For the retail and agricultural sectors, sustainable waste management has become a priority across the full supply chain. While businesses are looking at ways to divert waste streams from landfill and improve materials recycling, an important consideration for the food supply chain is biosecure waste management.
When not managed correctly, animal waste can pose a threat to the entire food supply chain in the event of a disease outbreak. We saw this with an outbreak of avian influenza (HPAI) last year at a poultry farm in the North-West province. This specific outbreak was said to be a threat to the entire poultry sector in the country.
Considering the biosecurity risk of animal waste and mortalities, a waste management solution needs to address the removal of potential pathogens within the waste.
BiobiN composting units have been used in many countries within livestock agriculture as a mean to contain and process animal waste in a completely biosecure manner. Both incineration and landfilling of animal waste are being phased out and new methods, like on-site composting units, are fast becoming the preferred choice to manage animal waste.
The technology makes use of an aeration system, a condenser and biofilter to create conditions that speeds up the decomposition process and removes pathogens.
It has been used in many countries for poultry waste management as a proven method to manage animal mortalities in a biosecure way. Given its reliability in other countries, it is now gaining popularity within the South Africa livestock sector.
To prove that composting can be a feasible and biosecure solution to create a circular economy with animal waste, the quality of compost has undergone lab testing to determine that it is suitable for commercial use.