Conventional domestic wastewater treatment is based on an obsolete ‘end of pipe’ concept. Different streams of wastewater are mixed and transported through several kilometres of sewerage to a centralised wastewater treatment plant. Only a fraction of diluted nutrients and resources can be recovered in this method, while a significant quantity of clean water is wasted for transport.

Domestic wastewater (WW) is an important carrier of nutrients usually wasted away by current decentralised WW treatments (WWT). Run4Life proposed an alternative strategy for improving nutrient recovery rates and material. The project used innovative treatment methods: ultra-low water flushing vacuum toilets; hyper-thermophilic anaerobic digestion as a one-step process for fertiliser production; and bio-electrochemical systems for nitrogen recovery. It is foreseen up to 100 % nutrient (NPK) recovery (2 and >15 times current P and N recovery rates) and >90 % water reuse.

Obtained products will be >90 % reused because of prospective end-users in the consortium and a new business model based on a cooperative financial scheme. Run4Life impacts will be evaluated on safety and security (in a risk assessment), from an environmental point of view (life cycle assessment and environmental technical verification), on the economy (benefit-cost analysis) and considering social risk perception. Active measures will be developed with the support of a Stakeholders and Exploitation Panel for achieving institutional, legal and social acceptance.

Different parts of Run4Life were large-scale demonstrated at four demo-sites in: Ghent (Belgium), Helsingborg (Sweden), Sneek (the NL), Vigo (Spain). The demonstrations adapt the concept to different scenarios (such as market, society and legislation). Performance tests were carried out with obtained products (compared to commercial fertilisers) with close collaboration with fertiliser companies. The process will be optimised by the online monitoring of key performance indicators (including nutrient concentration, pathogens, and micropollutants). The information obtained in the four demo-sites will be used for process simulation to conceive a unified Run4Life model, which will be applied in a fifth demo-site in Czechia, enabling new business opportunities and providing data for critical raw material policies.

The Run4Life project proposed a new approach to efficiently recover resources (water, energy and nutrients) at the source (households) in decentralised treatment plants. Furthermore, the use of the recovered nutrients for different purposes was tested (e.g. recycled fertilisers in agriculture, irrigation water for agriculture, and process water for the industry). In a nutshell, the project developed treatment systems for different types of waste such as black water, kitchen waste and grey water. In case of black water and/or kitchen waste, the developed technologies allowed to obtain different types of fertilisers (for example, a slow-release phosphorous fertiliser, suitable for agricultural use). The treatment and disinfection of grey water resulted in having ‘reclaimed water’ that can be used as irrigation water in agriculture, for toilet flushing (e.g. in households) and/or as process water for the industry.

The project also studied the current and upcoming legal and political frameworks for water reuse and nutrients recovery (e.g. the Fertilizing Products Regulation) to assess to what extent they allow for innovative solutions, such as those of the Run4Life project. Furthermore, the involvement of and impact on different types of stakeholders was assessed in the project, such as: fertiliser companies affected by changes caused by the project, city developers associated with the areas surrounding the demo-sites; potential users of the Run4Life technologies; farmers using the end-product as fertilisers; environmental interest organisations; estate agencies and workers installing the technologies; and the general public in the immediate regions surrounding the respective demo-sites, which are Galicia, Scania, and Friesland.

The Run4Life project produced several useful technologies and systems:

1. Introducing innovative technologies for wastewater treatment: project partners developed a series of innovative technologies, such as an ultra-low flush vacuum toilet system that halves the flushing water consumption compared to existing models. This reduces the volume of sewage, which is then digested by hyperthermophilic anaerobic microbes that thrive in hot conditions without oxygen. The end result is safe fertilisers in a one-step treatment. Incorporation of a bio-electrochemical system concentrates ammonia and produces a liquid ammonium nitrate fertiliser. RUN4LIFE also combined conventional processes already used in centralised processes, including recovery of phosphorus, anaerobic treatment, as well as aerobic and anaerobic membrane bioreactors. The latter recover energy from BW in the form of biogas and produce high-quality pathogen-free water.
2. The implementation of treatment systems: the technologies were implemented in large-scale, decentralised demonstration sites in four cities in Europe (Ghent in Belgium, Vigo in Spain, Sneek in the Netherlands, and Helsingborg in Sweden). Each site featured its own combination of different waste flows, innovative treatments and recovery technologies, which adapted to the wastewater characteristics, local regulatory requirements and local needs of the recovered resources. “The RUN4LIFE’s system segregated domestic wastewater from more than 470 apartments, public infrastructures and office buildings,” outlines technical project coordinator, Nicolás Morales-Pereira. The sites at Helsingborg, Ghent and Vigo produced a slow-release phosphorous fertiliser, suitable for agricultural use, through a struvite precipitation process. In Helsingborg, combination with ammonium sulphate generated NPK pellets, a tailor-made fertiliser of good properties due to its organic matter and nutrient content. Furthermore, Sneek and Vigo implemented hyperthermophilic anaerobic digestion and anaerobic membrane bioreactors, respectively, to generate a nutrient rich liquid stream suitable for fertigation applications. The fertiliser value of the products obtained was demonstrated in pot and field-scale experiments.
3. Overall, the alternative wastewater treatment process, based on decentralised facilities and stream segregation and proposed by the project, proved to maximise resource recovery, promoting circular economy. Project partners conducted life cycle assessments to verify the potential for innovation, sustainability and the environmental benefits of the different technologies and RUN4LIFE configurations. As an example, compared to conventional systems, the Ghent demonstration site exhibited a 26 % decrease in the environmental impact during nutrient recovery and fertiliser production. Many RUN4LIFE products are commercially exploitable, while business cases have been designed for each demonstration site with the potential to be implemented elsewhere. Moreover, certain project technologies will be used in the EU-funded projects REWAISE and VIVALDI.

Programme(s):

• H2020-EU.3.5.: SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials (Main programme)
• H2020-EU.3.5.2.3.: Provide knowledge and tools for effective decision making and public engagement
• H2020-EU.3.5.4.: Enabling the transition towards a green economy and society through eco-innovation
• H2020-EU.3.5.2.2.: Developing integrated approaches to address water-related challenges and the transition to sustainable management and use of water resources and services

Topic(s):

• CIRC-02-2016-2017: Water in the context of the circular economy

€ 7 720 900.61 (EU contribution: € 6 239 340.65)

FCC Aqualia SA
Contact the project: https://run4life-project.eu/contact/

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