In the City of Helsingborg a recovery plant for wastewater, RecoLab, has been inaugurated. The facility includes a testbed for research and a showroom for visitors. RecoLab is a world unique system for source-separated wastewater that recycles resources from domestic wastewater and food waste.
The system receives wastewater in three separate pipes from all buildings in the new city district Oceanhamnen. One pipe is for blackwater from the toilets, one for greywater from the baths, kitchens and washing machines and finally one pipe for food waste grinded in the kitchen sinks using food waste disposers.
The City of Helsingborg has been a pioneer in sorting waste and continues to be in the forefront now sorting wastewater. The three pipes system makes it easier to recycle resources. For example, the possibility to recycle phosphorous is highly interesting as it is a critical raw material for food security.
– To us, it is important to make it easy for our citizens to do things the right way. With “Three pipes out”, we create better conditions for recycling resources and several other environmental benefits, says Peter Danielsson, Mayor and Chairman of the Municipal Executive Committee in the City of Helsingborg.
The testbed already has two researchers in place. Their research is about extracting phosphorous and nitrogen with fewer chemicals and less energy compared to today’s technology respectively how greywater can be treated in vertical planted filters, so-called plant walls.
