create 100%
less sludge
together
Problem &
TORWASH® overview
Thanks to our unique processing method, sludge from wastewater treatment is no longer waste. The world is full of unused waste. For example, every year about one and a half million tons of sludge is left over from wastewater treatment plants in the Netherlands, which ends up in waste incinerators. Costs: approximately 150 million euros per year.
We think this is a loss and don’t see sludge as waste, but as a resource. TORWASH® is a unique patented treatment method for sewage sludge that converts sludge into solid biofuels, biogas, fertilizer, and treated water.
Proof, benefits,
market & future
Optimized method
The TORWASH® process has proven itself in practice during extensive testing at the Almere and Land van Cuijk municipal water treatment plants. Two products, solid biofuel and biogas, were found to be excellent for sustainable energy production.
Savings and income
Our technology achieves a dry matter content of over 50% in solid cakes without the need for fossil-based additives such as polyelectrolytes (PE). Compared to conventional sludge dewatering methods, our approach delivers significantly superior performance, helping both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants reduce disposal and transportation costs. The result is a substantially drier cake, suitable for energy production. At the same time, the extracted water is efficiently digested, generating enough biogas to make the TORWASH® system energy-neutral.
Recovery of phosphate that is released from the sludge is possible. The effluent water goes back to the inlet of the water treatment plant so that it can be discharged safely onto surface waters. There is no more waste left, and the water treatment plant becomes fully circular.
“In addition to large savings on sludge processing (80% on operating costs), the TORWASH® method provides three new products and therefore additional income. By avoiding sludge transport and the use of fossil additives, the CO2 emissions caused by the water treatment plant are reduced by 50%.”
Global market
Municipal water treatment plants are the main market for TORWASH® applications. For water authorities, the TORWASH® process is not only financially attractive, but the circular nature is also an important argument. The TORWASH® system is also a solution for companies that operate their own water treatment plant and spend a lot of money on sludge disposal. Various kinds of wastewater sludges from the paper, food, and chemical industries from both the Netherlands and abroad have been tested successfully.
Future
After the successful tests in Almere and Land van Cuijk, the next goal is to run a pilot installation at the ‘De Groote Lucht’ wastewater treatment site at Vlaardingen. This would be accomplished in collaboration with Hoogheemraadschap van Delfland. Looking ahead, the first commercial unit is scheduled to be established at Industriewater Eerbeek (IWE) in 2028. In this way, we want to create a circular environment together with all parties in the water treatment sector, where no more waste is produced.
