Zero effluent stretch target
This project, initiated in November 2004, is concerned with the critical examination of water usage at FMC BioPolymer in Cork. It set out to maximise the internal recycle of water by characterising the process streams, seeking consistent optimal operation, and applying recovery measures as appropriate to the streams. This required assessing the viability of such changes and ensuring the treatment plant accommodates any ensuing feed variation. With the “stretch target” of eliminating effluent, material ecoefficiency was to be substantially improved, while satisfying manufacturing quality criteria. A transferable, generalised methodology was devised for the management of waste aqueous streams characterised primarily by suspended and dissolved solids content.
The main driver behind this project is increasing costs to dispose of water. From January 1, 2005, FMC has been charged for every cubic meter of water brought onto the site as well as every cubic meter of effluent that it is disposing to the new Carrigrennan Waste Water Treatment plant situated in Little Island. This implies an increase in costs for FMC in 2005 of approximately €400,000 per year relating to effluent disposal costs.
There is also the potential for Cork County Council to impose further charges based on kg of Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Suspended Solids (SS) discharged in the future. These effluent charges will be imposed even though FMC has its own wastewater treatment plant that satisfies the Cork County Council specified effluent conditions.
For further details, download the FMC BioPolymer PDF.
