Circular

In a circular economy, there is no more waste.

We see waste as a raw material and strive to reuse it. If new raw materials are needed, they are sustainably produced and can be reused. The water authorities have agreed in a so-called Raw Materials Agreement to commit to circular business practices. The water authorities aim to be 50% circular by 2030.

HHNK is also committed to this. For example, in the area of water. The dry periods of recent years have made it clear that fresh water is becoming less available. For us, this was a reason to look for alternative sources of fresh water. Purified wastewater is one example. By treating wastewater in the right way, it can be used to irrigate agricultural land and as cooling and process water in industry. This better protects the freshwater sources of the drinking water company.

In addition to water, HHNK also wants to reuse other raw materials. For example, we recover cellulose and phosphate from wastewater for reuse in building materials and fertilizers. Dredging sludge from our waterways is dried and used to reinforce dikes. We separate commercial waste from our office and bulky waste from the shipyards and wastewater treatment plants as much as possible and offer it to waste processor Suez for reuse. Plant residues along ditch banks are partly used as soil improvers and, as a trial, processed into paper for our staff magazine.

Screened material on fine screen at Beemster wastewater treatment plant