Organic and nutrient reduction in a fish processing facility – A case study

Abstract

Fish processing plant consumes relatively large quantity of water and generates equally large volumes of wastewater with high organic and nutrient strength that must be pre-treated prior to sewer discharge. As the trade waste regulations are becoming more stringent now days, it is important that this high strength wastewater should be treated through better water management strategy. This requires huge investments for effluent treatment plants in order to meet the required specification for the trade waste discharge. A major squid and scallops processing plant is presented as a case study to highlight the interrelated issues of the resultant deterioration in water quality and the economic consequences of this impact. The main objective of this study is to develop a wastewater management plan for this processing plant that would address key issues required to meet trade waste limits. The characteristics of wastewater streams generated from various sources have been analysed and have the potential of being reused within the fish processing plant have also been identified. The results of the analysis of various key water quality parameters provided a basis for the selection and identification of feasible options for wastewater treatment, reuse and recycling.