Wastewater

Phosphorus is a limited resource and at the same time as it is essential to human life and food production (agriculture). Therefore, the recovery of Phosphorus from sewage sludge has a strong focus globally.

As Phosphorus discharged into receiving water bodies can cause eutrophication, the discharge consents for phosphorus has been in focus and strengthened in many regions in the Nordics.

In recent years climate changes have caused an increasing frequency of heavy rain events leading to overloading of wastewater treatment plants which result in discharge of untreated wastewater, also called combined sewer overflows.

Micropollutants are found in very low concentration, by the micro or nanogram per liter, are emerging problem in water industry and the protection of aquatic environment.

Sludge from wastewater treatment plants is today either disposed and used in agriculture as a fertilizer or sent for further external treatment prior to deposition. However, the sludge contains valuable resources that can be recovered through advanced technologies.

Many existing wastewater treatment plants are challenged with lack of both hydraulic and biological capacity especially during the cold, and rainy winter months.