Haskoning ViviMag®team, from left to right: Sigrid Scherrenberg, Paul Roeleveld and Martijn van Leusden. Copyright Haskoning
Royal HaskoningDHV has signed a patent transfer agreement with Kemira for ViviMag, a phosphorus recovery technology designed to improve resource extraction from sewage sludge.
The agreement marks a shift from pilot-stage development to early commercial deployment, with a full-scale demonstration planned at the Nieuwveer wastewater treatment plant in Breda, operated by the Brabantse Delta water authority.
ViviMag is a retrofit solution for wastewater treatment plants that use iron salts in their phosphorus removal processes. The system uses magnetic separation to recover phosphorus in the form of vivianite (iron phosphate) from sewage sludge, enabling utilities to extract value from a material typically treated as waste.
The technology was developed through research led by Wetsus in collaboration with Delft University of Technology, and has been piloted at several sites across Europe.
Phosphorus is classified as a critical raw material in the EU due to its importance in fertiliser production and emerging applications such as lithium-ion batteries. Its recovery from wastewater is also seen as a key strategy for reducing nutrient pollution in waterways.
According to Haskoning, ViviMag can recover up to 80% of the vivianite present in sludge. The process also reduces phosphorus and iron concentrations in residual sludge, supporting its continued use as biosolids and lowering downstream treatment costs.
The system is designed to be integrated into existing treatment infrastructure with minimal modification, offering utilities a route to improve phosphorus recovery without major capital upgrades as regulatory pressure increases.
Lucien Vogels, Project Manager at Brabantse Delta water authority, said: “Having been closely involved in ViviMag from the earliest test phases, we recognise the contribution it can make to circular phosphate recovery. Working with Haskoning, alongside our partners in the LIFE Phos4EU project and with support from the National Growth Fund’s Uppwater programme, the demonstration-scale installation at our Nieuwveer wastewater treatment plant represents an important milestone for this technology.”
Haskoning said the technology has already attracted interest from water authorities across Europe, particularly in regions where tighter limits on phosphorus content in sludge are being introduced.
Paul Roeleveld, Leading Professional in Sludge Treatment and Phosphorus Recovery at Haskoning said: “ViviMag is an incredibly exciting technology which offers a unique and highly effective approach to phosphorous recovery for wastewater treatment plants that rely on chemical phosphorus removal with iron. Eighty percent of the Vivianite in sludge can be recovered using ViviMag and the technology makes it possible for operators to extract value from the phosphorus and iron in sewage sludge.”
He added: “Our experience in bringing groundbreaking wastewater treatment products to market, positions us well to take ViviMag into this new chapter. Regulations such as the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive are placing greater pressure on water authorities to implement effective scalable solutions. ViviMag can be retrofitted into existing treatment plants to deliver rapid improvements in phosphorus recovery.”
Outi Grönfors, Manager, Application Development, Water Solutions at Kemira said: “ViviMag demonstrates what is possible when research, engineering expertise and industry collaboration come together. We are pleased to pass the technology to Haskoning as it progresses from piloting to full-scale deployment, helping water utilities recover critical resources and advance circularity in wastewater treatment.”
