The Käppala Association in Stockholm and Kemira have entered into a licensing agreement for Kemicond, a new method for reducing sludge volumes and enhancing sludge quality.
Sewage sludge can be dewatered by means of chemical pre-treatment to have a very high dry solids content, halving today's volumes and thereby decreasing sludge transportation through densely populated areas. Kemicond kills harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and reduces the pervasive odour of sludge. This improves opportunities for the reuse of sludge as a fertilizer on farmland and in other land applications.
The Käppala plant treats sewage water from eleven municipalities in north Stockholm, a region with a population of 500,000 inhabitants. Approximately 40,000 tonnes of dewatered sludge is separated in the treatment process.
By investing in a state-of-the-art sludge treatment plant, the Käppala plant will become one of the most modern wastewater treatment plants in Europe. "It is necessary to invest in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of sludge treatment and reducing sludge volumes," says Per Manhem, managing director of the Käppala Association.
Kemicond has been developed by Kemira, one of the leading producers of water purification chemicals. "We will now enter the market for sludge treatment processes with Kemicond, which has been patented both in Europe and the US, and offer customers quite a number of benefits at reasonable investment costs," says Göran Karlsson, who is responsible for the Sludge Management unit. "Starting up co-operation with Käppala provides us with the first beneficial and valuable reference plant."
Kemira Oyj has a turnover of EUR 2.7 billion, approximately 10,000 employees, and is listed on Helsinki Exchanges. Kemira's water treatment business unit has a turnover of EUR 270 million, engages in the production and marketing of water purification chemicals in 30 countries, and employs approximately 1,000 people.
For further information, please contact:
Göran Karlsson, Vice President, Sludge Management, Kemira Kemwater
Tel +46 42 17 12 15, +46 737 19 12 15
Per Manhem, Managing Director, the Käppala Association
Tel +36 8 76 67 10, +48 70 444 63 62