Following a public tender, Oulun Vesi (Oulu Water Utility) in Oulu, Finland, has chosen Kemira's solution for the handling and disposal of sludge from the city's waste water treatment processes. The approximately EUR 13 million contract will cover a period of fifteen years.
The Taskila waste water treatment plant, which treats sewage water not only from the City of Oulu but also from neighboring municipalities, has a treatment capacity corresponding to 150,000 people. Kemira will install its chemical sludge treatment unit, known as Kemicond, at the plant to treat sludge by hygienizing it, extracting a significant amount of fluid and making sludge odor-free. Kemira is responsible for processing the final product, which will be turned into topsoil by Kemira's Oulu-based subcontractor, Viherrengas Järvenpää Oy, for use in landscape and environmental development in the region of Oulu. "We chose the solution with the best overall economy", says Pekka Pesonen, Director at Oulu Water Utility.
The first plant to use Kemicond technology started up in Stockholm in April. "The client is highly satisfied with the added value Kemicond generates at the plant", says Göran Karlsson, Vice President, Kemwater Sludge Management. The decision by Oulu Water Utility to use Kemicond was a breakthrough for the solution on the Finnish market. "We have performed several test runs at water utilities of mid-sized cities in this country, with outstanding results. The new legislation on fertilizers, to take effect this year, will set new demands in terms of hygiene and stability on sludge to be utilized in agriculture or in the construction of green areas. Hence, our efficient Kemicond technology will be in high demand", adds Aija Jantunen, Manager - Kemira Kemwater Finland.
Kemira and Viherrengas Järvenpää Oy will begin preparing their applications for the environmental permit required for the plant without delay, in order to get it up and running as soon as possible.
For further information, please contact:
Oulun Vesi (Oulu Water Utility); Pekka Pesonen, Director, tel. +358 40 7033810
Kemira Oyj, Kemwater
Aija Jantunen, Kemira Kemwater Finland
Tel. +358 10 862 1682, GSM +358 50 583 9714
Göran Karlsson, Director, Kemira Sludge Management, Sweden
Tel. +46 42 171 000 or GSM +46 737 191 215