Yet while easy to say, the practice is still not a matter of course. Because our blue planet is not as blue as it seems, and recycling waste water is an ethical way of treating a resource that is scarcer than we realise. We went to Block 6 in Berlin's Kreuzberg district to find out more.

The challenge

Did you know that fresh water accounts for less than 4% of the planet's water resources, and that most of this is unusable, buried deep below ground or packed away as ice? Contrary to appearances, fresh water is not a boundless resource that simply needs to be directed through our taps. Whether intended for domestic or industrial purposes, water must be collected, treated, distributed and decontaminated after use. It generates a considerable financial cost, and its price will continue to rise into the future.

Armed with these facts, a pilot project is under way in the Kreuzberg district of Berlin at the heart of a complex of buildings called "Block 6", as well as on some neighbouring sites. It is here that 30 years ago, a waste water treatment plant was created and has continued to be perfected over the years. The system functions effectively and supplies water that is clean and less expensive than mains water. It is making people think, which is precisely the objective.

A model to emulate

Block 6 contains around 180 flats housed in a quadrangle of properties positioned around a green space that combines areas for recreation and water treatment. Strong environmental concerns were part of the original concept for the block, which was built in 1987. One of these is the treatment of waste water known as "grey water" (water from baths, showers, sinks and washing machines, which is not heavily contaminated). This is why the block was constructed to include a dual network of pipes, enabling water to be collected according to its source and then reused in different ways. 

They say practice makes perfect, and this also applies to water systems: over time, the facility has been significantly improved. The technology is now mature, and the results obtained are more than convincing. In short, “grey water” is directed into a series of tanks where it undergoes a gradual biological treatment process involving the addition of selected bacteria. At the end of its journey, the water is restored to a quality close to that of mains water, and can be reused without the slightest risk. Since current legislation does not allow treated water to be regarded as drinking water, it is only used to supply toilets and gardens. However, this is a legal restriction that has no relation to the water's inherent quality, and the law could be amended to allow reasonable use of this new resource.

Waste water or a raw material?

Over time, the experiment was widened to include so-called "black water" – the dirtiest water flowing from kitchens and toilets. This water, which is full of nutrients and different chemical compounds, is collected via a separate network of pipes and must be treated in a specific manner. Treating “black water” locally is advantageous for two reasons: Firstly, it allows pollutants to be captured "at source" and much more effectively than when they are diluted in the large quantities of water that make their way to more remote treatment plants. With this system, harmful compounds are prevented from being released into the oceans, where they can no longer be removed. Secondly, nutrients such as nitrogen and potassium present in waste water can be salvaged and reconverted into fertilisers which are no different to those sold on a commercial basis. Considering that more than one litre of oil is used for the industrial production of one kilogram of fertiliser, it is not difficult to see how beneficial it would be to envisage waste water as a new raw material. However, this is experimental research yet to evolve into a commercially available product. But it certainly works!

Source of energy

Reusing water collected nearby offers further benefits still, not least the robustness of the process: this is tightly controlled, and the risk of service interruptions is very low. Should problems arise, a temporary service interruption can be resolved by simply switching to the public mains supply. And since the price of reused water is lower than that of mains water, this becomes a supplement to locally-produced water and the cost to the final user can be reduced.

Another significant aspect of supplying water is the energy required. The urban water cycle uses a huge amount of electricity. For example, supplying water to Berlin and it 3.5 million inhabitants uses the same amount of electricity as the entire consumption of a town with 280,000 people. Recycling water in the same place allows energy to be saved. It is entirely possible to convert the residual heat from grey water (for the most part produced in bathrooms) to electricity, which is then in turn used to pre-heat the water directed to these same bathrooms. Proximity is the key to success since the greater the distance, the more heat is lost. And by maximising the energy recovered on site, the additional energy used to supply water can be minimised: a gain on two counts.

