Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority

Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority (HSY) purifies water from the city, and industry to protect the Baltic Sea. Wastewater is treated at the two biggest treatment plants in Finland and a new one will open in Blominmäki in Espoo in 2021. 

HSY has been developing ways of dealing with phosphorous in wastewater since 2014. It is difficult to recover and reuse. Phosphorous intensifies eutrophication, has an impact on nature and planetary boundaries and there is a shortage of it for use in global food production. HSY’s RAVITA process recovers it as phosphoric acid for use in a range of industrial processes and fertiliser production. The scalability of the process allows it to be used by wastewater treatment plants of all sizes and at levels, including as a sub-process. The recovery and reuse of phosphorus protects water supplies and promotes the circular economy and the transition to a sustainable society. The Nordic Region is no exception to the global megatrend of urbanisation, and our cities need to assume greater responsibility for sustainable development.