Matthew Stewart at Nufarm
Matthew Stewart, a chemical engineering student, did his PEPS placement at Nufarm Australia’s Lytton Chemical plant. Nufarm supplies crop protection products to the agricultural industry.
Matthew’s project centred around the collection of storm water from the warehouse roofs. Interestingly, the idea was sparked by a presentation showcasing similar work done by another UQ student at Yatala brewery, and the company needed someone to look into its feasibility.
In response to the more stringent water restrictions for business, Nufarm hopes to reduce its mains water consumption by reusing storm water.
The idea was that the storm water be used as an additive to water-based products. This required testing the storm water for contaminants as well as analysing its behaviour when used in products
Matthew enjoyed his time at Nufarm very much, and found that he got more out of this type of practical learning than sitting in a lecture theatre. “When you can see the relevance of it all, it makes more sense.”