A technique of the future

This model works – the results are there to prove it. Since 2013, the site has also served to demonstrate the efficiency of local recycling techniques. Studies are under way here with a view to improving methods further still, and to take them in new directions. We have already touched on the production of liquid nutrients for agriculture, but we can add to this plant cultivation (hydroponics), fish farming (aquaponics) and the production of liquid fertiliser extracted from so-called "black water". Not to forget the original objective of the plant, which is to convert waste water into clean water that can be reintroduced into consumption channels. Drinking recycled water is certainly not yet on current menus, but the idea will gain ground because a time will quickly come when there will simply be no other alternative. Is this not already the case on space stations? 

To find out more, go to: www.roofwaterfarm.com/en/block-6

Producing biogas through fermentation of agricultural waste? That is exactly what they do at Biomethane du Bois d'Arnelle, Belgium's largest production facility in Hainaut.

You can spot the three large grey domes and a cone-shaped roof from a distance in the countryside around Frasnes-lez-Gosselies. This is a biogas production unit. It took its creator and CEO, Jérôme Breton, 12 years to complete this project due to the lack of a legal and administrative framework. But today, the unit is operational, producing 70,000 MWh of energy.

Turning food waste into biomethane

"We recycle food waste and agricultural materials, livestock manure, straw, beet leaves, peelings, etc. from farmers in a 15-km radius around the site", says Jérôme Breton. "We work with 100 farmers for whom this represents additional income. In digesters, i.e., concrete tanks that are heated to 40°C, bacteria digest the material and produce biogas, consisting of 45% CO₂ and 55% CH₄ methane. We recover this biomethane through filtration, before injecting it into the natural gas distribution network. Fermented matter or digestate, a black liquid that is rich in organic matter, which is very nutritious for crops, is spread as a fertiliser in the surrounding region, where it is used to permanently store CO₂ in the soil and completely replaces chemical fertilisers."

Unrivalled performance

About 15% of the biogas is converted into electricity and heat, half of which is used for the unit’s own needs. The remaining 85% is purified and transformed into biomethane. Once it has been injected into the grid, this biomethane can be used as fuel or as a raw material for petrochemicals. It can also be used to power turbines, and the heat generated can be recovered, just like in a car engine. “While a cogeneration engine, which produces electricity and heat simultaneously, has a total efficiency of between 40 and 80%, our system allows 99.5% of the biogas produced to be injected into the grid”, the young entrepreneur explains. "The pressure varies in a distribution network. That way, the infrastructure can absorb injections without the need for additional investments to store them."

Growing to valorise

The company also grows maize, beets and cereals to valorise them as biogas: "We made a deliberate choice to grow 600 hectares of energy crops to offer farmers a complementary diversification pathway. This accounts for 30% of our raw materials. These crops are stored to allow us to 'smooth' the inflows into our digesters, which depend on agricultural and food activity, on a seasonal basis."

BNP Paribas Fortis, the only bank with such advanced skills

Jérôme Breton says the project would not have been possible without the support of BNP Paribas Fortis. "We would not have gotten funding if it wasn't for the work of their expert. It is the only bank to have such high-level skills in-house. All the other partners also benefited from the analyses and information that he provided to us! A strong, lasting relationship of trust has developed as a result. In my model, I didn't want to rely on public financing for what I do. At the same time, I wanted to produce at the right prices. We produce and sell our biomethane at 100 euros per megawatt hour, while market prices were close to 350 euros last August."

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!

Elessent EMEIA is on a mission to make the chemical industry more environmentally friendly and sustainable through innovative methods and cleaner production processes.

"We strive to create cleaner, carbon-free production processes for our customers. Innovation is at the heart of what we do", says Sara Alvarez, Finance Manager at Elessent EMEAI. "We suggest less polluting alternatives to traditional industrial methods, allowing our customers to continue to develop products that are essential to our daily lives while significantly minimising their impact on the environment, particularly in terms of pollutants and CO₂ emissions."

4 key technologies

The metals, fertiliser, chemical and refinery industries make up the majority of the company’s customers, with Elessent EMEAI able to deliver complete turnkey production sites. Tjaart Van Der Walt, Director of Elessent EMEAI: "We have four flagship technologies. The first concerns the manufacture of a compound that is widely used in industry, from fertiliser manufacturers to pigment plants, namely sulphuric acid. This is obtained by burning sulphur. We have 90 years of expertise in site design – we have delivered more than a thousand sites – and process and energy recovery. These processes will be key to producing cleaner batteries."

