Wastewater treatment plants are the biorefineries of the future

The REFRAME project will soon collaborate with RecoLab in Italy and Sweden!
Advancing the goal of transforming wastewater treatment into a more efficient resource recovery process.

RecoLab’s “three-pipe system” enables better recycling of waste and resources, reflecting a society that continuously evolves and faces new challenges. To address these challenges, we need adaptable processes and advanced technical expertise. Through RecoLab’s testbed, we aim to anticipate future demands and develop innovative technologies that can be applied in facilities worldwide.

Adjacent to the development facility, RecoLab hosts three dedicated testbed locations, providing the ideal environment for experimentation and innovation.

REFRAME is a pioneering scientific initiative aligned with the European Commission’s objectives to transform wastewater treatment plants into water resource recovery facilities. Every year, up to 10 kg of toilet paper per person is wasted in sewage systems, only to be metabolized in the activated sludge process, increasing energy consumption and sludge disposal at municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Despite their potential value, the cellulose fibers in toilet paper remain an underutilized resource.

The REFRAME project, supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions program, seeks to efficiently recover cellulose from wastewater and convert it into valuable products. By leveraging bacterial metabolism, cellulose extracted from primary sludge will be biologically transformed into platform chemicals such as volatile fatty acids, biopolymers like polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), and even ingredients for animal feed. These bio-based products hold promise for energy applications and contribute to sustainable resource recovery.