The Finnish research centre VTT is taking part in the ReNuW-Hubs project, which aims to improve the recovery of phosphorus and nitrogen and the reuse of water from community wastewater. Climate-driven drought and volatile input markets have increased demand for recycled nutrients and reused water.
The solution is based on a physico-chemical treatment process housed in a 20-foot shipping container. The mobile unit recovers nutrients during treatment, produces reclaimed water for irrigation and solids for hydro-char, and is suited to remote areas with large seasonal fluctuations, such as popular tourist destinations.
The concept will be developed and validated in the laboratory and then piloted in the Turku Archipelago. Coordinated by the University of Turku, with partners from Finland, Latvia and Estonia, the three-year project began in May 2025 and has a budget of €2.08 million, of which €1.67 million comes from the EU’s Interreg Central Baltic programme.
