Research and development

Environmental Management Consultants provide Research and Development services that enable our clients to develop novel commercial processes and products. Our close links with University research departments and potential access to supplementary funding streams bring extra resources to any project.

Case study - adding value to food wastes
Environmental Management Consultants' staff were commissioned by the Humber Seafood Group to research the potential alternative uses for the seafood by-products from the primary fish processing industry. The research drew upon associate skills in Lincoln University's Food Research Centre to provide additional technical and scientific expertise. A number of ways to better utilise fish and shellfish waste were identified. Methods of improved utilisation for each process identified were described together with the background science/technology, previous manufacturing experiences and an economic assessment.

The Humber Seafood Group Ltd is a non-profit making organisation established to represent and assist the seafood sector within the Humber region at national and international levels. I t develops and implements strategies to maximise economic activity within the sector, improve company competitiveness and promote the Humber as a centre of fish industry excellence and as a location for inward investment.

The following pictures show a fish leather wallet and the raw materials from which they could be manufactured.

Case study - adding value to hazardous wastes
Cawoods (Fishcurers) Ltd, founded 1895, are the largest salt fish producers in the UK. Using traditional techniques and modern technology, their factories in Hull and Grimsby process top quality products for the domestic and export markets. The traditional process of curing fish uses large quantities of salt which is spread on the fish fillet and left to allow to preserve the fish by curing.

The salt from the process can only be used a limited amount of times before disposal. The salt is an expensive raw material to purchase and dispose of.

Environmental Management Consultants (EMC) staff worked with Cawoods to develop a pilot salt recycling system that enabled the used salt to be cleaned and reused. This has reduces the cost of raw materials as well as the amount of salt to be landfilled, without reducing the quality of the final cured product. In addition EMC was able to identify a number of local organisations willing to purchase the waste salt for highway de-icing.

Case study - reducing trade effluent costs
A simple and low cost drainage gully system for food processing industry that reduces effluent strength and therefore trade effluent costs.

This was designed following a regional development agency funded waste water study involving a number of primary fish processing companies in Grimsby.