Aqua Enviro is delighted to announce the programme for the 2019 European Biosolids and Organic Resources Conference, to be held at Emirates Old Trafford in Manchester on November 19-20.

The event will deliver two unmissable days for wastewater, bioresource and biowaste management professionals; highlighting operational efficiencies, best practice, regulatory change, research and new technology.

Alexander Madden, chief executive of Agrivert will open the conference with a keynote speech addressing the ‘future of bioresource management in the UK’.

On Day 2, Christian Kabbe, managing director of EasyMining Germany, will bring a European perspective with his talk on ‘nutrient recycling in Germany: current and future approaches’.

The first day will also see Mat Davis and Steve Foster of the Environment Agency provide an update on its sewage sludge strategy, ensuring that legislation remains fit for the future.

On Day 2, Christian Kabbe, managing director of EasyMining Germany, will bring a European perspective with his talk on ‘nutrient recycling in Germany: current and future approaches’.

2019 Sessions:


• Advances in anaerobic digestion
• Pre-treatment
• Process modelling and control
• Thickening and dewatering
• 2020 and beyond
• Resource recovery and new product development
• Landbank security
• Ammonia management

We expect a number of papers to be of particular interest to delegates, as they explore implications and responses to real operational challenges.

One of the most significant is managing AD process biology under ammonia stress, particularly in THP-AD systems processing sewage sludges. Ammonia removal technologies will be reviewed in the round, as well as through specific papers on ANNAMOX and DEMON.

Landbank security is a perennial topic, and the current focus on microplastics presents risks for both sewage sludge and commercial (food waste) AD.

This year we will hear first-hand experience from the USA, while a paper from Colombia will provide a wider context.

While systems such as the Biosolids Assurance Scheme aim to retain confidence in land application, there is little doubt that future value chains will look different – with bespoke fertilisers setting the scene for future advances into a more circular economy.

Potential revenue streams for anaerobic digestion


Alongside the main conference, experts have been invited to take part in two special sessions that look ahead at future controls and potential revenue streams for anaerobic digestion.

1.) The first of these explores the state of the art in genetic testing to understand how much progress has been made in understanding microbiological communities in AD and – as importantly – how close we are realising the ambition of deliberately manipulating these communities to maximise biogas production or to exploit metabolic pathways that deliver other added-value products.

2.) The second session focuses on biomethane and the evolving UK subsidy regime. In particular, the relative value of renewable heat incentive versus renewable transport fuel certificates will be considered with a look ahead at possible future support mechanisms. Parallel markets for recovered CO2 are developing as the biomethane market takes off, which present their own challenges in terms of quality, quantity and regulation.

In addition to a 60+ technical papers, the event will also feature a trade exhibition of 30 stands, a conference dinner and the Student and Young Professionals Poster Competition.

For full event details and to register your place visit www.european-biosolids.com