I.

Introduction
The Meat Advantage Exchange Inc., in Bacoor Cavite, produces and distributes a variety
of beef products, including fresh, frozen, canned, both vacuum packed or packaged in a
protective atmosphere. They also offer a complete range of cuts and processed hamburgers,
ready pre-cooked meals, veal cutlets, grilled and roasted products. The company is the latter
distributor in the frozen hamburger sector, with an annual production capacity of 40,000 tonnes.
With its operating structure boasting several factories in Philippines, the company manages the
whole production cycle, with a slaughtering capacity of 3,000 heads of cattle/day and the
processing of more than 250,000 tons of meat a year.
II. Body
The companys initial requirement was to deal with a considerable increase in wastewater
to be treated (from 2,000 to 4,500 m/day), with an inlet COD value of 2,500 mg/l.

Our

solution due to our extensive knowledge in the meat processing sectors production cycle, we
were able to supply a turn-key wastewater plant with a capacity of 4,500 m/day.
Solutions & Technologies

Water line:
o Raising: to pump the wastewater up to the screen
o Screening: wastewater arising from the production process contains suspended solids
which must be removed. This phase is carried out through self-cleaning fine screening
units;
o Sand separation: the sand contained in the wastewater is separated through a dynamic
sand collector;
o Balance Tank: the purpose of the Balance Tank is to eliminate surges in concentration
within the wastewater from the production facility and to ensure that the feed to the
downstream treatment plant is uniform and consistent in strength and flow;
o Primary flotation: the flotation units used to reduce the levels of fats, oil and grease
from the wastewater to suitable levels, which would otherwise have a detrimental
effect on the biological treatment system;
o Denitrification Nitrification/Oxidation: the reduction of the dissolved organic load,
both nitrogenous and carbonaceous, is carried out in a biological reactor made up of
two units, one for de-nitrification and the other for nitrification. The water coming
from the primary flotation tank flows into the de-nitrification tank. This is combined

re-circulated liquor from the nitrification tank and the sludge recirculated from the
settling tank;
o Settlement Tank: To allow separation of the biomass from the wastewater, to allow
these solids to return to the biological reactor;
o Final flotation: To reduce the suspended solids content of the wastewater to a level
suitable for discharge;
o Disinfection: To allow the water to be suitable for discharge

Sludge line:
o Sludge dewatering with dynamic extractor: This will reduce sludge discharge volume
and corresponding disposal costs. Polymer make-up and dosing equipment has been
included to maximise solids capture. The liquors from this section are sent to the main
plant to be re-treated.

Figure 1. Plant Process Flow Program

Parameters requested by the law and achieved by the plant
COD
BOD5
Ammoniac nitrogen
Nitric nitrogen

<160 mg/l
<40 mg/l
<15 mg/l
<20 mg/l

Nitrous nitrogen
pH
Suspended solids
Phosphorus

>0,6 mg/l
5.5 - 9.5
<80 mgl
<10 mg/l

We also help the company to lessen the BOD and COD it produces through seminar and
training, which we discusses to them the following:

With extra care by employees, blood and more meat/fat residuals can be
squeegee/scraped into the collection barrels before washing tables and floors with
water/cleaners. During the site visit it was noticed that employees were letting a lot of

blood come off the tables and across to the floor drains.
In the meat cart washing room it was not apparent that blood and very small meat/fat
residuals were being collected before a cart was washed. Consistent strict
enforcement in the collection of this blood and meat scrap would greatly reduce

COD/BOD.
In the cooking and smoking operations, can cooked fats, greases and/or cooked blood
be collected before cleaning of the ovens/smoker units? This could reduce significant
amounts of COD/BOD. It is understood CPI would also be able to take cooked scraps
and blood.

Additional blood loss to the wastewater occurs on the floors of the processing rooms.
It is recommended that the floors be squeegee/scraped (usually termed dry cleanup)

to get up as much blood and scrap as possible before the floors are washed down.
With better blood control it is possible that cleaning labor will be reduced and lower
amounts of cleaning agents will need to be used. This will also reduce chlorides in the
wastewater and thus reduce surcharges.

Constant attention to preventing blood and even the smallest meat scraps from going down the
floor drains will save significant money in surcharges.
III. Conclusion
Bases on the problem that the company faced and we solved, we concluded that as the
company increases its production, it increases the wastewater that it produces as well. Thus, the
companys wastewater treatment needs to level up or change to handle this increase in
wastewater.
Meat processing plant produces plethora of COD because of the chemicals they use, like
nitrites and sodium tripolyphosphate. These chemicals contribute to COD as they oxidize to
nitrate and orthophosphate form. Also, COD and BOD pollutants most concentrated source is the
blood. Since blood is water soluble, the Dissolved Air Floatation (DAF) unit has little effect on
it.
Because of that, the wastewater needs to undergo the flow process repeatedly and we add
a new process (new in meat processing plant), which is the disinfection. To make sure that there
is any trace of COD and BOD.
IV. References
Wang, L., et al.(2004) Waste Treatment in the Food Processing Industry. 2 nd ed. Taylor
and Francis Group- Florida

Appendices

Wastewater produced per day (m/day)

4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0
Former wastewater the company produced

Present