ATB Umwelttechnologien GmbH in Porta Westfalica produces innovative wastewater plants. The company started 15 years ago with the vision of developing a sewage treatment plant, which can be installed without great expenditure as retrofit unit both in old and also new multichamber pits.
India is one of the most important producers of starch worldwide. In the field of starch tapioca has a global market share of 12% which is surpassed only by corn. Through the rising demand for tapioca starch, the producer region in Tamil Nadu in South India became the 2nd most important supplier of starch in the world. 2000 businesses are registered and supply customers all over the world, including food producers such as Dr. Oetker.
The negative effects of the starch industry for people and the environment are rarely considered by producers and authorities. In the production process starch is washed out from the grated root. 12 m3 of water are needed to produce one barrel of starch. Companies pump the necessary water from a depth of 400 to 500 meter, which is deeper than the local wells. The booming industry caused the lowering of the water level. Thus, the pumps of the poor cannot reach it anymore. The wastewater of the production is very often not purified when it reaches the water cycle. A central wastewater treatment does not exist.
ATB set up an innovative and patented purification and recycling system. The objective of the project is to fight environmental problems in the tapioca industry. In addition, local people are trained in use and service of the wastewater plant.
WiN=WiN effects
The PPP- project substantially contributes to industrial environmental protection and to a reduced consumption of water which is a scarce resource.ATB enters a new market for its wastewater technology.