Increased quality and yield

The company also has alkylation technologies (a reaction that is commonly used in organic chemistry) which is used to produce high octane fuels, for more efficient engines. These compounds are valuable for the petrochemical and refinery industries. "We operate at more than 100 alkylation sites around the world", continues Van Der Walt. "And 25 hydrocarbon hydrotreating sites. This is a crucial step in the refining process, during which some elements are removed from the oil. This includes reducing sulphur and nitrogen content to improve stability. Our proprietary soft hydrocracking technology allows us to recover more value from crude oil."

In addition to these processes, which optimise the quality and yield of hydrocarbons, the company also has “wet scrubbing” technologies, which are very effective in fume treatment.

Financial support and real industry expertise

"Our business is growing on a global scale. For our international expansion, we need the constant support of our bank, BNP Paribas Fortis, which, in addition to assisting us with the financial aspects, contributes its in-depth expertise in our industry", Sara Alvarez explains. "This cooperation is crucial in Morocco, Tunisia, India and South Africa, for example. For our long-term investments in these countries, we benefit from our bank’s advice, particularly in terms of resources and guarantees of payment: secured transactions, letters of credit, etc. The same goes for hedging currency risk, which is essential in the context of volatility. This partnership allows us to continue our international expansion."

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!

Founded in 1974 in Genk, Nitto is now one of the most sustainable companies in the world. By 2045 - five years before Europe -, the company wants to become carbon neutral.

Although Nitto leads by example in terms of sustainability, the public doesn't know the company or its products. "This makes perfect sense because we operate in the B2B segment", explains Sam Strijckmans, CEO of Nitto for Europe, Middle East and Asia (EMEA). "Our products are mainly used in production processes or as part of a finished product, so there is no direct link with the end consumer. In Genk, we produce industrial adhesive tapes that are used in cars and a range of other applications. That's why we are relatively unknown."

Laptops, tablets and smartphones

But the Nitto Group's presence in our daily lives is very real. Consumer electronics account for more than 50% of its global turnover. "We produce polarising films for all electronic devices with or without touch screen: flat screens, laptops, tablets, smart watches or (foldable) smartphones.
This means that most of the major mobile phone manufacturers are Nitto customers", he says. But there's more: Nitto is also a supplier of the automotive, pharmaceutical, steel, glass, furniture and personal care industries. The Nitto range consists of more than 13,500 products for a wide range of industries.

Platinum medal

In early 2022, EcoVadis, a rating agency that assesses corporate sustainability, awarded Nitto a platinum medal. "We are one of the most sustainable companies in the world. We are very committed to the European Green Deal, a set of initiatives aimed at making the European Union climate neutral by 2050. In fact, we are even more ambitious than the EU, as our goal is to be fully carbon neutral by 2045", Sam Strijckmans says. The Nitto CEO is strongly convinced that sustainability and entrepreneurship can go hand in hand. "Our planet has enough energy, in the form of water, sun and wind, to meet all our needs. The real challenge lies in capturing, storing and distributing this energy. The only answer to this is technological innovation, something to which Nitto is contributing.”

Optimising production processes

Nitto is continuously improving its production processes to ensure that they are more environment-friendly. "The production of protective films and adhesive tapes is a good example of our approach. The glue we use is made from petroleum solvents; when it cures, these solvents evaporate. Under the new method that we adopted, the new solvents that we distil from these vapours can be re-injected into the circuit. That way, we recover 60% of the solvents we use! Soon we will achieve zero emissions, by replacing petroleum solvents with inorganic material, but we are still experimenting with this process", he adds. In terms of electricity, the Nitto EMEA Group has gone 100% green. "But we want to go one step further. The real challenge is not to buy green electricity, but to reduce our energy requirements." Nitto has also succeeded in reducing the ecological footprint of its workforce, with a green car policy and electric lease bikes. "Any company can do this", he is quick to stress.

