Skip to main content
afterlife_logo

AFTERLIFE

Advanced Filtration TEchnologies for the Recovery and Later conversIon of relevant Fractions from wastEwater

Project details

Type of project
Research & Innovation Action
Project focus
Packaging
Feedstock origin
Agri-food waste
Feedstock type
Food industry sidestreams
Project period
1 September 2017 - 28 February 2022
Status
Completed
CBE JU Contribution
€ 3 890 593,13
Call identifier
H2020-BBI-JTI-2016

Summary

The AFTERLIFE project proposes a flexible, cost- and resource-efficient process for recovering and valorising the relevant fractions from wastewater. It will represent an advance on existing approaches to wastewater treatment, which rely on physic-chemical and biological methods.

The AFTERLIFE process will separate out the different components of value using a series of membrane filtration units that will separate all the solids in the wastewater. These will then treated to obtain high-pure extracts and metabolites or, alternatively, to be converted into value-added biopolymers; polyhydroxyalkanoates(PHAs).

In addition to the value extracted from the solids, the remaining outflow of the water will be ultrapure and ready for re-use.

The overarching objective of the AFTERLIFE project is to demonstrate, at TRL-5, an innovative wastewater treatment that simultaneously recovers compounds of interest while converting the remaining organic matter into a high-volume added value biopolymer. Specifically, it sets out to:

  • Develop the filtration system for recovering suspended and soluble solids in wastewater by using membrane filtration units.
  • Develop the process for recovering and purifying valuable compounds in the concentrates extracted in the filtration step.
  • Develop an anaerobic/aerobic process for converting the low value-added organic matter into PHAs.
  • Optimise the resources in the process, following a circular economy approach
  • Design and optimise the AFTERLIFE process from a holistic perspective following a Multidisciplinary Design Optimisation (MDO) approach
  • Conduct a demonstration, at a pilot scale, using real industrial wastewater to generate the end products
  • Prove the economic and industrial feasibility for AFTERLIFE process along with a comprehensive Lifecycle Analysis (LCA) and cost assessment.
  • Promote exploitation of the project’s results and expand its impact.

The AFTERLIFE project aims to deliver a substantial positive impact in the progress of wastewater treatment technologies and relevant fractions recovery. Specifically, it will:

  • Validate that AFTERLIFE provides recovery rates that are comparable to, or better than, those of competing technologies.
  • Successfully recycle or reuse at least 10 percent, in dry weight, of the suspended solid fractions.
  • Create a new cross-sectorial interconnection in bio-based economy clusters.
  • Create cooperation projects through cross-industry clusters
  • Set the foundations for at least one new bio-based value chain and one new bio-based material.
  • Lead to 30 new consumer products by 2020.
  • Attract broad participation from SMES.

Renewable innovation from wastewater treatment

Solution for wastewater in bioplastics and food additives
24 April 2019
BBI JU-funded project AFTERLIFE is developing a technology that filters, treats and converts wastewater from the food and drink industry into bioplastics and food additives. Read more

Recovery and valorisation of wastewater fractions for a circular economy
27 July 2018
AFTERLIFE proposes a tangential (cross-flow) membrane filtration for wastewater pre-treatment to remove large size solids, coarse grains and fatty emulsions for the recovery of useful substrates for bio-energy generation. Read more

Consortium map

Project coordination

  • IDENER TECHNOLOGIES SL LA RINCONADA (SEVILLA), Spain

Consortium

  • HERITAGE 1466 HERVE, Belgium
  • TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT OY Espoo, Finland
  • JAKE SA MOLINA DE SEGURA MURCIA, Spain
  • NOVA-INSTITUT FUR POLITISCHE UND OKOLOGISCHE INNOVATION GMBH Hurth, Germany
  • AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS Madrid, Spain
  • BIO BASE EUROPE PILOT PLANT VZW Desteldonk Gent, Belgium
  • L'UREDERRA, FUNDACION PARA EL DESARROLLO TECNOLOGICO Y SOCIAL Los Arcos, Spain
  • INNOVEN SRL Verona, Italy
  • ASOCIACION EMPRESARIAL DE INVESTIGACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO NACIONAL DE LA CONSERVA Molina De Segura, Spain
  • CITROMIL SL Santomera Murcia, Spain
  • CELABOR SCRL Herve Chaineux, Belgium
  • NOVA ID FCT - ASSOCIACAO PARA A INOVACAO E DESENVOLVIMENTO DA FCT Caparica, Portugal
  • MI-PLAST DOO ZA PROIZVODNJU, TRGOVINU I PRUZANJE USLUGA Rijeka, Croatia
Former member
  • AUSTEP-AUSTEAM ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION SPA Milano, Italy
  • EGGPLANT SOCIETA A RESPONSABILITA LIMITATA POLIGNANO A MARE (BA), Italy