Whiff Of Hope To Cut Rubbish Dump Smell
By ANNE GARTNER
RESEARCHERS at Murdoch University are making progress in developing a new material that could reduce odour emissions at composting facilities, such as at the troubled Regional Resource Recovery Centre.
Environmental engineer Goen Ho and associate Ralf Cord-Ruwisch are investigating the benefits of using a new material which can absorb and reduce odours from waste industries. Dr Ho said the material used in the filtering process would replace the woodchips and compost currently used in industry.
“We are researching a new media, which is like sand or gravel, but won’t degrade,” he said.
“Bacteria which grow on the media will then intercept the odorous gas compounds.”
Dr Ho said when filter materials degraded, such as the case with woodchips and compost, odours were not able to be
captured as effectively.
He said trials on the sandlike materials had shown promise but further lab testing was needed before the material could be used in facilities like the RRRC.
A spokesman for the South Metropolitan Regional Council, said engineers were interested, but could not commit to using the new material until tests were complete.
Source: Canning Times
