A Constructed Wetlands to Enhance Final Treatment of Waste Water from a Poultry Processing Plant J. B. Hess 1, J.P. Blake 1, K.S. Macklin 1, T. Smith 2, D. Toddes 2 and T. Esslinger 2, 1 Poultry Science Dept. Auburn University, AL and 2 Keystone Foods, Eufaula, AL

Poultry Processing n Alabama – 1 Billion Birds/Year, 125 Million at any given time n Alabama – 26 Processing Plants n Processing – Uses Lots of Water Lots of Water n Sources – Municipal, Well Well

Poultry Processing n Environmental Issues n Water Usage –4-9 Gallons/Bird n Waste Disposal –Solids – Offal – DAF Skimmings –Liquids, Biosolids

Keystone Foods Eufaula n Broiler Integration n 980,000 Broilers/Week n Primary Processing – 200,000 broilers/Day n Further Processing – Breading and Cooking

Processing Waste n Offal – Dewatered n Skimmings – Dewatered –Floculant n Processing Wastewater –Biosolids

Pretreatment n Rotary Drum – – Large Solids n Dissolved Air Flotation – – Solids, Fats and Oils n Products Go to Rendering –American Proteins – Cuthbert, GA –Recycled – Animal Feed, Biodiesel

Pretreatment

Rendering n American Proteins n Offal Picked Up Continuously n Pressure Cooked n Animal Protein Meals n Fats – Biodiesel, Animal Feed Animal Feed

Modified Sequence Batch Reactor n Anoxic n Oxygenated

Secondary Treatment n Clarifiers n Holding Pond

Biosolids n From Clarifiers n Beneficial use Permit n Contract with Farmer n Spread on Hay Fields

Constructed Wetlands n Free Water Surface Wetlands n 16 Cells – 3.2 Acres n 55 Acre Site n 90% of Wastewater

Constructed Wetland Cells n 11 Days Transit Time n First Six Cells – Cattails –Three Feeder Lines n Second Six Cells – Cattails –Three Feeder Lines n Four Cells – Wild Rice, Bulrush, Cattails Bulrush, Cattails and Giant Reed and Giant Reed

Plantings Used n Cattails n Typha latifolia

Plantings Used n Bulrush n Scirpus

Plantings Used n Giant Reed n Phragmites

Plantings Used n Wild Rice n Zizania aquatica

Plantings Used n Water Hyacinths n Eichhornia n Algae Control n Additional Nutrient Removal n Temporary - Removed

Final Cleaning Steps n Microscreens – Remove Plant Material n Rapid Infiltration Beds n Sand Infiltration Bed

Additional Option n Spray Fields n Adjacent to the Processing Plant n 221 Acres n Hay Harvested n Winter Crop n 10% of Total

Nutrient Results Nutrient Results TargetsPretreatment Effluent Biological MSBR Effluent Wetlands Effluent BOD TSS NH3 Summer NH3 Winter

Conclusions n Mechanical Waste Handling Accomplishes Substantial Nutrient Removal n Constructed Wetlands Provides Final Polishing n Constructed Wetlands Provides Additional Cleansing Potential

A Constructed Wetlands to Enhance Final Treatment of Waste Water from a Poultry Processing Plant J. B. Hess 1, J.P. Blake 1, K.S. Macklin 1, T. Smith 2, D. Toddes 2 and T. Esslinger 2, 1 Poultry Science Dept. Auburn University, AL and 2 Keystone Foods, Eufaula, AL