Navigating quality, health and environmental risk: A novel framework for wastewater resource recovery products
Rizza Ardiyanti, Kamal Azrague, Gertjan Medema, Cynthia Hallé
Abstract
The aim of this study is to establish a universal framework for the quality monitoring and risk evaluation of resource recovery products. This innovative framework addresses challenges inhibiting the uptake of wastewater resource recovery products by addressing quality, health, and environmental concerns. In contrast to the current European regulations, which primarily govern wastewater reuse for irrigation and limited nutrient recovery cases, this framework has a broader scope that includes various recovery scenarios, such as cellulose fibers, biocomposites, building materials and biochar. The framework is structured as three pillars: (i) ensuring access to a product of good quality, (ii) safeguarding public health, and (iii) environmental protection. It applies quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) and quantitative chemical risk assessment (QCRA) to enable transparent monitoring and reporting for different actors across resource recovery value chains. The framework offers a means to cluster and leverage existing regulations, bridging gaps to ensure comprehensive oversight across various unregulated resource recovery scenarios and products.