On a basic level Anaerobic Bacteria is dead and Aerobic is alive.

The most effective form of natural decomposition of waste occurs when aerobic bacteria digest the waste and oxidise it into low molecular weight, harmless and essentially odourless components. The ultimate in aerobic decomposition is reached when all carbon is converted to carbon dioxide and all hydrogen into water. This is a natural phenomenon, but one which is accelerated and augmented by the addition of BIEMS

In an insufficiency of oxygen other organisms bring about decomposition of waste, but this decomposition is said to be “anaerobic”. It results in the formation of malodorous lower molecular weight unsaturated liquids and gases which can be very offensive.

The term biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) describes the amount of oxygen required to cause complete aerobic decomposition of waste. The provision of this biologically derived oxygen is facilitated by BIEMS

When the supply of aerobic bacteria is depleted because of excessive heat or through overloading by an excessive BOD, anaerobic decomposition can result and foul odours develop.

Aeration of a waste disposal system can be improved by bubbling air through the liquid waste or by mechanical agitation to facilitate dissolution of oxygen from the air into the waste, but these processes are sometimes slow to react, have no on-going effect and can involve considerable energy consumption.

By contrast, BIEMS is a natural food base for aerobic bacteria; and when introduced into an anaerobic system it quickly assists in promoting the reproduction of huge numbers of aerobic organisms, sufficient to revert the system to an aerobic state.

Active aerobic decomposition results in the generation of a large volume of carbon dioxide, and as the waste organic material is decomposed, the gases generated tend to break up the solids, thus facilitating further aerobic decomposition. The waste then becomes more liquid and therefore easier to pump and dispose of either into sewage systems or onto pasture.

If the effluent is fully oxidised, the waste material distributed on pastures, for example, will have little or no odour. Some compounds of waste, particularly the nitrogen compounds and the minerals, become readily available to plants and grass, etc.

BIEMS is produced from natural sources, is non-toxic and is easy to use. It contains some enzymes to assist in the biochemical process and has certain components which stimulate the bacterial processes outlined above.

For maximum efficiency BIEMS should be well distributed through the waste or the area to be treated. It is normally diluted with water and will be activated more rapidly in slightly warm water (but not hotter than blood heat; 37 o C).

When a waste system has been anaerobic for a lengthy period, quicker results will be obtained by “seeding” the system with aerobic bacteria together with BIEMS. All bacterial processes, and BIEMS, operate most effectively when the pH of the system is between 6.5 and 8.5. The addition of sodium bicarbonate dissolved in water is usually effective in correcting either excess acidity (low pH) or excess alkalinity (high pH). The natural pH of sodium bicarbonate is about 7.3.