Welcome and introduction

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PILLS final conference19th/20th September 2012

PILLS final conference19th/20th September 2012

Welcome and introduction

Dr. Jochen Stemplewski

CEO Emschergenossenschaft

Micropollutants – omnipresent!

Many micropollutants in water can be determined by newly

developed analytical methods

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50 million chemicals are registered about → about 5,000 are

considered to be potentially hazardous to the environment

3,000 pharmaceuticals active compounds and 2,500 tons

veterinary drugs per year are in circulation - around 180 of

them are analytically detectable in water currently

The current reporting shows:The discussion on micropollutants is as relevant as ever

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European environmental quality standards for drug residues in water?Proposition of EU commission is currently under discussion

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Micropollutants - In search of knowledge

There is a lack of knowledge about environmental effects.

Nevertheless, actions should be taken for precautionary reason.

Municipal wastewater treatment plants state-of-the-art are

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Municipal wastewater treatment plants state-of-the-art are

designed for the removal of biodegradable substances and

nutrients - not for micropollutants.

There is a lack no knowledge about techniques for elimination

of micropollutants in the wastewater, their cost-effectiveness

and operational safety.

Removal of micropollutants from waste waterWe are investigating different techniques in our pilot studies

Hünxe MBRMBR

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Hünxe

Bad SassendorfMarienhospital Gelsenkirchen

MBRMBR

O3O3

MBRMBRPACPAC

O3O3

Waste water treatment plant HünxeFull-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR)

• 50% of the waste water

volume by MBR

• 50% treated by a conventional

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• 50% treated by a conventional

biological treatment

Waste water treatment plant Bad SassendorfFull-scale ozonation of waste water treatment plant effluent

Bad Sassendorf:

• 12.000 inhabitants

• 6 hospitals or health clinics

with 1.200 beds

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with 1.200 beds

Some results of our pilot studiesEnergy consumption of the MBR in Hünxe compared to the conventional biological

treatment

40.000

50.000

60.000

70.000

MBR ConventionalkWh/Monat

Start-up

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0

10.000

20.000

30.000

40.000

Some results of our pilot studiesRemoval rate of micropollutants by MBR in Hünxe and ozonation in Bad Sassendorf

Tonalide (AHTN)

EDTA

TCPPO3 Bad Sassendorf

MBR Hünxe

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0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Sulfametholoxazole

Metoprolol

Diclofenac

Carbamazepine

Bisphenol A

Waste water treatment plant HünxeFull-scale membrane bioreactor (MBR)

In Operation for more than 2 years

• Energy consumption + 30 %

• Improvement of effluent

quality (COD, N, P) 30 – 50 %

• Removal rate of selected60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Monitoring

Value

conventional

biological

treatment

MBR

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• Removal rate of selected

micropollutants 5 – 100 %

• Increase of total costs

(invest and operation) + 28 %

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

CSB Phosphor Stickstoff

Überwachungswert Konventionelle Belebung Membran-Belebung

COD P N

Operation since November 2009

• With ozone dose of 2 mgO3L:

> 90 % transformation of easily oxidisable

substances like Diclofenac and Carbamazepine

Waste water treatment plant Bad SassendorfFull-scale ozonation of waste water treatment plant effluent

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%EliminationsratenRemoval rate

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• With ozone dose of 5 mgO3/L:

90 % transformation of slowly oxidisable

substances like Metoprolol

• Increase of total costs (invest and operation)

by +17 %

Objectives of the PILLS project

Appropriate techniques for the elimination of pharmaceutical

residues and multidrug-resistant bacteria in waste water

from point sources (such as in hospitals)

To find out

To describeThe boundary conditions for decentralized waste water

treatment at point sources (such as in hospitals)

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To describe

To communicateThe need for an integrated approach to the sustainable

reduction of micropollutants in the environment

treatment at point sources (such as in hospitals)

PILLS findings will be communicated today and tomorrow!

Wastewater treatment plants are energy consumers

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10,000 municipal waste water treatment plants in Germany have an energy demand of 4,2 Mrd. kWh per year10,000 municipal waste water treatment plants in Germany have an energy demand of 4,2 Mrd. kWh per year

60 waste water treatment of Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband have an energy demand of 167 Mio. kWh per year (≅≅≅≅ city with 100,000 inh.)60 waste water treatment of Emschergenossenschaft and Lippeverband have an energy demand of 167 Mio. kWh per year (≅≅≅≅ city with 100,000 inh.)

Elimination of micropollutants will increase the energy demand of waste water treatment plants

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Reduction of energy demand Elimination of micropollutants

Conflict of objectives?

Dealing with micropollutantsWe are investigating different techniques in our pilot studies

Hünxe MBRMBR

The entire life cycle of micropollutants should be considered:

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Hünxe

Bad SassendorfMarienhospital Gelsenkirchen

MBRMBR

O3O3

MBRMBRPACPAC

O3O3

The production The usage The disposal

Other options must be considered!End-of-pipe measures cannot be the final solution

Politics and Authorities

� Creation of incentives to promote the use of more environmental

friendly substances, e.g. introduction of a "water label" for existing

drugs

� Change of the legal framework for drug regulatory affairs (e.g.

consideration of environmental risks for the authorization)

� Implementation of take-back systems

Industry � Design of biodegradable products

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Industry � Design of biodegradable products

� Adaptation of drug dose for an optimized metabolisation in the body

Health care system

� Change of prescription practice to promote the use of fewer or – where

possible – “more environmentally friendly” medication

� Sensitizing general public for a change of behaviour in dealing with

drugs

The reduction of the emission of micropollutants is a joint task!

Programm

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Programm

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12

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Wrap up, conclusions and

outlook on follow-up project activities

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PILLS final conference19th/20th September 2012

PILLS final conference19th/20th September 2012

outlook on follow-up project activities

Dr. Jochen Stemplewski

CEO Emschergenossenschaft

Conclusions of the PILLS project

• The fraction of pharmaceuticals distributed in hospitals compared to what is distributed

in the communities is relatively low (around 20%).

• The contribution of the hospital is different for each waste water treatment plant

catchment, depending on the amount of beds and natural inhabitants connected to the

facility. The range normally found varies between 5-50 beds per 1000 inhabitants.

• The diversity of gene cassettes is lower in hospital waste water than in municipal waste

water,

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• Sewer overflows from municipal sewer systems may lead to discharge of hospital waste

water into the receiving waters; a potential risk of spreading the mentioned resistant

bacteria and pathogens.

• Advanced treatment is necessary to eliminate most pharmaceuticals from waste water.

Biological treatment is not enough.

Follow-up project NoPILLSMain topics

• Awareness raising (by development of communication tools and advising campaigns on

sub catchment levels to address the target groups:

− Hospitals and clinicians

− Doctors and pharmacists

− Broad public

− Stakeholders and decision makers

• Impact assessment of the advising campaigns and recommendations for strategic

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• Impact assessment of the advising campaigns and recommendations for strategic

approaches to face pharmaceuticals input to wastewater.

Analysis of sources/ pathways and Sensitization

Implementation of an activated carbon treatment step (PAC) at the wwtp Dülmen

Investigations on the

activated carbon

treatment

"On the Paths of Micropollutants" in the city of Dülmen

Mass-flow analysis of micropollutants

Social discourse on dealing with

Evaluation of removal

efficiency of

micropollutants

Acquisition of operating

experience under

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Social discourse on dealing with

micropollutants

Awareness raising to avoid or reduce

emissions at the source

experience under

practical conditions

Evaluation of costs-

benefit ratio under

practical conditions

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