Ecoremediation ? a case study in a vegetable processing plant

The production plant produces wastewater in the vegetable and mushroom canning process and in the vegetable souse process. Batch processes and various products are the main reasons for the changes in the wastewater composition and flow. The previous wastewater treatment system with the equalisation basin, settling and neutralisation had low treatment efficiency. The retrofitting of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) started with the assessment phase where the composition and wastewater quantities were obtained (maximum, average and minimum) from the various processes such as the processing of cucumbers, mushrooms, beetroots, red pepper and vegetable souses. Data obtained were the basis for the wastewater treatment design.The main results showed that nearly half of the wastewater consisted of cooling wastewater, which was separated and released into the environment without treatment. Regarding the legislation requirements and investment costs, the following wastewater treatment system were proposed and implemented: physical and chemical pre-treatment and treatment in the wetland treatment plant. After the implementation, all legislation requirements were fulfilled, and the investment and operating cost were decreased (compared to the traditional WWTP). The system has been operating efficiently for four years and it represents an example of the ecoremediation system in industry.