Challenge

Simply Fresh Foods is an independent manufacturer of prepared / chilled vegetable products in the form of stir-fry meals, accompaniments, snacks and sauces. A new manufacturing facility was built following the destruction by fire of the original facility in 2006.

The effluent from the original facility went to sewer without any treatment and the company paid the effluent charges to the water company based on the Mogden Formula.

Solution

Pollution Control (UK) Ltd demonstrated to the directors that by on-site reduction of the suspended solids (average 370mg/litre) and COD (average 2750mg/litre), significant savings could be made. Trials suggested that the capital cost of the treatment system could be repaid in 18 months to 2 years.

Pollution Control (UK) Ltd was commissioned to design, manufacture and install a complete effluent treatment system that would achieve this reduction in suspended solids and COD. The system consisted of an inlet pump chamber, gross solids screening (which would produce a sellable commodity), a primary settlement/balance tank, an ECO-SAF biological treatment module, and a lamella clarifier.

Outcome

Within five weeks of commissioning the system, the suspended solids was reduced by an average of 79% and COD by an average of 74% (which will improve with the build up of the biomass).