Waste Management

The Irish aquaculture and seafood processing industry is facing a dilemma regarding the disposal of all types of waste generated from day to day operations. Aquaculture and Seafood processing wastes can be divided into two broad categories.

1. Animal By-product wastes – unwanted parts of the supplied product generated during processing, shell waste, and fish farm mortalities.
2. Other by-products for which the producer/processor has no further use – plastic wrap, feed bags, damaged oyster bags and trestles, spent pergolari, old mussel barrels.

Until recently waste from aquaculture and fish processing was going to landfill. However, under new legislation the amount of organic matter going to landfill is being greatly reduced. Most County Councils in Ireland do now not accept this waste into landfill.

Waste management is subject to a plethora of legislative requirements dependent on waste type, scale of generation and treatment/disposal methods employed. Local Authorities, the EPA, DEHLG, DAF and DCMNR all have a role to play in the regulation of waste management and the development of alternative options.

In light of changing legislation and pressures on the fish processing industry regarding organic waste disposal, BIM has investigated potential alternatives to practices such as landfill. Following a fact finding trip to Maine in 2002, a composting trial was set up which has proved the application, process and technology successful. An Information Note is available, giving more detailed advice on composting technology and the process involved. A number of companies are now sending their waste for composing and one company has set up its own facility. Composting is proving a cost effective and environmentally friendly method of waste disposal.

More recent work has been carried out on the recycling of plastics used in aquaculture, including the buoys used to float mussel farms and pergolari mesh which attaches small mussels to the ropes on which they are ongrown. Companies are now being encouraged to use cotton socking that degrades over time rather than plastic pergolari.

Management of waste fishing gear

Management of waste fishing gear is a vital part of caring for the environment and until recently, landfill offered the only legal option for fishermen to dispose of old netting. This is problematical because monofilament gillnets and tanglenets do not rot down and cause damage to waste handling machinery. It is also expensive and makes it tempting for fishermen to seek illicit solutions.

BIM has been seeking alternative methods of waste disposal and last year teamed up with the DCMNR and Petlon Plolymers UK in a pilot project to collect, bale and recycle nylon netting. Nets were sourced, stripped of rope and other material and sent to Dunmore East in County Waterford, where a baler was installed to ease handling and storage of waste. Bales were sent to England for processing into nylon pellets that are used for making other products such as cable ties.

With a successful trial completed, BIM hopes that a number of collection and storage points can be set up throughout Ireland. It is also hoped to extend the project to recycle other materials such as steel wire, polypropylene and polyethylene products and that these measures will prove successful in reducing the amount of industry waste destined for landfill.

More Information