The ashes of the boilers in which Ence burns the biomass with which it produces renewable electricity could be an environmental and social solution to the high odorous impact of sludge from the wastewater treatment of cities. It is the objective of the research project in which the technical staff of Ence in Huelva collaborates with EMASESA, the water supply and sanitation company of Seville, and the VALORA Group, specialized in the valuation of non-hazardous waste for use in agriculture. and environmental restoration of degraded soils.
The necessary and essential treatment of water in wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) generates sludge of high value for agriculture and other applications in soil recovery, however its management entails a high odorous impact, not only during its extraction and temporary storage in the treatment plants, also during their transfer and application for example as fertilizer and other agricultural or forestry utilities.
Only EMASESA manages between 70 and 80,000 tons per year of sludge from the wastewater of the towns where it operates, which is why it is a priority of its management to promote research projects and socio-environmental improvement such as this, which could substantially increase the quality of the waste management and its recovery.
Once the laboratory tests have been passed, in which the ashes of the Enzo Huelva kilns have proved their effectiveness in eliminating the odor of the sludge and even improving their properties for agricultural use, the project has begun the field tests, which reproduces the laboratory tests on a larger scale to check and corroborate the results.
While the final results are obtained, the VALORA Group is optimistic and highlights not only the deodorizing capacity of the ashes of the Ence boilers, but also the nutrients that it contributes to the structure of the sludge, facilitating its management and improving its agronomic utility. to provide sustainable and long-term solutions for the waste generated by the population.
For Ence, which already allocates more than 99% of its waste to other uses, the collaboration in this project responds to its maximum commitment to sustainable management, which has an important chapter in the reduction and reuse of all byproducts of its processes productive.
