The closed water loop is installed on a trial basis on IWE’s site until the end of the year.
Dutch pilot project Industriewater Eerbeek Roundabout (IWE), a closed water loop, was launched in September following one-and-half years of planning. The launch was announced by FOLBB group subsidiary Folding Boxboard Eerbeek in late October. The closed water loop is installed on a trial basis on IWE’s site until the end of the year.
The project reportedly aims to develop a closed water loop for the local paper industry, which avoids drawing groundwater. To this end, water used to produce paper and board will be purified and re-used in production. The project envisages saving up to 3.6 million m³ of groundwater per year in the long term, roughly equivalent to the annual consumption of 22,000 households.
Until the end of 2023, the pilot project in Eerbeek will test different water purification technologies. Based on different tests and their outcomes as well as financial viability, the best-suited technology will be selected in early 2024. Process automation and construction of the plant itself are planned for 2025.
