A Circular Economy Solution for Industrial Wastewater

Europe has embarked on an ambitious journey to become the first climate-neutral continent by 2050. This is to be achieved with the EU Green Deal and corresponding legislation via the European Climate Law. A pivotal means of achieving this end is to involve different industries that have been driving the economy (and polluting the environment). Industrial air pollution in Europe has decreased during the decade of 2010-2020, which is a positive sign, and increasing measures (sticks) and incentives (carrots) are being implemented to encourage large polluting industries to shift towards more circular economy models of production. This process by which waste and other by‐products of a given industry become the raw materials for another is called industrial symbiosis.

About ZERO BRINE

ZERO BRINE advanced the implementation of the Circular Economy package and the Sustainable Process Industry through Resource and Energy Efficiency (SPIRE) Roadmap in various industries by developing the necessary concepts, technological solutions and business models to re-design the value and supply chains of minerals (including magnesium) and water, while dealing with present organic compounds in a way that allows their subsequent recovery. This was achieved by demonstrating new configurations to recover these resources from saline impaired effluents (brines) generated by process industry in 4 demo sites, while eliminating wastewater discharge and minimizing the environmental impact of industrial operations through brines (ZERO BRINE).

Facts