Industrial water management and metal recovery technologies advance in Europe

In Spain, the plant of Liquats Vegetals in Viladrau, Girona, is working with Ecolab to improve water recycling efficiency. Following a severe drought in Catalonia that forced a 15% reduction in consumption, the plant has successfully reduced its water ratio by 21%. Future plans include replacing salt-based descalifiers with reverse osmosis by December to eliminate saline waste and save approximately 100,000 euros annually.

Separately, an Italian company specializing in the circular economy is seeking technological partners to enhance the value of metals recovered from industrial wastewater. Through the Enterprise Europe Network, the firm is looking for industrial partners and research centers to collaborate on transforming recovered metallic powders into high-value materials for the metallurgy, battery, and chemical sectors. The initiative aims to utilize proprietary technology to extract critical raw materials, thereby reducing environmental footprints and dependence on primary resources.