VEOS saves 45 million litres of water annually through reuse
In a world where water is becoming increasingly scarce, VEOS proves that innovative technologies are not only necessary, but also feasible. The ambitious global player in animal proteins realised a water reuse project with Colubris Cleantech. Outcome, substantial savings as animal blood is now converted into 150,000 litres of additional potable water every day.
‘We are in the food business and use a lot of groundwater in the cleaning in place (CIP) process where materials in production, transport equipment and storage tanks are cleaned,’ says Sam Deschoemacker, Chief Operating Officer at VEOS.
'When we wanted to expand with the company, a condition in the environmental permit was that we had to find a solution to drastically reduce and control our water consumption. We chose to reuse water with Colubris Cleantech.'
Positive pilot tests
'The idea arose to realise a new water treatment plant that provides 150,000 litres of potable water derived from blood every day. During the production process, blood is concentrated and dried. This process produces water vapour which we let condense so that it is ultimately water. We purify the water in such a way that it can be used circularly again in the production process.'
‘We now use 40% less groundwater, saving 45,000,000 litres of water a year,
or 18 Olympic swimming pools.’
Sam Deschoemacker | Chief Operating Officer VEOS
‘'Beforehand, we did extensive testing with our wastewater. This is, in fact, very specific as the concentrations of the wastes vary quite a bit. However, the results of the tests were very encouraging. We followed through on that and started the project which took about two years in total.'
'So now our wastewater goes to the improved pre-filtration. For this, we installed a completely new building. That was still a challenge because there was limited available space. The water then goes to the existing ‘classic’ water treatment (pre-treatment and biological, ed.). Previously, the water was then discharged into the stream. Now it goes to the new Reverse Osmosis plant (advanced filtration technology making water reusable) and is purified so we can use it again. As a result, we use 40% less groundwater. This saves us 45,000,000 litres of groundwater annually, equivalent to 18 Olympic swimming pools.'
Staying ahead
‘The new plant, in which we have invested EUR 2 million, is comprehensive and we are learning from our experiences every day. We have developed a user interface that visualises important parameters so that we can accurately monitor the process. This interface is linked to classical water treatment to ensure a constant flow of water to our production that complies with environmental permits. We still sometimes discuss about this with the experts at Colubris Cleantech.’
‘'At VEOS, we attach great importance to a circular economy and sustainability. As a family business, respect for people and the environment are central to our corporate values. We feel responsible to be a forerunner in this field and anticipate possible future challenges.'
At this time of global ecological awareness, VEOS proves that sustainability and industry can go hand in hand, with Colubris Cleantech as a crucial partner for technological water innovation. Besides being technologically successful, the implemented solution is also an example of how industrial processes can contribute to a more sustainable world.
About VEOS
VEOS, founded in 1974, is part of the VEOS Group, a world leader in the animal protein market. The company specialises in processing by-products from the food industry. VEOS Group has production sites and a sales network around the world. It employs 350 people and is headquartered in Belgium.
Own beer
In the festive year 2024, VEOS launched VEOSKE. Specially brewed beer using water that, thanks to Colubris Cleantech's technology, is sourced from filtered pig's blood.