World in motion – bringing innovation to life through international collaboration

This is a guest blog from Paul Lavender, Director – Water Utilities UK at Royal HaskoningDHV, a partner on the Biopolymers in the Circular Economy project, which was awarded funding in Water Breakthrough Challenge 3. 

The UK water sector faces a number of challenges it must urgently solve, from achieving net zero emissions, to preventing leaks, ending the overuse of storm overflows, tackling pollution and adapting to the impact of climate change;  all while ensuring customers are properly served.

But the UK is far from alone. Increasingly there is collaboration on innovation across borders to find solutions.

In this case study we highlight the experience of the Biopolymers in the Circular Economy (BICE) Project.

The BICE (Biopolymers in the Circular Economy) project aims to bring innovative solutions to sludge management through biopolymer extraction, advancing the principles of the circular economy within the water sector. This collaboration between partners across the resource recovery supply chain, including United Utilities and other organizations, explores new ways to extract from wastewater treatment processes and assess their potential for commercial use.

Wastewater treatment bacteria produces naturally occurring polymers that have been shown to exhibit a wide range of beneficial properties, making them suitable to replace the fossil-derived polymers used in a range of applications including water treatment processes, paints, coatings, biostimulants for plants and fire retardants.

The Attraction of the UK Water Sector

The Netherlands has a long history for launching new innovations, because the water sector there is made up of small water companies, that are very open to innovation and work collaboratively on a lot of big sector challenges.

This project utilizes Dutch expertise in cellulose and biopolymer extraction technology, with UK processing and end-user partners, to build on international work to date to accelerate the route to commercial off-take of these products and materials from sludge.

The UK water sector presents an attractive environment for innovation due to its size both in terms of customers but also in terms of sites available for testing. However, one of the major challenges in the past has been the lack of collaboration between water companies when it comes to introducing new technologies. Historically, each company may choose to pilot new solutions independently, creating duplication of effort and slower progress. The Ofwat Innovation Fund has played a key role in overcoming this barrier by enabling collaboration across multiple organisations.

The BICE project’s focus on biopolymer extraction fits well within the UK’s broader goals of maximizing the value derived from wastewater sludge and future-proofing against the potential move away from land application. The project partners, including United Utilities, have the capacity to trial biopolymer harvesting technology at multiple sites, allowing for greater scalability and long-term impact.

Extending the Reach of Biopolymer Extraction

The biopolymer extraction technology developed for wastewater treatment processes has already been demonstrated with two full-scale extraction facilities in the Netherlands. While the extraction technology has proven effective, the UK-based BICE project is focused on both understanding yields and material quality across different wastewater treatment plants in the UK.

In the Netherlands, this technology has already been applied to aerobic granular sludge (AGS) treating both dairy and municipal wastewater, where end of waste status has been achieved for the industrial site and is due by the end of this year for the municipal site. The UK project aims to expand this knowledge base, applying it specifically to sewage treatment works. By doing so, it hopes to accelerate the commercialization of biopolymer products and minimize regulatory hurdles.

Overcoming Regulatory Barriers in the Circular Economy

A significant challenge in the development of circular economy products is navigating the regulatory landscape. In both the UK and the Netherlands, regulatory approval processes are time-consuming and costly.

The BICE project is leveraging the expertise and financial support of multiple stakeholders, including United Utilities, academics, materials processing specialists, and commercial partners like Unilever, to overcome these challenges. The consortium approach allows for a more comprehensive and collaborative effort, increasing the chances of success.

The regulatory approval process for circular economy materials is particularly slow in the UK, where new biopolymer products must be technically proven before they can be commercialized. This has made it difficult for companies to justify investing in demonstration facilities or pilot projects without substantial external support.

The Ofwat Innovation Fund has been pivotal in providing this support, making it possible to bring together a diverse group of stakeholders through a consortium with the expertise needed to navigate the complex regulatory landscape and accelerate progress.

The Ofwat Innovation Fund has ensured that the work around biopolymer products does not happen in isolation, building on what has been already proven in the Netherlands, to find the most promising applications for material and try to accelerate our way through regulation.

The Role of the Netherlands in Sludge Management Innovation

The Netherlands has long been at the forefront of innovation in wastewater treatment and sludge management. One of the key drivers behind this innovation is the country’s geographic challenges.

With more than a quarter of the land below sea level, and a history of land reclamation that began as long ago as the 14th century, water management is a priority in the Netherlands, and this extends to wastewater and sludge management.

Financial factors also play a role in the Netherlands’ advanced sludge management approach. Unlike in the UK, where recycling to agricultural land is still a cost-neutral option, the Netherlands relies heavily on thermal treatment and incineration, which can be much more expensive—costing upwards of 100 euros per ton.

As a result, there is a much stronger financial incentive to find alternative methods for managing sludge, such as biopolymer extraction, which can add value to waste materials and help mitigate the costs associated with traditional sludge disposal methods.

This approach fits well with the UK’s objectives to reduce operating costs and improve the circularity and sustainability of their sludge management.

Future Commercial Models and Centralized Processing Facilities

Another key aspect of the BICE project is exploring potential business models for the commercialization of extracted biopolymers.

In the Netherlands, a public-private partnership has been established to exploit the biopolymers produced from wastewater treatment. This joint venture, funded by BICE consortium partner Royal HaskoningDHV and the public water authorities, focuses on finding commercial partners and marketing the materials.

This model could serve as a blueprint for similar initiatives in the UK, where there is still uncertainty about how centralized or decentralized these facilities should be.

The commercial model could take several forms:

• United Utilities might process and sell the biopolymer directly to commercial partners like Unilever, Yara or Crown Paints
• a joint venture similar to the Dutch model could be established; or
• a third-party organisation could be tasked with handling the commercialization and distribution of the material.

The BICE project is examining these options as part of its efforts to understand the most effective ways to integrate circular economy principles into the water sector’s supply chain.

The project’s findings will not only inform the commercial viability of biopolymer extraction but will also provide valuable insights into the future of sludge management and wastewater treatment.

Whether the solution involves centralized hubs or decentralized processing, the BICE project is paving the way for a more sustainable and economically viable future for wastewater treatment in the UK, and across the world.

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Image of an operational Kaumera plant located in Zutphen, the Netherlands. Copyright: Rijn en Ijssel water authority