Coconut Husk Fragments-Based Biofiltration
Ensuring the Availability and Sustainability of Filtering Media Materials
Andy McKinlay
Market development director
Residential
North America
Content
 Review of our Current Offer
 Premier Tech Aqua (PTA) Maintenance Program
 Review of Current Options to Homeowners and
Regulators
 Veolia Test Platform
 Real Facts
 Comparative Research
 Energy Consumption & Annual Operating Costs
 Filter Replacement & Spent Peat Studies
 New Offer
Ecoflo Biofilter
 Ecoflo Biofilter is a peat-based biofilter
 Life span of the filtering media: 10 to 15 years
Ecoflo®
Biofilter
Septic tank
Drainfield
PTA Maintenance Program
 Performed by a network of local partners
trained by PTA

Good presentation to the customer

Professionalism on the property

Inspection of all components

Good and complete information
Maintenance Steps
What is the current offer?
Operation and Maintenance
 Apply to ALL septic systems
 No maintenance = progressive system failure
 Conventional, mound, buried CTDS (non accessible)
 If you are unable to visually inspect the components of
a system, you do not know if it is working
 Conventional, mound, buried CTDS (non accessible)
 Replacing a failed system is an operating cost
 How long it actually lasts is a mystery!
Performance????? Inspections?????
Veolia Test Platform
 To reflect the high variations of flow and loads,
characterizing individual installations, Veolia Water
developed, with expert groups, a new testing protocol.
200%
50%
100%
Q
12 weeks
Week-end high
occupancy
4 weeks
Vacation
period
3 weeks
Peak flow
3 weeks
Q
4 weeks
Week-end high
occupancy
2 weeks
3 power/equipment
failure 6 weeks
Low
occupancy
2 weeks
Veolia Test Platform
 In 2011, Veolia Eau performed the 40-week Stressful
Condition Test Platform at the Center for Scientific
and Technical Building Studies in Europe.
 Most stringent test platform in the onsite wastewater
industry.
 Ecoflo Biofilter ranked no. 1 among the eight
technologies tested.
Veolia Protocol Global Results
Veolia Protocol Global Results
Veolia Protocol Global Results
Veolia Protocol Global Results
Veolia Protocol Global Results
The Real Facts
Comparative Research
Comparative Research
 The higher maintenance requirements of ATU’s were often neglected by
homeowners, resulting in higher failure and marginal performance rates.
Conclusions
 When ATU’s are included in the design system, failure rates increase.
 When ATU’s are designed to discharge off-lot, the nuisance rate increase.
Energy Consumption
Vendor
1 yr Electrical
Consumption
(kWh/year)
Increased
Electrical Costs
per Year
Assuming $0.11
per kWh
Verified by
Fixed film
979.66
$107.76
NAT testing lab
Fixed film
1934.5 kWh/year
$212.80
Vendor
Attached Growth
2584 kWh/year
$284.24
Pump
Manufacturer
BC Hydro Rates and Usage
 ATU#1 – 7.728 kWh (daily usage)
 ATU#2 – 4.8 kWh (daily usage)
 ATU#3 – 4.248 kWh (daily usage)
 1,350 kWh over typical 2 month billing
period = 22.1918 kWh (daily usage)
Average Annual Operating Costs
$450
$400
$350
$300
$250
$200
Hydro Consumption
$150
Blower Replacement
$100
Filter Replacement
$50
$0
ATU#1
ATU#2


ATU#3
Ecoflo
Assuming blower replacement at 5-year intervals
Does not include annual maintenance costs or other
component replacement (eg. recirculation pump, diffuser, etc.)
Accumulative Operating Costs
$10,000.00
$9,000.00
$8,000.00
$7,000.00
$6,000.00
ATU#1
$5,000.00
ATU#2
$4,000.00
ATU#3
$3,000.00
Ecoflo
$2,000.00
$1,000.00
$1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
Years
The Real Facts

One Ecoflo biofiter (at the time of media replacement)
contains a volume of media between 4 and 4.5m³, or
approximately 3.6 dry tonnes.

