Proceedings

Bord na Móna Environmental Ltd. has gained valuable experience in treatment with air
emissions over the past twenty years. With over 600 biological installations, primarily in
municipal and industrial wastewater, solid waste treatment plants, food processing and more
recently high level VOC applications in the printing and coating and petrochemical industry,
Bord na Móna Environmental Ltd are positioned as experts in the field of biological treatment
of air emissions.

Since the mid 1990s Bord na Móna have concentrated their efforts on developing biological
technologies to increase the range of applications for biological treatment technologies. New
applications include treatment of airstreams containing high concentrations of H2S, ammonia,
VOC or indeed a combination of all three. This paper will highlight new developments and
new applications with particular reference to solid waste processing and composting plants.
Success in treatment with biological technologies will be shown to be closely linked with indepth analytical process engineering, accurate characterisation of waste gas streams, control
of process conditions for optimisation of biological activity, and the physio-chemical properties
of the filter media.

This paper will trace Bord na Móna’s early experiences and developments with biofiltration
systems for treating air emissions. These experiences, coupled with various innovations and
ongoing developmental work over the years, have enabled Bord na Móna to develop unique
patented technologies, MONASHELL and MONAFIL. These technologies can treat a range
of applications from relatively straightforward odour emissions from municipal solid waste and
wastewater treatment plants through to difficult complex industrial emissions.

KEYWORDS
Biofiltration, Biotrickling, Volatile Organic Compounds, Life Cycle Cost, MSW Air Emissions,
Peat Biofilter.