New regulation brings new incentives
As of July 16, 2022, Regulation (EU) 2019/1009 will lay down criteria on agronomic efficiency and safety for the use of phosphorus by-products in EU fertilizing products. Ludwig hopes this will encourage more municipal and industrial WWTPs to recover phosphorus and sell it into the fertilizer market.
“Innovative WWTPs that are willing to invest in phosphorus removal now will have a valuable new revenue stream. There’s a much stronger incentive beyond compliance,” he explained.
Additionally, the EU Commission is expected to announce revision to the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC) this summer. Updates to the three-decades-old law will likely include lower limits on phosphorus emission in treated wastewater.
The good news for WWTPs that are interested in exploring this new opportunity is that technology for more efficient phosphorus removal and recovery already exists.
For example, Kemira offers KemConnectTM P, a platform that’s part digital solution, part chemistry. With an algorithm for multiple dosing points, it delivers the exact dose of coagulants required for chemical phosphate removal even under changing process conditions.
Moreover, new technologies are in the works. For example, Ludwig says he sees promise in ViviMag® a new magnetic separation process that recovers iron-phosphate minerals (vivianite) from sewage sludge.
Even more for the circular economy
ESPP advocates energy efficiency and energy recovery measures as well. According to Ludwig, “It’s a strategic decision because I’m always thinking about the WWTP business model. Energy recovery is low-hanging fruit. It’s important for sustainability, and a great source of additional revenue for water treatment facilities.”
Plants can recover heat and sell it to power local communities. They can also convert sludge to biogas to power their own operations or nearby industry and residences. Both options improve energy efficiency, are more climate-friendly, and serve as valuable revenue streams.
Ludwig pointed to Vienna as an example. “In the next two years Vienna will heat 120,000 homes – 13% of its households – with heat recovered from wastewater treatment,” he said.
In general, he believes WWTPs will benefit when they stop thinking about activities like phosphorus removal or energy efficiency in terms of compliance and costs, and instead start thinking about them as opportunities in the new circular economy.
To learn more about phosphorus recovery and the circular economy, please contact us!