In cooperation with PPU Umwelttechnik GmbH, a master’s thesis from the University of Leipzig deals with the ecological footprint of the ClearFox® C50. This is a containerised wastewater treatment plant which, equipped with a fixed-bed biological reactor and lamella clarifier, can treat a wastewater capacity of 50 m³/day. The aim here is to determine the ecological footprint of the individual components as well as the manufacturing processes and to find emission hotspots.
New research area in wastewater treatment
Wastewater treatment contributes greatly to environmental protection. The degradation or oxidation of harmful substances protects first and foremost human health, but also the existence of flora and fauna. For this reason, there are numerous studies on the impact of wastewater treatment on the environment. However, there are hardly any studies on the sustainability of the production of a wastewater treatment plant. Therefore, the current master thesis deals with the ecological footprint of the manufacturing process of a ClearFox® C50.
Each component of the ClearFox® C50 consumes a necessary amount of energy during production. The origin of this always goes hand in hand with the production of greenhouse gases. The materials themselves also have a specific ecological footprint. The master’s thesis will also identify emission hotspots and thus name components that have a larger footprint than others. With this knowledge, PPU Umwelttechnik GmbH can specifically replace these parts with more environmentally friendly components.
Ecological footprint as a core component of sustainability reports
For some years now, a cross-national trend has shown the importance of sustainability reports. Above all, large and medium-sized manufacturing companies will increasingly be required to report on the sustainability of their production. For this reason, it is crucial to know the ecological footprint of all individual parts to be able to initiate countermeasures.
With its interest in the ecological footprint of the ClearFox® C50, PPU Umwelttechnik GmbH is making a clear statement in favour of sustainability and against greenwashing. This also gives the Bayreuth-based company a decisive advantage, as it is already preparing for the preparation of sustainability reports.
