ProWater
The Use of Industrial Side Products as Secondary Resources in Wastewater Treatment
Project information
Project duration
-
Funded by
European Structural and Investment Funds - INTERREG
Funding amount
1 353 263 EUR
Project coordinator
University of Oulu
Unit and faculty
Contact information
Project leader
- Senior Research Fellow
Other persons
- Associate Professor (Tenure Track)
- Senior Research Fellow
Project description
The recirculation of industrial side products in wastewater treatment systems and processes has the potential to increase resource efficiency, reduce waste disposal impacts, lower gas emissions, decrease water pollution, and promote a circular economy. Despite its potential, various challenges stand in the way of its realization. ProWater aims to overcome challenges and help unlock the full potential of industrial side product re-circulation in Nordic regions.
Project actions
Key focus areas include gathering data on industrial activities and side product availability and properties, developing and optimizing material processing, conducting extensive testing of by-products in wastewater treatment applications, synthesizing project outcomes, and disseminating findings to stakeholders and the wider public. Through collaborative efforts, the project will ultimately contribute to strengthening the region's circular economy as well as environmental conservation.
Research groups
The work in the project is progressing in an excellent manner! Research and stakeholder activities are being carried out across borders in a truly cooperative way. Dada gathering on the industrial by-products generated in Finland and Sweden is ongoing, led by Kemi Digipolis, and we call upon industrial actors to contact us to help the project deliver useful outputs.
Material processing and development are fast-moving tasks and are the centre of cooperation among the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, the University of Oulu and Kajaani University of Applied Sciences.
The project has also moved into the pilot test phase, where systems using industrial bioproduct materials are implemented for wastewater treatment in 3 different applications: municipal wastewater (pilot picture, in cooperation with Lakeuden Keskuspuhdistam and Carbo Culture), urban runoff (including snow-melt, in cooperation with the cities of Oulu and Kajani) and mine drainage water (in cooperation with Pyhäsalmi mine). The pilot test phase is led by the University of Oulu and Kajaani University of Applied Sciences in cooperation with Luleå University of Technology.
