Turning underused
overview
What the project
delivers
Every year, wastewater treatment plants produce millions of tonnes of sludge — a wet, contaminated material that’s expensive to get rid of and harmful to the environment. SLUDGE2VALUELIFE changes that equation entirely.
Using the patented TORWASH® technology, we convert sewage sludge directly on-site into solid biofuel, biogas, and treated water — with no chemicals, no additives, and no need for external energy.
The system runs on the biogas it produces itself. The result? Less sludge going to incineration, lower costs for operators, and a measurable reduction in CO₂ emissions — all from something that used to be considered waste.
85%
volume reduction
CO₂
negative footprint
the challenge
Transitioning from
waste to resources
Sewage sludge has a high water content, contains harmful contaminants (PFAS, microplastics, heavy metals), and is costly to transport and treat. Conventional incineration is energy-intensive and landfilling creates serious environmental risks.
the solution
A carbon-negative
conversion pathway
The TORWASH® process converts sludge on-site into solid biofuel, biogas, and treated water — without chemicals or additives. The system is energy-positive: biogas produced heats the reactor, eliminating the need for external energy input.
objectives
What we aim to prove
Demonstrate technical performance
at pre-industrial (TRL 8) scale
Convert 80% of sludge into
reusable products (biofuel + biogas)
Reduce dependence
on incineration routes by 80%
Deliver replicable models for
operators and policymakers
Reduce GHG emissions
by 2,170 t CO₂/year
expected impact
Practical benefits for operators
and the environment
Reduced disposal burden
Less sludge volume means lower transport costs, less pressure on existing incineration capacity, and fewer disposal headaches for operators.
Higher resource recovery
Sludge is converted into solid biofuel, biogas, and nutrients — materials that have real market value instead of a disposal cost.
Energy-positive operation
The biogas produced during the process heats the reactor itself. No external energy input required — the system is self-sustaining by design.
Carbon-negative pathway
By replacing coal combustion and eliminating transport emissions, the process reduces CO₂ output by over 2,170 tonnes per year.
resources
Documents & Reports
Public deliverables, technical reports and scientific publications from the SLUDGE2VALUELIFE project. All documents are freely available for download.
SLUDGE2VALUELIFE Project Kicks Off
The SLUDGE2VALUELIFE project has officially launched. Funded by the EU LIFE Programme, the project will demonstrate a scalable sludge treatment solution at WWTP Eerbeek in the Netherlands.
contact
Get in touch
For project information, collaboration, or media requests, contact the coordinating beneficiary or use the form on this page.
Co-funded by the European Union. LIFE Programme. Reference: LIFE24-ENV-NL-SLUDGE2VALUELIFE/101212627
Co-funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
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