The Netherlands: Creating valuable resources from sewage

Friday, 12 December 2014 05:41 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Tyron Devotta If you go to a bar or a restaurant in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, you would probably get a glass of water without having to pay for it. But if you have to use the toilet, you will have to pay 50 cts to an Euro for the use of this facility; and that is non-negotiable. To a Sri Lankan, this concept might seem a little absurd since answering a call of nature may not be thought of as such an expensive proposition and that may even extend to the way we dispose of our sewage. The greater part of our population is used to pumping sewage either into our waterways or right into the ground, which we have for centuries considered as quite acceptable; without thought to any consequences. In terms of pumping our sewage into the ground, there has been no study on the pros and cons of what it may do to our water table. On the other hand, it goes without saying that pumping sewage into waterways is an extremely unhealthy situation. Whole new perspective In the Netherlands they look at wastewater treatment from a whole new perspective that goes beyond actually cleaning up the water. Sewage is no longer considered something to be disposed of. Instead, they consider it an important resource that can be exploited.

From collecting raw materials and energy from wastewater, the Netherlands is on a circular economic formula; which has already drawn up its vision up to 2030 and beyond. Thinking in raw material cycles has become second nature to them; and they are constantly looking out for new sustainable technologies for processing waste flows and closing raw material cycles. With these techniques, the Netherlands produces high-value raw materials that can be used. In agricultural, green chemistry, food and feed sectors, they have achieved several successes in the past. Some of these include the production of phosphate through sewage treatment plants. Phosphate is produced directly from wastewater, or from the remaining ashes, post the incineration of sludge. This phosphate is used for precision crop fertilisation and as an additive in animal feed. Other milestones achieved are the supply of cellulose for the production of bio plastics and the supply of nutrient-rich wastewater flows for agriculture and algae farming. Multiple modalities According to the Netherlands Waste Water Management Roadmap towards 2030, which is a governing body (similar to a Municipality), there are multiple modalities of raw material processing. For example, regional water authorities and municipalities in most cases can only supply raw base materials like cellulose and monomers, which then have to be refined by specialised companies to bring them up to the quality standards required for them to be used higher in the chain. The whole plan is set to create synergies, for example sewage treatment plants in neighbouring join forces to create the scale to make this viable by supplying raw material to designated plants. The success of this endeavour is to take it to a level where it would have a significant impact on the ROI factor. The Netherlands now has the right technical capabilities to recover energy from wastewater, be they from homes, non-residential buildings, communities or sewage treatment plants. Integrated sustainable energy solutions Integrated sustainable energy solutions are another area that they are looking at, and the roadmap says that there is a roaring demand for smart renewable energy solutions and that wastewater contributes to these solutions. The Netherlands regional water authorities and municipalities make reliable and robust partners, placing them in a unique position to connect energy supply and demand as well as provide the right technical infrastructure. The process is well set on a commercial platform; with the business developer becoming the backbone of the growth of their total local energy project. The developer brings parties together and builds up a project portfolio, creating a marketplace for buyers and consumers of energy within city and urban environments. In many cases, the municipality has a controlling role to play, which they consider logical, because the municipality plays a lead role in increasing sustainability within the built-up environment.

Water authority the driver The country’s regional water authority is the driver and forger of these coalitions. Their water authority ensures that things happen, coming up with good examples and opportunities. Through its administrative network, the water authority sets challenges that make other parties enthusiastic, whilst also partnering local initiatives. They are able to provide project financing, which facilitates easier start-ups for projects. Whenever a major area development is on the table, municipality, province and regional water authorities go after opportunities in a combined effort to ensure its sustainability. They commission the research into opportunities and the drafting of a business case. They get other partners on board so that costs get shared. The Netherlands believe that smart technical and organisational structures lead to a good balance between costs and revenues. This type of construction has inspired and set a clear tone, readying the stage for up-scaling; the result being vast opportunities for increasing sustainability and attracting green investors. Looking at the macro picture we can see that this European country is developing a model, which just 10 years ago, may have been mere musings of science fiction writers. Circular economy The Netherlands is into building cities and urban environments that are sustainable, not only in the way they manage their energy but how they create raw materials using different types of technologies to increase the quality of their living environment. Their concentration is on building a circular economy, which is an alternative to the traditional linear economy of make, use and dispose. Circular is a generic term for an industrial economy that is, by design or intention; restorative and in which material flows are of two types i.e. biological nutrients designed to re-enter the biosphere safely; and technical nutrients designed to circulate at high quality without entering the biosphere. Win-win situations What’s interesting in the whole concept is how government agencies and private sector organisations find ways to work in harmony, creating win-win situations for all stakeholders. This writer was exposed to this model on a recent media tour to the Netherlands organised by that country’s Foreign Ministry and it is clear that they are looking at urbanisation and how people live in close quarters to each other, from a different perspective from the traditional approach. Cities are being looked at from a more holistic sense i.e. people, infrastructure, culture and social bearing; all seamlessly connecting one to the other. They talk of the ‘metabolism’ of a city, which becomes relevant because its infrastructure, people and other elements are no longer viewed as inanimate objects but as one whole living, breathing organism. The Netherlands with their circular economic model has embraced a new techno-social order, which may well hold the key to making the world a safer place to live in.