Proceedings

With environmental regulations continuing to restrict the discharge of phosphorus from wastewater treatment facilities across the globe, traditional methods of phosphorus removal are proving inadequate. Facilities have received new upcoming phosphorus discharge limits and must explore viable options to achieve these limits, some as low as 0.07 mg/L-P. Many facilities in the United States have chosen to use a new rare earth technology to meet their phosphorus discharge permit due to its unique and effective reactivity with phosphate and, in addition, its ability to reduce sludge volumes and prevent the formation of struvite. Case studies from wastewater treatment facilities in Wisconsin, Minnesota & Pennsylvania will be presented which review the performance of rare earth technology to meet each facility’s upcoming phosphorus permit level below 0.1 mg/L-P as well as show the sludge reduction properties and dewatering benefits of rare earth technology in their facility.