EnviroChemie develops zero liquid discharge concept for pharma use

Rossdorf, Germany: – Water treatment specialist EnviroChemie is conducting a study to examine the best approach to treating production-related pharmaceutical. The study has been commissioned by an Indian pharmaceuticals corporation.

The study will encompass procedures for recycling treated wastewater for several of the client corporation’s sites in India and will include examination of a zero liquid discharge concept.

Eliminating waste water

The study is being supported by laboratory tests and pilot trials at EnviroChemie’s research center in Rossdorf, using samples of the actual wastewater produced in India.

The concept design is being based on the examination of all the water streams involved in the entire production process, not just wastewater flows. The EnviroChemie concept will spotlight options for recycling water and efficiently treating wastewater, right up to zero liquid discharge production that creates no wastewater at all.

Sustainable water use

The pharmaceuticals corporation wants to optimize its water management. It regards sustainable water usage as particularly important, due to chronic water shortages within host communities.

“Zero liquid discharge is increasingly becoming an important issue for companies in many regions,” commented Elmar Billenkamp, EnviroChemie specialist for South Asia.

“This may be to maximize recourses, minimize waster or because there is an active water shortage around production sites,” notes Mr. Billenkamp.

About EnviroChemie

EnviroChemie GmbH has established a reputation over four decades for reliable and innovative technology for water and wastewater treatment, specializing in developing and implementing customized solutions for customers in the pharmaceutical industry and life sciences.

This ISO-9001 certified engineering company was founded in 1976 and offers a holistic range of “Made in Germany” branded products and services based on chemico-physical, biological and membrane filtration processes, whose pedigree relies on its long list of research achievements and patents.

EnviroChemie adopts a partnership approach in which client specialized needs and characteristics form the basis for individual design, planning, engineering, building and commissioning of pharmaceutical wastewater treatment plants.

With more than 300 plants per year sold worldwide, EnviroChemie can apply unrivalled experience to continuous development of innovative and reliable industrial water and wastewater technologies.

EnviroChemie specializes in supporting customers in projects, where effluents must be specifically treated in order to:

• Abate trace elements by concentrating them (e.g. reverse osmosis and vacuum distillation)
• Inactivate streams containing biologically active ingredients (e.g. vaccines, antigens, etc.) by means of thermal sterilisation technology
• Eliminate pharmaceuticals implementing advanced oxidation processes (e.g. ozonation)
• Generate green energy (biogas) from digested organic matter (COD) implementing anaerobic treatment technology (e.g. at insulin production facilities)

EnviroChemie products are developed and supplied from three sites in Germany and Switzerland and the company operates seven sales and service offices, including subsidiaries in Brazil and Russia.