Phosphorus recovery from waste water continually improving

Phosphorus recovery from waste water continually improving

24 June 2010

UTRECHT – Researchers are becoming more proficient in recovering phosphorus from waste water. For the first time this month, this substance, which is becoming depleted throughout the world, was recovered from the waste water in Utrecht using new technologies.

Nationwide, a total of approximately 20 percent of all phosphorus is recycled from sewage water. That was reported by the Higher Water Board Stichtse Rijnlanden and NV Slibverwerking North Brabant (SNB) on Tuesday.

 

Phosphorus is used in the production of medicines, cleaning agents and artificial fertilizer. It is essential for our food supply. Additionally, an excessive concentration of the mineral in surface water is bad for the environment. “Recovering this phosphorus therefore provides both an environmental and financial benefit”, said Director of SNB Marcel Lefferts. Researchers estimate that the substance will have been become depleted within around a hundred years.

 

SNB recovers phosphorus from the ash that is left behind after burning sludge from waste water. That is only possible if there is as little iron as possible in the sludge. In Utrecht, waste water is now processed in such a way that the iron levels remain sufficiently low.

 

The company has the only sludge combustion installation in the Netherlands which uses these technologies during its operations. “The ultimate goal is to be able to recover 50 percent of the phosphorus from the water in the Netherlands,” says Lefferts.

 

SOURCE: Volkskrant online - 15 June 2010