Phosphorus recovery in government building

The Dutch government has commissioned to renovate a government building, to house the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. In this building a phosphorus recovery installation and a urine fuel cell will be incorporated in the basement, in which separately collected urine will be processed into struvite and electricity. Furthermore, a digester will turn toilet water and kitchen waste into biogas. With this demonstration project for decentralized treatment and re-use of wastewater, the Dutch government fulfills its role as launching customer. Wetsus, another member of the Nutrient Platform, is closely involved in the project. The renovation of the building is expected to be finished at the end of 2016, and will accommodate thousands of civil servants.

The aim is to install waterless urinals and extremely water-efficient toilets. This has the advantage of saving a lot of water, but also the wastewater ends up more concentrated so that both biogas production and phosphorus recovery are improved. In one part of the building the processing unit for separately collected urine is installed as a pilot, and in the other part of the building the digester for toilet water and kitchen waste is installed. The concept is developed by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Hoogheemraadschap Delfland, Wetsus in Leeuwarden, DeSaH in Sneek and Magneto in Schiedam. By saving water and giving value to struvite, it seems cost-effective to to recover phosphorus, produce biogas and dischargeable water. To be continued.

MORE INFORMATION

The Phosphorus Challenge
Phosphorus Challenge: The Dutch Approach

Ministerie van Infrastructuur en Milieu
Plesmanweg 1-6
Postbus 20901
2500 EX Den Haag

T +31 (0)6 53 474 478
E Arnoud.Passenier@minienm.nl
Twitter: @passenier