Being neighborly at Tyson’s Dardanelle complex

Tyson Foods Inc.’s Dardanelle, Arkansas, successfully treats water and controls odors while operating in the heart of its hometown.

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The facility operates across the highway from local gas stations and stores. (Austin Alonzo)
The facility operates across the highway from local gas stations and stores. (Austin Alonzo)

Tyson Foods Inc. in Dardanelle, Arkansas, successfully treats water and controls odors while operating in the heart of its hometown.

As part of the 2021 U.S. Poultry & Egg Association’s Clean Water Awards, Tyson’s Dardanelle, Arkansas, operation was recognized as an honorable mention with distinction in the full treatment category.

The full treatment category covers plants treating wastewater in accordance with the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, which allows facilities to discharge into a receiving stream or final land application system. To be eligible, a facility must have a minimum of two years of no significant non-compliances or notices of violations or any other type of enforcement action. Judging is based upon training, unique processes utilized for treatment, community outreach, wildlife management, water conservation and general environmental stewardship.


Nashville Ar Workers (Austin Alonzo)

 

Wastewater treatment

The Dardanelle Complex processes about 250,000 birds per day at an average weight of 3.83 pounds. It treats an average flow of 870,000 gallons of wastewater per day. Karalea Wells, Tyson Foods' complex environmental manager, said the wastewater facility was built in 1975 and has received a few structural upgrades since then, but continues to be very effective at fully treating water for discharge into the Arkansas River.

In 2015, the wastewater facility installed stationary dissolved oxygen meters into its completely mixed activated sludge (CMAS) tank. The meter allows the automation of the aeration machinery which aids in treatment. This saves electricity, reduces odors and keeps the environmental conditions in this phase of treatment consistent. At the same time, it added supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) software to its system allowing for remote control of processing and greater oversight of treatment.  

Location, location, location

The complex within the city limits of Dardanelle, at the intersection of state highways, and just five blocks away from its River Front Park. To help control odors and the size of the wastewater operation it does not use a wasting lagoon.

Wells said the facility was designed to return activated sludge to the CMAS tank and the waste activated sludge is wasted into its first equalization tank. This allows operation without a wasting lagoon, which saves significant cleaning and hauling expenses, as well as space. Additionally, the risk is minimized associated with lagoons and odors.


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