Since I have been in the industry, I have seen many European countries make great strides in wastewater collection and treatment. But to take one example, the European Environment Agency (EEA) also allows to consult the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) platform to find profiles of each European Union (EU) member country with data on progress toward wastewater treatment targets, protection of sensitive water systems, use of wastewater sludge, and greenhouse gas emissions from the treatment sector.
Data show that across the EU about 90% of urban wastewater is collected and treated in accordance with the EU wastewater treatment directive. But what emerges from even just looking at the European data is that there remain, however, large differences between nations. So, which country offers the best technologies for wastewater treatment? Today I want to explain why, in my professional experience, Italian wastewater reclamation technologies are among the most advanced in the world and why these systems are exported all over the world.
CONTEXT
Wastewater treatment systems and skills: Italy an example of global significance
Italy is a significant player in the global textile industry, one of the most polluting for water, and has consequently developed several competencies in wastewater treatment for industrial processes.
Importantly, Italy is the third largest textile exporter in the world, after China and India, and the largest in Europe.
In 2019, the sector registered nearly 80.000 active companies, with the Veneto and Tuscany regions leading the way.
The progress of the textile sector in Italy and its relevance have thus fueled the search for innovation, prompting the prioritization of local production, organic/recycled materials and fair trade practices, but also new wastewater treatment systems to make the sector more sustainable, in line with consumer demands.
Italian companies are focusing on technologies that enable the recovery and reuse of water and chemicals, minimizing environmental impact and maximizing resource efficiency.
ANALYSIS
Why are Italian wastewater recovery technologies important in the international arena?
The technologies applied in the world for textile wastewater treatment are generally chemical-physical. Chemicals are dosed to precipitate polluted water into toxic sludge that must be disposed of into the environment.
Italy, therefore, precisely because of the most innovative and environmentally friendly disposal techniques, such as Reverse Osmosis and MBR, is a leader in the most advanced technologies in line with a more circular economy. In Italy, for the first time, fully biological technologies have been developed that can reduce chemical pollution of wastewater only through organic bacteria.
As the world population continues to grow and urbanization increases, the need for effective wastewater treatment is now a necessity.
For this reason, many other European countries, including Switzerland, the Netherlands, Denmark and Sweden, as well as the United States and Singapore on the overseas side, have also sought to invest in research and development of cutting-edge technologies. Nevertheless, Italy remains at the top of countries offering the most technologically advanced systems.
And that is precisely why technologies and plants developed in Italy are exported and used all over the world. India, China, Mexico, are just some of the countries that precisely for this reason maintain and solidify business relations with Italy aware that, even at the level of image and sales, working on wastewater recovery with Italian technologies is synonymous with guarantee.
FOCUS
What is innovative about Italian wastewater treatment technologies?
Italy is world-renowned for its ability to produce high-quality textiles. Thanks to its history and tradition, the most cutting-edge technologies in textiles were invented in Italy, including technologies for wastewater treatment. These ones are now applied in many other sectors impacting on the environment too, such as paper, chemical, metal plating and food processing industry.
Water treatment systems developed by Italian companies are recognized for:
- the use of highly sustainable technologies, in which pollutants are removed through 100% biological/organic processes, with the advantage of not creating toxic sludge, but organic sludge that can be easily disposed of
- the high treatment efficiency, i.e., the achievement of high performance at minimum operating costs
- the very high reliability of the proposed equipment, from leading European brands in their field
- fully automated systems, in which human intervention is reduced to a mere supervisory function.
Today, a company operating in the fashion, home decor, or automotive industry is in search of fabrics with low environmental impact. It’s a mandatory requirement.
On what basis do they make their choice when turning to suppliers, whether they are in their home country or in other reference nations (such as India or Mexico, for example)? Here you are: finding Italian-made technologies for wastewater treatment becomes a trust-building factor.
The advantages of reverse osmosis and MBR
In Italy, reverse osmosis and MBR have achieved recovery rates of up to 95%. The benefits go far beyond that, including:
- reduction in the space required for the recovery plant
- reduced operating costs
- lower investment costs
- easier plant management and full automation
- elimination of the risks of clogging of the R.O. membranes.
- prolonged useful life of the R.O. plant.
Read our article on water recovery to learn more.
ADVANTAGES
Reverse osmosis and MBR, for wastewater recovery and for the Planet
Wastewater can have several effects on the environment if it is not treated properly before discharge. They can introduce pollutants into the ecosystem, promote eutrophication of aquatic environments, and cause damage. In addition, untreated wastewater can adversely affect human health by releasing pathogens such as bacteria or viruses.
Reverse osmosis is a filtration system that can recover about 70% of the permeated water (the exact percentage depends on the characteristics of the water). With the introduction of membrane treatments, known as M.B.R., water recovery of up to 90% is finally possible.
To mitigate these negative effects, it is essential that companies adopt state-of-the-art wastewater treatment technologies before discharging them into the environment, thus ensuring the safety of the ecosystem and human health. Expert’s word.