It’s estimated that the volume of biosolids produced
annually by centralized wastewater treatment plants in
BC is approximately 47,000 dry tonnes.
The Real Facts
Permanent vs. Temporary Systems
$3,000.00
$2,500.00
$2,000.00
$1,500.00
$1,000.00
$500.00
Temporary System
$-
Filter Replacement



System replacement costs expressed as annual operating costs
Assuming temporary system total replacement cost of $15K
Ecoflo media replaced at 10-year intervals
Operation & Maintenance Costs – Ecoflo vs. ATU
1 yr
2 yr
3 yr
4 yr
5 yr
6 yr
7 yr
8 yr
Free
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$150.00
$0.00
$1,500.00
Free
Free
$200.00
$200.00
$200.00
$200.00
$200.00
$200.00
$300.00
$300.00
$300.00
$300.00
$300.00
$300.00
$300.00
$300.00
Ecoflo
Annual maintenance fees
Annual electricity costs*
*Less than $10/yr if pump
is required
Filter replacement
Total operating costs
after 8 years
Average annual costs
$2,550.00
$318.75
ATU
Annual maintenance fees
(estimated)
Annual electricity costs
(estimated)
Compressor
replacement/rebuild
(estimated)
Pump scum/sludge from
ATU (estimated)
Total operating costs
after 8 years
Average annual costs
$400.00
$400.00
$250.00
$4,650.00
$518.25
From Theory to Reality: Peat replacement
after 8 Years – Characterization Results
and the Challenges of Finding New
End Uses
Presented by
Andy McKinlay
Denis Pettigrew
PUMPER & CLEANER ENVIRONMENTAL EXPO INTERNATIONAL
Louisville, Kentucky, February 25th, 2010
Filter Replacement

When the life span of the filter is reached, the spent
media is pumped out with a vacuum pump truck
Filter Replacement
 Sludge requires to be managed periodically
 All onsite wastewater treatment systems produce sludge
 ATU’s: sludge is accumulated in the settling area and
needs to be pumped on a 1 to 2 year basis
 Media filter bed: sludge is accumulated in the filtering
media, requiring its replacement over the years
Spent Peat Studies

First study in 2002-2005 in Canada





Characterization of spent peat
Storage, composting and revegetation trials
Lime stabilization
Soil amendment for tree nursery
Second study by Virginia Tech University (since 2008)



Characterization of spent peat
Standard bioassay trials (laboratory and greenhouse)
Storage (Penn State University) and composting trials
Characterization Campaign



2002 and 2003: Sampling of 19 filtering beds
after 8 years of use
2009: sampling of 10 filtering beds in PA after
8 years of use
Sample volume 2-3 gal (5-10 L)
Parameters





Uniformity and texture
Physico-chemical properties
Macro-elements
Oligo-elements & metals
Microbiology
Storage, Composting & Re-vegetation Trials

Monitor the impact of storage & evaluate new
alternative end uses:
1. Storage & composting



Use of spent peat as a bulking agent in compost
Effect of storage on pathogen reduction and leachate
characterization
Composting trials with addition of a nitrogen source
2. Erosion control and revegetation (first study only)



Organic amendment for the protection & stabilization of degraded
soils (erosion control on sloppy site)
Agronomic potential for plant growth on altered/degraded sites
Monitor possible run-off contamination resulting from application
of spent peat as an organic amendment
Storage & Composting Trials

First study: storage and composting platform (100 x 30 ft)
divided in 4 cells
4
3
2
1
10 meters
35 meters
+
Collecting pool for existing leacheates
Existing
leachate storage
lagoon

Virginia Tech study


First exploration drum composting
trials 2009
Second run composting trials and
storage trials to be initiated in spring
2010
Re-vegetation Trials

Erosion control and re-vegetation trials using 22 plots of
8 x 21ft:





2 slopes: 3 and 25%
Comparison of amended vs.
control plots (3-5 reps)
Collection of run-off water and
sediments at the bottom of each
plots
Plant growth evolution
Weather station
Bioassay at Virginia Tech Facilities

Designed to test for beneficial effects of spent peat as
an amendment and to observe any potential negative
effects on soil properties and plant growth.





