Innovative Circular Wastewater Treatment
A groundbreaking waste treatment solution becomes reality: At the Ecorecyclage site, a leading biogas producer in Western Switzerland, Treatech successfully installed its first circular waste treatment plant, VISTA, by the end of 2024. Treatech, a spin-off of EPFL and active since 2015, has created an innovative technology that can treat various industrial, agricultural, and municipal waste streams while simultaneously producing renewable gas, which can be directly injected into the natural gas grid. For this project, the company was honored with the prestigious One Creation Environmental Award.
The Challenge: Sludge and Microplastics A major issue in waste management is sewage sludge, which is commonly produced as a byproduct of wastewater treatment plants. While sewage sludge contains valuable nutrients such as phosphorus, it is often contaminated with pollutants like microplastics, heavy metals, and pathogenic microorganisms. Microplastics, which stem from the use of plastics in industries, agriculture, and households, pose a particular challenge as they are difficult to fully remove in wastewater treatment plants and can potentially enter the food chain.
The VISTA Technology The innovative process of the VISTA plant uses catalytic hydrothermal gasification to address these challenges. With this technology, up to 200 kg of sewage sludge and other organic waste can be treated per hour. At high pressures and temperatures, pollutants such as microplastics, chemicals, and bacteria are destroyed. At the same time, valuable resources such as methane-rich gas, clean water, and valuable minerals are produced.
This method not only helps reduce environmental impact but also makes a significant contribution to the energy transition and resource conservation.
Swagelok's Contribution to Success Swagelok is proud to have supported this pioneering project with high-quality tube fittings and valves that can safely handle pressures up to 400 bar. Our components play a key role in ensuring the precise and reliable operation of the VISTA plant, helping to make the technology work efficiently and sustainably.
This project demonstrates how advanced technologies can be used to transform waste streams into valuable resources. It also highlights the importance of robust, high-performance systems for the success of such groundbreaking developments.
For more information about our products and applications or an offer, please contact us at info@arborag.ch. More on Treatech can be found here