatment facilities while the full treatment category covers facilities that fully reclaim wastewater prior to discharge into a receiving stream or final land application system. First place and honorable mention are recognised in both categories.

Sanderson Farms, winner, full treatment

First place in the full treatment category went to Sanderson Farms in Moultrie, Georgia. The processing complex was completed in 2005. The wastewater facility includes a 1.7 mln gallons p/d on-site pretreatment plant. A 15.4 mln gallon covered anaerobic lagoon equalises flow to the wastewater treatment plant and effectively acts as an odour control system. Future plans at the Moultrie facility include utilising methane collected from the anaerobic lagoon as an energy source.

After the wastewater is treated in an activated bio-solids treatment plant, a pump station and force main transfer pretreated effluent to the land application system for final treatment and nutrient utilisation. The land application system provides irrigation for 400 acres of Alicia Bermuda grass for hay production. The wastewater treatment plant has been designed to adjust the nitrogen loading required by the vegetation grown on the application system while meeting and exceeding all environmental goals and discharge requirements. The facility was a runner-up in 2008.

Tyson Foods, winner pretreatment

Tyson Food’s Monett, Missouri processing plant was selected as the winner in the pretreatment category. The complex completed a new $4.8 mln wastewater pretreatment system in October of 2008. The main components of the pretreatment plant include a primary dissolved air flotation system, a 900,000 gallon equalisation basin and secondary dissolved air flotation system. Construction of the pretreatment plant, along with close monitoring of the dissolved air flotation system, has increased treatment efficiency. The result is lower operating costs and more extensive pretreatment of wastewater before it is sent to the city’s system for final treatment. The Monett facility previously won the pretreatment award in 2001. It is the first two-time winner for pretreatment.

Wayne Farms, honourable mention, pretreatment

Wayne Farms, Decatur, Alabama, won honourable mention for pretreatment at their further processing plant, recognised for performance and efficiency as the result of several recent projects: combined waste stream, automated jar testing, polymer blend consistency, and dual supervisory control and data acquisition monitors, which provide 24-7 coverage for both utilities and wastewater treatment. The monitoring programme reduces the likelihood of a system upset and provides early detection in the event of a process deviation. The facility was a runner-up in 2002.

Tyson Foods, honourable mention full treatment

The Tyson Foods processing plant at Noel, Missouri received honourable mention for full treatment. The facility was recognised for several unique or innovative processes, such as pretreatment polymer recycling, waste activated bio-solids processing, and recycling animal fat for the complex’s feed mill. An effective odour control system uses a synthetic liner to cover the anaerobic lagoon. The liner captures the gases generated in the lagoon, and a piping system transfers the gas to a flare unit for combustion, with no odour. They were a runner-up in 2007.