LAPSE:2023.35849
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.35849
Circular Economy in Wastewater Treatment Plant—Water, Energy and Raw Materials Recovery
May 24, 2023
Nowadays, the main challenge for industrial and municipal enterprises is related to the tightening regulations and recommendations regarding environmental protection, which have been included in the circular economy (CE) package. Enterprises from all sectors, including water and sewage management, are obliged to actively participate in the CE transition. Modern wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) should include actions aimed at a more sustainable use of available resources (water, energy, raw materials) to contribute to the protection of natural resources. In this way, they can be treated as resource facilities. This paper proposes a conceptual framework for a ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Future’ that includes several technological solutions that take into account circular management of waste streams generated in WWTPs, such as wastewater (WW), sewage sludge (SS) and sewage sludge ash (SSA). Many actions have been already taken to modernize and build WWTPs that can respond to current and future challenges related to environmental protection. In the case of a CE ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant of the Future’, the recovery of water, energy and raw materials from available waste streams is strongly recommended. The implementation of CE solutions in analyzed facilities is incorporated into many strategies and policy frameworks, such as national and international (including European) documents. The proposed CE solutions could indirectly contribute to satisfying significant technological, social and environmental needs of the current and future generations, which is in line with sustainability principles.
Keywords
CE, circular economy, Energy, phosphorus, raw materials, Wastewater, wastewater treatment plant, Water, WWTP
Subject
Suggested Citation
Smol M. Circular Economy in Wastewater Treatment Plant—Water, Energy and Raw Materials Recovery. (2023). LAPSE:2023.35849
Author Affiliations
Smol M: Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-261 Krakow, Poland [ORCID]
Journal Name
Energies
Volume
16
Issue
9
First Page
3911
Year
2023
Publication Date
2023-05-05
Published Version
ISSN
1996-1073
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: en16093911, Publication Type: Review
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LAPSE:2023.35849
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doi:10.3390/en16093911
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May 24, 2023
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CC BY 4.0
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[v1] (Original Submission)
May 24, 2023
 
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May 24, 2023
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https://psecommunity.org/LAPSE:2023.35849
 
Original Submitter
Calvin Tsay
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