This industry briefing outlines how the OTAR® ammonia recovery system addresses Australia’s growing ammonia and nitrogen compliance challenges across municipal, landfill, and industrial wastewater streams. It highlights practical pathways to meet strict discharge limits, protect biological treatment assets, and unlock ROI by converting wastewater ammonia into fertiliser products.

Across Australia, wastewater operators are facing tightening nitrogen discharge requirements, with many sites required to meet 5 mg/L total nitrogen (TN) discharge standards to protect sensitive waterways and coastal catchments. High-strength ammonia streams — such as landfill leachate, refinery sour water, and industrial wastewater — can overload conventional biological treatment, leading to ammonia shock loads, process instability, and rising compliance costs.

For utilities and industries in NSW and metropolitan regions, including wastewater solution technology in Sydney, managing ammonia is no longer optional — it is a regulatory and operational necessity.

The OTAR® (Organics Thermal Ammonia Recovery) system is a non-biological, thermally driven ammonia stripping and recovery platform designed for Australian wastewater conditions. OTAR® removes ammonia upstream, helping protect biological reactors from ammonia shock load, while enabling reliable compliance with strict ammonia and TN limits.

Unlike conventional systems, OTAR® minimises chemical dosing and can operate using waste heat or high-efficiency heat recycling, making it suitable for landfill leachate, municipal wastewater, and ammonia removal from refinery sour water in Australia.

• Thermal ammonia recovery with up to 98.5% removal efficiency.

• Uses waste heat, avoiding costly caustic/acid chemicals.

• Cuts carbon footprint by avoiding N₂O emissions and reducing indirect emissions from synthetic fertiliser production.

• 25+ years of operational experience with 17 plants worldwide.

• Reduces nitrogen removal costs by up to 60–80% compared with traditional biological methods.

• Easy retrofit for anaerobic digester wastewater treatment and landfill leachate treatment facilities.

Choosing the Right Wastewater Treatment Technology

Compared with traditional nitrogen removal technologies, OTAR® delivers lower operating costs, higher energy efficiency, and measurable carbon savings, helping facilities remain compliant and competitive under Australian regulatory frameworks.

Comparison Table between OTAR® and other technology

Why Act Now

Regulatory, Financial, and Climate Pressures Are Rising

Regulatory pressure across Australia is intensifying, with stricter discharge limits and greater scrutiny on nitrogen impacts to waterways. At the same time, ammonia is increasingly recognised as a valuable resource rather than a waste.

By acting now, operators can move beyond pure compliance and improve project economics through stronger ROI for converting wastewater ammonia to fertiliser, while safeguarding existing treatment assets and future-proofing operations against tightening standards.

Understand the business case for your wastewater treatment plant.
Our online calculator helps you model:

• Typical cost savings from replacing conventional methods with OTAR®

• Reduction in chemical usage compared to standard treatment

• Carbon-emission savings and compliance with environmental regulations

• ROI, payback period, and sustainability impact for your operations

Understand how OTAR® supports your business in meeting carbon emission goals and regulatory requirements.

Download the Industry Briefing

Discover how OTAR® helps you stay compliant, cut emissions, and reduce wastewater costs — register below to get the Industry Briefing PDF for insights on boosting compliance, carbon performance, and efficiency.