Food Processors 
Many food processing industries generate effluent, sludge, biosolids
and other materials that must be properly managed. Because water quality standards and effluent limits
are very low, process water and wastewater can be expensive to treat.
Due to the large volumes of water requiring treatment, CES has helped many food processors incorporate
land application to eliminate discharge to surface water. Land application of process and wastewater is
typically 50% less expensive than mechanical treatment.
In many cases, CES has found a beneficial use for these materials. Many food processing plants use process
waters to irrigate a variety of agricultural crops including forage grasses, grains and hybrid poplars.
CES soil scientists design complete process plans coupled with land application recycling of wastewater.
These scientists are uniquely qualified for land application projects because of their knowledge and
experience with soil-waste interactions and vegetation management alternatives. CES' land application
project list exceeds 1,000 over the past 30 years.
The EPA and individual states regulate the industry discharge of excess wastewater to surface waters
through the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program. CES personnel have an
on-going involvement with regulatory agency technical committees for wastewater land application. As
a result, we have a comprehensive understanding of the most current direction in regulatory policy.