Treatment of food processing wastewater is complex and costly because of the contaminant loading and the variability of the different wastes encountered in a plant. Improving wastewater treatment is critical to reducing high water consumption, preventing pollution into water bodies and preserving public health and surrounding wildlife.
Your challenges
Food and beverage manufacturing produces a complex wastewater effluent often difficult to treat due to its high salinity levels and heavy loading of contaminants.
Wastewater released from these industries are turbid, with high concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), chemical oxygen demands (COD), biological oxygen demand (BOD), fats oils and grease (FOG), and nutrients such as nitrogen (including ammonia) and phosphate.
Other characteristics of food processing wastewater are large seasonal variation, large hourly variation in concentration and type of contaminants, often small and variable flows per day, and unbalanced concentrations of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, which complicates bioreactor treatment.
Energy efficiency and costs
Treating wastewater from industries and farms has a dual potential benefit. Treated water can be recycled to help cut down industries’ fresh water use, and the waste load in wastewater can be converted to biogas and used to produce electricity.
Anaerobic digestion is a natural process that converts organic matter present in wastewater sludge into biogas for electricity, as well as significantly reducing the contaminant load in treated water.
The energy produced from the biogas can be fed back into the grid or used in other parts of the production process, which represents a real opportunity to reduce energy costs.
Our Solutions
Our solutions are simple, cost-effective and can help existing wastewater treatment systems improve efficiency while significantly improve the quality of the wastewater discharge. Click on one of our award-winning and cost-competitive solutions to find out more.
Odour Control
Calix ACTI-Mag is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce hydrogen sulphide generation, and eliminate odour issues from wastewater.
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Phosphate Removal
Calix ACTI-Mag can enhance the removal of Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) from wastewater.
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Fats, Oils, Greases (FOGs) Control
Calix ACTI-Mag slowly releases hydroxyl ions, which breakdown low-density, large-chain fatty acids that can then be readily digested by bacteria in wastewater.
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Biogas Management
Calix ACTI-Mag can increase the quality and quantity of the biogas coming from anaerobic systems, and provide a significant economic boost for food processing plants.
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Biochemical & Chemical Oxygen Demand Reduction
Calix ACTI-Mag supports bacteria and speeds up the breakdown of complex organic chains into smaller units – resulting in improving Biochemical/Chemical Oxygen Demand (BOD/COD) in the final effluent.
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pH adjustment and alkalinity boost
A safe and cost effective alternative to the use of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) or other chemicals for wastewater alkalinity and pH adjustment.
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Caustic replacement
A safe and cost effective alternative to the use of sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) for wastewater alkalinity and pH adjustment.
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Chemical dosing units
Our engineered and cost-effective solutions are tailored to meet your
specific needs and budget. Quick to install – our modular dosing units can be delivered on site by truck and are fast to set up and connect.
Relevant articles
June 27, 2020 \ Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment
The value of magnesium hydroxide as a substitute for caustic soda and lime
Magnesium hydroxide is the least expensive and most powerful alkaline chemical treatment available on the market for pH control applications.
May 28, 2020 \ Calix Global Challenges
Fighting COVID-19 on the front lines of wastewater management
Wastewater management professionals are playing a silent-yet-crucial role in the fight against COVID-19, also known as the coronavirus. One of
January 24, 2020 \ Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment
Methods of phosphate removal in wastewater
In this webinar, Michael explored ways that you can reduce the phosphate within wastewater effluent while improving the quality of sludge.
the use of water in industry and agriculture is a sensitive topic. Maximising the value of wastewater is essential.
ACTI-Mag can help food manufacturers gain more throughput with minimal capital expenditure, while turning wastewater into a renewable source of energy.
Customer Stories
Creating Renewable Energy \ Agriculture
Anaerobic cogeneration plant at a piggery farm, Berrybank Piggery 
ACTI-Mag on an anaerobic cogeneration plant at a piggery farm South West Victoria, Australia.
Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment \
Chrome Precipitation at a tannery, Casino Hide Tanners
ACTI-Mag is a highly reactive, concentrated and stabilised suspension of Magnesium Hydroxide manufactured by hydrating ultra high surface area Magnesium
Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment \ Wineries
Improving the cellar door experience, Campbell’s Wines
ACTI-Mag reduces H2S and consequently, odours within the cellar door at Campbell’s Wines, Rutherglen, Victoria, Australia.
Improving the Sustainability of Water Treatment \ Municipalities
Phosphorus removal in wastewater, a UQ lab study
ACTI-Mag removes phosphate through struvite crystallization – a research study by the University of Queensland.
Creating Renewable Energy \ Food & Beverage
Boosting biogas yields to offset energy costs at a rendering plant
ACTI-Mag stabilizes process pH, increases biogas production and decrease effluent phosphorus at large food manufacturing plant, Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia.
The Calix difference
People, unique technology, partners, and track record
Leading edge technology
Calix core technology makes high surface area materials (with a honeycomb-like structure), giving you a price and a reactivity advantage.
Our materials are proving to have similar properties to highly active nano-materials, without the health/safety concerns and high cost, but with all the benefits.
Faster reactivity = less costs
Manufactured in Australia
Fully integrated supply chain – from mine to customer
Calix is able to offer better service, reliability and performance to its
customers because it controls the entire production process from mining
of raw materials, processing and production.
Chemical dosing systems
Calix leverages a culture of innovation to provide fully customised services such as design expertise, engineering know-how, detail engineering, installation, piping and commissioning services to provide turnkey systems for chemical dosing of Magnesium Hydroxide Liquid (MHL).
Our engineered and cost-effective solutions are tailored to meet your specific needs and budget. Quick to install – our modular dosing units can be delivered on site by truck and are fast to set up and connect.
Find out more about our dosing solutionsWe work together in ways others don’t, considering the long-term effect of our actions, never satisfied with the status quo.
Calix has its own direct delivery, service and support capabilities and also has an established a network of local distributors and partners that can provide the best solution for your specific needs and ensure you receive excellent customer service and support, wherever you are located.
Calix supports WaterAid programs to facilitate access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene in the world’s poorest and most marginalised communities.
This partnership with WaterAid aligns perfectly with our purpose and the reason to why we exist “We Solve Global Challenges” and with our core value of “positive impact”.
Visit Wateraid website