Minimising downtime in Abattoir Skin Processing and Salt Rooms.

There are many environmental problems and inefficiencies associated with Abattoir skin processing plants and salt rooms. In this article the team at Lonsdale Merchants look at a few of the common issues and challenges Abattoirs face every day, to not only increase hygiene, safety and efficiencies but to gain a competitive edge on the industry through speed and creativity.

Drying shed effluent issues

Skin preservation by salting is a common practice at smaller abattoirs that are remote from tanning and skin processing operations. After salting, hides are normally hung to dry for a few days. During this process, salt draws the moisture out of the hide, together with the protein-filled fluids contained in the flesh that is still attached to the hide.

This process leaves a sludge on the ground that is not only highly saline, but also has a very high biochemical oxygen demand and contains very high levels of fluoride. If this is not cleaned and disposed of properly (e.g. diverted to evaporation ponds for solid waste disposal etc.) it can lead to salinity problems and even death to vegetation.

Developing good management strategies

The EPA states that the occupier should develop management strategies for proposed and existing premises. The strategies should aim to:

• minimise the quantity of wastes generated
• prevent pollution arising from the disposal of wastes
• prevent nuisance pollution such as odours, dust and smoke
• minimise environmental health risks
• improve the efficiency of processes through energy savings

Disposing of saline effluent efficiently

It is important to dispose of salt sludge and wastes as quickly and efficiently as possible. Traditional methods involve hand sweeping sludge into customised drains and disposal collection areas. More recently, Lonsdale Merchants have been assisting with speed and creativity with the Sweepex multi-attachment forklift broom sweeper.

Your new competitive edge

The Lonsdale Sweepex Broom range not only assists with a huge reduction in downtime through sweep breadth and mechanical intervention, but the bristle length and density makes a very fast and clean job for efficient containment and clean-up of salt sludge, skin processing rooms and Abattoir open production areas.

This range of heavy duty sweepers can be delivered from Lonsdale Australia to every corner of Australia including Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Hobart, Adelaide, Darwin, Perth and Canberra.