A nutrient circular economy framework for wastewater treatment plants

Abstract

Given the criticality of phosphorous and the harm eutrophication causes, wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) are undergoing circular economy (CE) conversions into becoming centres for resource recovery. This framework paper identifies the environmental, societal, political, commercial, economic, consumer, regulatory, legal, infrastructural, technological, international compliance, academic, agricultural, and plant-operator factors affecting the micro, macro and meso success and failure of nutrient CE WWTP across scope classifications. From this, nutrient CE framework is not as simplistic as it looks, given the multitude of impingers that need to be considered. The lack of technological readiness and vast selection methodologies for some nutrient recovery technologies, low private-sector investment, divisive consumer perceptions, unique economic situations, localised regulatory specifications, threats of inefficient technology lock-ins, poor acceptance among farmers and WWTP operators due to infrastructural incompatibilities, lack of efficient CE supply chains, legacy infrastructure, poor digitised solutions for nutrient CE management, low training and awareness, and integration of nutrient CE WWTPs with broader society are barriers. On the contrary, nutrient CE WWTP will mainly be driven by regulations, subsidies and consumer-WWTP-farmer nutrient CE acceptances. This framework aims to tie in and provide solutions to overcoming barriers to nutrient CE WWTPs that is universally applicable. Consequently, the framework provides a holistic structure for policy, legislative, academic, agricultural, plant operators, commercial and consumer stakeholders a roadmap for the success and difficulties of nutrient CE WWTP adoption.