water utilities contribution to circular economy — what can we achieve by resource recovery bruno...

Water utilities contribution to Circular Economy — what can we achieve by resource recoveryBruno Tisserand

EurEau PresidentFP2E- France

EurEau.Water Matters. eureau.org

About EurEau

EurEauthe voice ofEurope’swater sectorsince 1975

OurMembersare the nationalwater

servicesassociationsfrom 28Europeancountries

We representpublic andprivatedrinkingand wastewater

servicesproviders

Employing500,000

people,the sector

makesa significantcontribution tothe Europeaneconomy


Objectives

We reinforce and make visible the important role that water services play.

1

2

3

Access to water

Water quality

Resource efficiency.

We aim to shape European legislation to address the following challenges:


1. Fostering sustainable economic growth and creating jobs

2. Protecting a vulnerable resource3. The value of water in the circular economy4. Source-control approach for micropollutants5. Setting the right price for water services6. Growing impact of climate change on water 7. Resource efficiency in the water sector8. Managing long-term assets in a fast changing

environment9. Increasing the public understanding of the

water sector

9 Challenges for EurEau

eureau.orgEurEau.Water Matters.

1.Global challenges for the CE

2.A deep shift for the Water Industry

3.Innovation: a tool for a success

4.From small to global

5.Eliminating hurdles

6.Water and CE - examples

7.Conclusion


1. Global challenges for the CE

~ Environmental constrains stronger

~ Growth of population ―› pressure on the Environment

~ Resources less available

~ and more expensive


Big challenges but even bigger potential: some leaders but still a lot to do in Europe


EEA, 2013

Recycling rates


Big challenges but even bigger potential:

Worldwide: ~ municipal waste could reach 2,6 b t in 2025

(worldwatch institute)

~ In 2010, only 25% were not incinerated or landfilled (worldwatch institute)

~ Total material value of fast-moving consumer goods 3.2 trillion USD which leave a potential of 2,6 trillion USD of potential material value to recover. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation)



2. A deep shift for the Water Industry

http://www.jointheevolution.ca/blog/2009/06/22/the-water-that-flows-part-1/ http://samenwerkenaanwater.nl/media/vh2580/362awk%20VisionBrochure%20AWK_def.pdf


2. A deep shift for the Water Industry

~ Removing waste

~ Service operator

~ Waste manager

~ Downstream and costly

~ Recycle waste in the economy

~ Resource producer

~ Business developers

~ Centre of the industrial processes and profitable―> strategic partner

From to


The circular economy is a chance for Europe to have more control on its primary raw material dependency:~ less shortage of resource supply~ Less volatility of primary raw material prices

The future of circular economy is in trans-sectorial activities:~ Combining water, waste and energy

technology~ Increase interfaces between sectors~ Deconstruct silos~ Be more collaborative

A deep shift for the Water Industry2.


Waste should not be seen as bad anymore

Don’t think waste, think resource

A deep shift for the Water Industry2.


3.Innovation: a tool for a success

Innovation will be the heart of this shift as it will allow:~ the recovery of resources ~ their transformation with the specifications

needed for reusing them~ the optimisation in natural resources’ use

(energy, water and material efficiency)



Circular Economy already exist in small local markets:

~ Recovered struvite for fertilisers production in Aarhus, DK

~ Biogas production for trash trucks and buses in Oslo, NO

~ Biogas production for heating buildings in Milano, IT


But worldwide:

~ 4 bt of waste are produced, only 1 bt is recycled

~ Only 2% of wastewaters are reused.


The potential of a global circular economy has to be fully developed.


5.Eliminating hurdles

Move from a «take – make – dispose» scheme to an economy that mimic the nature needs to remove some barriers

~ Reluctance of industry to use secondary raw materials: provide the same standards for quality, traceability and supply than primary raw materials.

~ Waste sorting should be automatized to make it competitive compare to cheap landfill fees.

~ Avoid interdiction for use of recycled materials~ Allow competitiveness of recycled materials against

primary (incentives?)~ Social acceptability for certain recycling schemes



Recovery of material from process

Struvite

From water – Aarhus, DK

From sludge treatment – Leuven, BE


Recovery of material from process


Bioplastics, Brussels, BE

Cellulose, Aarle-Rixtel, NL


Sewage sludge management


certification, Sweden

Conditioning for sewage sludge helping recycling in

agriculture, Belgium


Water reuse


Artificial recharge for groundwater,

Torreele, BE

Water reuse in Europe (2006)


Energy


80 Poo buses, Oslo, NO

Heat recovery from sewage, Bucharest, RO


Energy


Various example of biogas production across Europe for ~ cogeneration, ~ purification and injection in municipal grid


7.Conclusion

~ Resource recovery and resource efficiency are the main axis for the Circular Economy

~ The market need to expand worldwide because of its huge potential

~ Innovation is the tool to achieve the challenges we are facing to remove barriers of a full implementation of the circular economy

~ Water utilities are already engaged


7.Conclusion - policy

The European Commission is working on setting the framework for enhancing the circular economy in EuropeThe future proposal needs not to forget the contribution of water utilities by:

~ Including recovered phosphorus in the new Fertiliser Regulation

~ Publish European standards for reclaimed water from wastewater treatment plants in order to give confidence to the user

~ Connect the circular economy proposal to the Energy Union communication

Thank youfor your attention

Rue du Luxembourg 47-51,B-1050 Brussels, BelgiumTel: +32 (0)2 706 40 80Fax: +32 (0)2 706 40 81 BE 0416 415 [email protected]

EurEau. Water Matters.www.eureau.org

Bruno Tisserand

EurEau PresidentFP2E- [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

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