Abstract Body

Current fertiliser production practices are not sustainable. Phosphate rock is a non-renewable resource, and the nitrogen-based fertilisers production is highly energy-intensive, currently relying on the use of fossil fuels. There is increased recognition that domestic wastewater carries resources that can be recovered for reuse, contributing to the circular economy: nutrients, energy and water. This requires a paradigm shift in domestic wastewater management, as resource recovery from diluted sewage is not efficient. Optimal wastewater resource recovery and reuse should become an integral part of the urban design, separating different wastewater flows and employing existing and innovative technologies in the best combinations.

The Horizon 2020 project Run4Life demonstrates the recovery of fertiliser products and clean water from separated domestic wastewaters and food waste, at four sites in Europe. The larger size of the demonstration sites, from 100-1800 i.e., and the involvement of stakeholders along the entire value chain (e.g. water utilities, companies, farmers etc.) show that domestic wastewater with source separation is becoming a mature resource management system. This is done at newly developed neighbourhoods Nieuwe Dokken in Ghent (Belgium) and Oceanhamnen in Helsingborg (Sweden), existing houses in Sneek, the Netherlands and existing office buildings in Vigo (Spain). Although similar in their choice of source separation systems, the respective technologies for resource recovery differ between the sites:

Apart from developing and implementing innovative technological solutions for optimal resource recovery, in Run4Life also socio-economical and legislative aspects are investigated. These are of the utmost importance in the applicability of resource recovery concepts, as well as hygienic safety, heavy metals and organic micropollutants. At the demonstration sites new fertiliser products are harvested and characterised. By presenting an overview of the latest results that are obtained in the project, it becomes clear that source separation and decentralised treatment of domestic wastewaters for resource recovery have matured into a viable alternative for large-scale centralised treatment.