Seed germination and greenhouse pots trials
Plant sensitive and tolerance indicators (Snap beans and Tall
fescue)
2 amendment materials:

Spent peat

VT compost mix (with spent peat)
4 application rates (0,10, 20 and 30%)
Randomized block (4 reps/treatment)
Characterization Campaign
Overall results

Same spent peat characteristics observed
from the 2 studies (Canada and USA)

Good physical, chemical and agronomical
properties:





pH close to neutral
84% of organic matter (≈40% of carbon
content)
C/N ratio in the range of 35
Homogenous fibrous and porous structure
High water holding capacity
Characterization Campaign
Overall results (cont’)

Good physical, chemical and agronomical
properties:

Good plant nutritional mineral content
(macro & available nutrients)

Moderate level of pathogen (E. coli range of
24 to 100,000 MPN/g, Salmonella (BDL))


Compared to sewage sludge, very low
metals content
Higher level of Cu and Na, can be found in
certain sites (water softner, aggressive water and
copper plumbing)
Lime Stabilization
 Preliminary trials


Stabilization with hydrated lime to get Class A biosolid level
Get the pathogen reduction through pH and heat drastic change
pH > 11.5 for more than 22hrs
Re-vegetation Trials
 Erosion control & re-vegetation

Significant contribution of the amendment of spent peat (A) for
erosion control as well as for the establishment of the
vegetation cover.
14 d
38 d
21 d
A
A
A
8 months
10 months
A
A
12 months
A
Re-vegetation Trials
 Erosion control & re-vegetation

Sediments volume & leachate quality
Non
amended
Amended
Sediments volume (mL)
254
118
Turbidity (NTU)
386
47
Conductivity (mho/cm)
159
90
Fe (mg/L)
11.4
1.2
COD (mg/L)
43
48
PO4 (mg/L)
0.11
0.57
Fecal Coliforms (UFC/100
mL)
156
55
Cu (mg/L)
0.05
0.05
NH4 (mg/L)
0.29
0.37
Parameters
Bioassay at Virginia Tech Facilities
 Seed germination and greenhouse pots trials
Land Reclamation

Reclamation Objectives






Highly disturbed throughout site
Dust mitigation / erosion control
Aesthetic improvement
Habitat establishment
Aforestation
Biosolids identified as a tool to achieve these objectives
Conclusions

Spent peat, with its inherent physical properties and
mineral nutrients concentrations, has great fertilizing
potential for plant growth and for soil stabilization and
enrichment.

The simple storage trials of the spent peat for periods >
80 days contributes to a sufficient level of stabilization.

The stabilized spent peat could be used for forage crop
and forestry (tree farms).

Composting trials demonstrated the very high potential
of reusing the spent peat as a bulking agent.
Conclusions

Re-vegetation trials have demonstrated the beneficial
contribution of the spent peat amendment for the
protection of bare surfaces and the establishment of a
vegetation cap.

First results from Virginia Tech study (bioassay) indicate
that spent peat amendment has no adverse effects on
seedling and improve plant growth.

Based on results obtained up to now, spent peat should
not be classified as a sewage sludge (septage),
considering its handling and agronomical properties
(low elemental toxicity).
Ecoflo
Ecoflo Coco
Premier Tech Compact Organic Filter
Branding
 Premier Tech
offers a
technological
approach
 Proven and
recognized
technology
Compact absorbent
organic filter
Finished product
 PT Compact Organic
Filter is made of qualitycontrolled natural media
 A compact, highperformance, no energy
and permanent solution
 Zero energy required for
the treatment process
 Easy to install system
 Filter acts as a true
physical barrier between
the existing soil and the
absorption bed
 Best way to protect the
investment (the property)
and the environment
Coco – Advantages
 Natural and recyclable organic filter
 Same module can handle more flow or more
concentration
 Increased treatment flexibility and compactness
Ecoflo Coco vs. Ecoflo
Ecoflo Coco
Ecoflo
HLR
12.5 USG/ft²-d
8.6 USG/ft²-d
OLR
0.012lb DBOC5/ft2-d
0.009lb DBOC5/ft2-d
25 in
31.5 in
Q=750 USG/d
Q=525 USG/d
FM height
Polyethylene
(570/750 unit)
NSF Testing – Standard 40 Class I
 Completed May 15, 2014
Septic tank effluent
sampling port
Influent coming
from bench
test
Aeration pipes
PL-22 Effluent filter
Filtering media
Discharge to bench test
sampling point
Spacers1
Primary treatment:
Secondary treatment:
750 gallons working capacity septic tank
Ecoflo® Coco Filter
NSF Testing – Standard 40 Class I
 Completed May 15, 2014
New Unit
 Compact rotomolded unit
The Strength of Premier Tech Aqua

Network of 2,000 installers, 700 consultants, 250
service partners and 420 distribution centers in North
America, Europe and Asia

100,000 Ecoflo Biofilter installations worldwide

1,200 commercial, community, institutional, municipal
and industrial installations

400,000 system maintenances

13,000 successful filter changes

120,000 peripheral products sold