Recycling and reuse of resources from wastewater – new synthesis report and upcoming webinar

3 minute read

Published:

On 23rd October 2024, a new synthesis report was launched, shedding light on how Sweden can transition toward a more circular and sustainable management of wastewater resources. The report, titled Återvinning och återanvändning av resurser från avlopp (Recycling and reuse of resources from wastewater: the way forward for Sweden based on knowledge and practical experiences), is the result of a collaborative effort between several organizations led by IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute and including Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, and Ecoloop, among others. The research detailed in the report was funded by the Environmental Research Grant of the Swedish EPA (Naturvårdsverket) and the Swedish Agency for Marine and Water Management. The synthesis report was developed over several years and aims to support Sweden’s transformation toward sustainable wastewater management, aligning with long-term environmental goals.

The synthesis report highlights the untapped potential of wastewater as a resource, drawing on several decades of knowledge and experience in the Swedish context. Beyond water reuse, wastewater can provide energy, nutrients, and organic carbon that can be utilized by industries, agriculture, and even urban systems. The findings emphasize the need for a societal shift in viewing wastewater as a valuable resource rather than as waste. Advanced treatment technologies are identified as critical enablers, reducing contaminants and making reuse safer and more viable. Moreover, the research identifies key barriers, including regulatory uncertainties, limited guidance, and challenges in public acceptance, and calls for a collaborative approach among authorities, utilities, and industries to overcome these obstacles and better valorize the knowledge and experience gained to scale resource recovery applications in the country.

Together with my colleague Linus Dagerskog at SEI, we contributed to the report by co-authoring a chapter on decision support tools in one of the sub-syntheses in the report which focused on acceptance and risks of resource recovery as well as tools (Chapter 4c in Delsyntes 4: Acceptans, risker och verktyg). Our work in this chapter focused on tools for decision-making that can support the implementation of resource recovery from wastewater, and drew from some of our earlier research on decision support tools for resource recovery in sanitation. Specifically, we explored evaluation frameworks for identifying the environmental, social, and economic benefits and risks of wastewater reuse, tools for planning and system implementation, and approaches to assess potential health and environmental risks. By incorporating these tools into decision-making, policymakers and practitioners can develop more targeted and effective strategies for resource recovery.

Upcoming webinar on the report

To delve deeper into the findings and discuss the way forward, the Swedish EPA (Naturvårdsverket) will host a webinar next week, in Swedish.

Avloppsvatten som resurs – resultat från två forskningssynteser 📅 24th January 2025 ⏰ 09:30–11:15 (CET)

This event will present insights from two synthesis reports, including Återvinning och återanvändning av resurser från avlopp and Att återanvända eller inte: är renat avloppsvatten en giftfri och hållbar resurs för framtiden? (REASSURE). There will also be a dialogue featuring guests from Water Wise Society and Svenskt Vatten, along with a Q&A session.

If you are interested in joining the webinar, you can register at this link To learn more about the synthesis report and to download a copy, use this link: Återvinning och återanvändning av resurser från avlopp