As part of the Netherlands’ ambition to achieve full circularity in wastewater treatment by 2050, Waterboard Aa and Maas is piloting the ICABUS technology for cellulose recovery from municipal wastewater. The ICABUS, developed by Purgatoria, employs a novel 1,500 µm aperture screen that achieves comparable total suspended solids (TSS) removal to conventional ultra-fine screens (300–500 µm), while significantly reducing maintenance demands caused by fats, oils, and grease (FOG).

The design of the ICABUS system aims to overcome some of the fundamental challenges associated with cellulose recovery. The demonstration project is conducted in collaboration with the waterboards Rijn and IJssel, Vallei and Veluwe, and Vechtstromen, and is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). A detailed business case has been developed to assess long-term viability. The system will be adopted if it meets three key thresholds: a payback period of less than 15 years, over 25% TSS removal, and less than one hour of maintenance per week, without negatively impacting effluent quality. Expected benefits include reduced aeration energy, lower sludge production (pulp @40% ds), increased biogas yield, CO₂ reduction, and decreased post-digestion sludge volume. Operational costs include energy, maintenance, operation, transport of recovered cellulose, and interest.

The pilot will commence in June 2025, and initial results—focusing on technical performance, economic feasibility, and environmental impact—will be presented. Additionally, we will report on ongoing analyses regarding the potential of ICABUS to reduce microplastics and PFAS in sludge. This project supports broader goals of resource recovery, energy efficiency, and micropollutant mitigation in the wastewater sector.