Energy-efficient products

Developing and offering more sustainable solutions to its customers is another major challenge for Nitto. "Here's an example. On the back of many refrigerators, you still have an evaporator, which looks like a grill. Sometimes this component will ice up, activating a heating element that defrosts it. But this is a very energy-consuming process. We have developed a coating which, when applied to the evaporator, reduces the risk of icing. The heating element is thus activated less frequently, reducing energy consumption in the process. This can amount to a reduction of 165 grammes of CO₂ per day for a fridge, or 60 kilogrammes a year. This may not seem much, but if you bear in mind that there are still two million European refrigerators with evaporators, this boils down to a total reduction of 120,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions per year", says Nitto EMEA's CEO.

Sustainability engrained in the company's DNA 

BNP Paribas Fortis has been Nitto’s financial partner for several decades. According to Sam Strijckmans, this makes perfect sense: "The bank shares our environment-friendly philosophy. Sustainability is ingrained in their DNA, and ours too. The new BNP Paribas Fortis headquarters, which are almost energy-neutral, are ample proof of this. And so is socially responsible investment (SRI), thanks to the bank's very broad range of sustainable financial products. But we also look to the bank for inspiration, for example through the organisation of seminars and panel discussions on eco-conscious leadership."

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!

In light of the current environmental challenges, Farming for Climate supports the agroecological transition of Belgian farmers by raising the required financing with national companies, including BNP Paribas Fortis.

"Mum, dad, how can we take action on climate?" It is this question that led to the creation of Farming for Climate, a non-profit organisation founded by a group of parents from the world of business. Their ambition? To incentivise farmers and accelerate their transition to agroecology. "Following the climate marches by young people in 2018, we wondered how we could play an active role on our level. How could we make a local contribution to combating global warming, biodiversity loss and their consequences?", explains Christophe Adant, who is an impact entrepreneur at Farming for Climate.

Caring for people and nature

Initially, they started thinking about organic food boxes. But as they learned more about the production chain, these volunteers came to the conclusion that they could have a much greater impact by promoting agroecology. "In the current climate crisis, agriculture is both a victim and partly responsible, as it generates 20–25% of greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time it has to deal with dry soils due to drought, flooding, among others", he adds. "The agricultural sector can also be part of the solution, however: agroecology is a smart approach to agriculture, which takes care of both humans and nature. This means, among other things, that 3 tonnes of CO₂ per hectare per year can be captured or avoided. It also has benefits in terms of restoring biodiversity, preserving soil quality, water management, producing healthy, local food, and so on. That’s why we wanted to support our farmers on their agro-ecological transition pathway."

Taking the agroecology leap

Farming for Climate offers companies financial support for transition projects that are implemented by Belgian farms. "The support consists of specialised advice, as well as investments in equipment, trees, seeds, etc. The yield loss during the transition period, from three to five years, is also compensated. Finally, we are also creating a community of farmers in transition, to generate synergies, inspire, or overcome the fear of change", explains Christophe Adant. The sponsoring companies, meanwhile, make a commitment with a concrete, immediate and local impact. "Planting trees in a country on the other side of the world has its merits. But our soils, hedges and orchards also need the support of our companies!"

BNP Paribas Fortis, partnering with Farming for Climate

A message that did not fall on deaf ears at BNP Paribas Fortis, which joined forces with Farming for Climate. "The bank has developed financial products, with part of the profit dedicated to financing transitional projects on ten Belgian farms, i.e., almost 443 hectares. In other words, in choosing this product, the bank’s customers contribute to change on the local level", he says. In addition to this impact, links and synergies are established between farmers and businesses. "An example? There is a Walloon brewer who has incorporated the agricultural production of the farm it supports in its value chain, to produce 100% local, carbon-capturing beer. " The loop has thus been closed, but at Farming for Climate, which is involved in various regional and European “green” initiatives, the buck doesn't stop there. “By 2030, we want to assist 1,000 farms in transition, i.e., we want to capture and avoid 300,000 tonnes of CO₂!"

Entrepreneurial success

At BNP Paribas Fortis, we are particularly proud to be supporting passionate, inspiring entrepreneurs. Because building the entrepreneurship of the future together is also an example of Positive Banking!