This project aims to characterise organic waste streams produced by the Australian red meat processing industry and to develop novel treatment technologies to extract valuable products from these waste streams. Key research questions addressed include i) what value can be extracted from Australian red meat processing wastes; ii) what technology approaches can be used to do so; (iii) and what markets are available for products extracted by the technology approaches.

The specific objectives of this research include:
• To analyse Australian red meat processing to identify opportunities for circular economy concepts;
• To characterise organic waste streams from a selected Australian meat processor to determine their imbedded value in terms of organic matter and nutrient contents, and composition;
• To identify and test technology approaches suited to the characteristics of the organic waste streams, and to produce and characterise the products that are formed by these technology approaches;
• To clarify market and business opportunities for circular economy concepts using the technology approaches researched by the project, and with knowledge of the value of the products that they produce.
• Model concepts of circularity, which can be applied to other food processing industries.

Dr Stephan Tait

• Professor Bernadette McCabe

• Institute for Agriculture and the Environment
• National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture

• Environmental Biotechnology
• Environmental Engineering
• Environmental Science and Management
• Industrial Biotechnology

• Doctor of Philosophy (DPHD)
• Master of Research (MRES)