MEDIA RELEASE 17 March 2016
Ferrero wins prominent award using Australian invented BioGill technology to improve water quality
Sydney, Australia: A breakthrough Australian invented water treatment technology used at Ferrero Australia’s Lithgow facility, has won the prestigious Australian Water Association, NSW Water Award for Infrastructure Project Innovation. The Australian developed and patented technology known as BioGill, uses Mother Nature to clean wastewater in an eco-friendly and highly effective way.
Commenting on the award win, a Ferrero Australia spokesman said, “Sustainability is an integral part of our business ethos and this water treatment system is both good for the environment and good for the bottom line, delivering better quality water and a reduction in wastewater tariffs.”
An international standard to measure water quality is to monitor Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) levels. BOD is generally greater in high sugar wastewater and can be a costly challenge to manage. Across the western world as water authorities tighten regulation and push up tariffs, the trend is for companies to treat and reduce their BOD load onsite.
Ferrero’s search for a solution led them to BioGill. This Australian based biotechnology company manufactures above ground, attached growth bioreactors that use microorganisms to treat wastewater in a highly effective, low cost and low carbon way.
“Following a successful pilot project, nine BioGill bioreactors were retrofitted to our existing wastewater treatment process,” said the spokesman who added. “Wastewater is pumped to the top of the BioGill units and gravity fed down special membranes with microorganisms, Nature’s best recyclers, growing on the membranes and feeding off the nutrients in the wastewater.”
In operation for more than fifteen months, the BioGill system is delivering BOD reductions within the regulatory requirements. Ferrero Australia is the first food manufacturing company in the world to implement a full-sized BioGill water treatment solution. The project is now entered into the national Water Awards to be presented at ozwater’16 in May.
In congratulating Ferrero, John West, Executive Chairman and Founder of BioGill, praised Ferrero on its pro-innovation approach and acknowledged the company’s support of new, Australian-invented technology. ENDS
For more information, please contact: Derek Lath, Institutional Affairs Director, Ferrero Australia P: +61 2 9409 8800 | E: [email protected] | www.ferrero.com.au
John West, Executive Chairman + Founder, BioGill P: +61 2 8543 2200 │ E: [email protected] │ www.biogill.com
Photos available upon request.
About Ferrero Australia. Ferrero Australia started in 1974 and since that time has sold in Australia and New Zealand brands such as Tic Tac, Nutella, Ferrero Rocher, Kinder Surprise and Bueno. The company has a factory in Lithgow, New South Wales, producing Tic Tac and Nutella for over 30 years. Consistent with Ferrero’s global objectives, the Lithgow factory is certified to the international standards of Food Safety (ISO22000 + PAS 220), Quality Management (ISO 9001) and Environmental Management (ISO14001).
About BioGill. BioGill technology brings together the power of science and nature, to help clean the water in our world. A biotechnology company, BioGill manufactures above ground, attached growth patented bioreactors that deliver highly effective, low cost and energy efficient water treatment systems. Modular and scalable, the BioGill bioreactors provide biological sewage treatment systems for remote villages, through to large scale industrial wastewater treatment.
About AWA. Announced at the annual NSW Heads of Water gala dinner, the Australian Water Association’s NSW Branch Awards recognised the outstanding work of individuals and organisations in the water industry across innovation, new technology, business and delivery of water projects.
Along with the prestige of being recognised as ‘the best in New South Wales’ winners of a number of the NSW Water Awards will automatically be entered into the equivalent Australian Water Association’s Australian Water Awards category, which will be presented on 11 May at Ozwater’16 in Melbourne.