MURDOCH University researchers have contributed to a breakthrough that could help water utilities and waste treatment facilities deal with odour problems, which currently require multi-million dollar investments.
MURDOCH University researchers have contributed to a breakthrough that could help water utilities and waste treatment facilities deal with odour problems, which currently require multi-million dollar investments.
Environmental Biotechnology CRC researchers at Sydney's Macquarie University and Murdoch have developed a novel way to harness bacteria to degrade odour-causing substances.
The breakthrough is being touted as a cost effective and environmentally friendly solution, using bacteria to reduce odours in wastewater treatment and secondary waste processing.
EBCRC executive director David Garman said the technology was a significant breakthrough.
"This is a designer system for odour control," Dr Garman said in an announcement released last week.
"Our novel odour control process has the capacity to replace currently used biofilters, which although effective in removing many odours deteriorate over time and eventually fail, thus require overdesign and regular media replacement."
Similarly, currently available chemical systems also require regular renewal or refills."
The CRC's research has recently been boosted with additional funding from the Water Corporation.
It will lead the research project to the next phase of controlling wastewater treatment plant emissions.
The Southern Metropolitan Regional Council (SMRC) has also supported the CRC's research.
The new treatment provides a potential long-term solution to what has been a costly problem.
The SMRC's Canning Vale resource recovery centre, which includes a large composting facility to process green waste, has been wracked by community controversy over odours.
The waste from one-third of Perth homes has been treated at the Canning Vale facility, with the contents of over one million wheelie bins being processed at the plant each month.
Last October, the Department of Environment and Conservation found unacceptable odour levels were emanating from the Canning Vale plant and forced the facility to close for approximately four weeks.
SMRC communications manager Chuck Ellis said while the council is encouraged by the research findings, the technology was some time away from application.
"Odour management is something we take very seriously and it's something that we've been doing since day one," Mr Ellis said.
"This is work that's being done in a laboratory right now on a much smaller scale to the facility at Canning Vale.
"We're a ways off applying it to Canning Vale, but its cutting edge research and the regional council's been supportive of it."
The Water Corporation could use the EBCRC technology to decrease odour levels at its wastewater treatment plants.
It is currently investing $352 million to upgrade its Beenyup, Subiaco and Woodman Point wastewater treatment plants, in part to improve odour control.
It plans to reduce odour emissions from the Woodman Point plant by 50 per cent. It is spending $28.9 million specifically to upgrade sludge treatment and odour control at Woodman Point.
It is investing a further $360 million establishing its Alkimos wastewater treatment facility north of Perth.
