ReTuber – Advancing Water Circularity and Resource Recovery in the Potato Industry

The food sector is one of the most prominent industrial sectors in the Netherlands and the leading sector in the province of Fryslân. To maintain its unique influence in the north, process efficiency needs to improve to comply with growing demand and adapt to potential changes in resources, such as droughts and warming weather. In the near future, the National Plan of Action for Drinking Water Conservation (Nationaal Plan van Aanpak Drinkwaterbesparing, NPvA) will be implemented, directly impacting users in the food sector, who rely on water for their processes. One of the ways the food sector can ensure that it meets the 20% reduction target set by the NPvA is through implementing advanced (waste)water treatment technologies to meet regulations and ensure future water availability. In this context, membrane technology plays a crucial role as membranes have been shown to sufficiently remove pollutants, effectively produce clean water, and potentially create revenue streams. However, several questions remain, particularly concerning the quality of the water produced, its potential for safe and compliant reuse, and how resources such as nutrients and energy could be recovered. ReTuber aims to investigate existing membrane technologies that can ensure consistent water quality, explore how these align with current water reuse legislation, and assess where such technologies could be implemented to create a closed-loop system. This research aims to assist the food sector in adapting to future water challenges while committing to a more sustainable and circular economy.