Water2REturn: Nutrient Recovery from Slaughterhouse Wastewater for Circular Agriculture

Recovery and recycling of nutrients from slaughterhouse wastewater through advanced biochemical and physical technologies to produce organic fertilisers, bio-stimulants, and energy, supporting a circular economy in agriculture. The project, coordinated by BIOAZUL in Spain and funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme, integrates life cycle assessment (LCA), life cycle costing (LCC), and social LCA to evaluate environmental, economic, and social impacts across five system phases: slaughterhouse, water line, sludge line, algae line, and land application. Technologies include anaerobic digestion, membrane filtration, and CO₂-enriched algal cultivation. The project involves 15 partners across 8 European countries, with WP8 leading sustainability assessments using ISO and ILCD standards. Deliverables include LCA reports, techno-economic assessments, safety regulations, and ETV certification. The system aims for energy self-sufficiency, zero-waste emissions, and market-ready business models, with validation from full-scale demonstrations and stakeholder engagement across industry, communities, and regulatory bodies.