Flanders is pioneering wastewater innovation transforming urban drainage into valuable bio-based fertilisers obstacles such as economic viability and regulatory hurdles persist Cover image by Anguel Hristozov on Unsplash   is one of the institutions exploring this new approach.  The company's demo site is located at the Aartselaar urban wastewater treatment plant This facility includes a dedicated research hall for testing new technologies one of the lead R&D engineers at Aquafin with nearly four years of experience at the company he worked as a researcher at the University of Antwerp specialising in biochemical engineering and sludge treatment particularly nitrogen and phosphorus recovery from wastewater and fly ashes resulting from sludge incineration He also works on the inventory of greenhouse gas emissions and mitigation strategies.  Can you tell us something about Aquafin?  Aquafin is the company in charge of wastewater treatment in Flanders The Flemish government set it up in 1990 to design and operate the region's wastewater treatment infrastructure it runs over 300 treatment plants and handles the entire inter-municipal wastewater network.  Why was the Aartselaar site chosen to test these new technologies?  We picked Aartselaar mainly because it's a tough environment for testing The sewer system there gets a lot of dilution from rainwater runoff which means that the wastewater is more diluted This makes it harder to recover nutrients like nitrogen because they're spread out in larger volumes of water But that's actually a good thing – it gives us a "worst-case scenario" to really test how well the recovery methods work they'll be more likely to work in other What are the leading technologies used on this demo site?  One of the main technologies being tested uses a two-step process to get nitrogen out of wastewater where specialised bacteria can break down organic matter and remove suspended solids the water goes through filters filled with natural adsorbents that trap nitrogen by swapping them with harmless ions This method is being tested alongside more traditional techniques like stripping and scrubbing to see which works best it could really boost how efficiently nitrogen is recovered.  Could this technology be widely implemented once the testing is successful?  which pushes for more energy-efficient and climate-friendly wastewater treatment.  Any other way Aquafin is helping achieve energy neutrality?  we're cutting down on energy use and shifting to renewable sources like solar and wind We're also phasing out the company's fossil fuel-powered service cars and using heat from nearby industries Life cycle assessments guide us in making sustainable choices even when they're not the cheapest.  Would you say wastewater's perception has changed over time?  It used to be seen as something of a useless product Aquafin produces biomethane as part of sludge treatment and is part of a research project where CO2 is converted into acetic acid The company will also invest in phosphorus recovery It's about always aiming for more sustainable solutions.  Has the project in Aartselaar engaged with the local communities?  is doing some field trials where farmers can see firsthand how bio-based fertilisers work Aquafin regularly hosts industry and academic visits at Aartselaar helping raise awareness about the potential of wastewater treatment for resource recovery.  Are micropollutants a concern in bio-based fertilisers from wastewater?  Some micropollutants do end up in fertilisers or activated sludge but most just stay in the wastewater and eventually get discharged into rivers and streams – just like in conventional treatment systems That's why full-scale treatment plants need extra steps This is where advanced methods like ozone treatment or activated carbon come in the WalNUT project isn't about eliminating micropollutants – it's all about recovering nutrients from wastewater Are EU institutions addressing the issue of micropollutants in wastewater treatment?  The new EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive also aims to remove at least 80% of key micropollutants from wastewater before it is discharged into the environment The aforementioned quaternary treatment was also introduced under the same EU legislation.  What are the future perspectives of the project here in Belgium?  if we want to move forward with things like nitrogen recovery we'll need to focus on sidestream treatment rather than mainstream treatment since it's more realistic As for implementing more energy-neutral wastewater treatment we will use life-cycle assessments and virtual CO2 taxes to make sure we're prioritising long-term environmental benefits over short-term costs – even though sustainable options can be pricier.  The cybersecurity company Secutec is acquiring the solution ZeroFeed The solution will be deployed to make Secutec’s central platform user-friendly and easily accessible ZeroFeed takes Secutec’s customer experience to the next level will make all its solutions available via an enhanced platform Improvements are the full control and monitoring possibilities that can be used in comprehensive reporting users will benefit from simplified login options Secutec’s team will also be strengthened Enterprise security solutions are integrated into a million systems in enterprises and government organizations across 60 countries The company is still headquartered in Belgium but has expanded over the years with offices in the Netherlands and Austria Tip! Phishing in two out of five cases the first access method Techzine focusses on IT professionals and business decision makers by publishing the latest IT news and background stories The goal is to help IT professionals get acquainted with new innovative products and services but also to offer in-depth information to help them understand products and services better © 2025 Dolphin Publications B.V.All rights reserved The increasing popularity of badminton and the tight supply of feathers in China have boosted the price of shuttlecocks causing a strain on the wallets of badminton enthusiasts Taking the No 5 model of the popular RSL shuttlecock as an example said that a tube containing about a dozen shuttlecocks used to cost around 90 yuan ($12.40) manager of a badminton club in Beijing's Chaoyang district said that the price of domestic shuttlecock brand RSL has been rising significantly since March "I can recall three rounds of announcements made by the company and each time the price increased by about 10 percent," he said said the across-the-board price increase first emerged at the beginning of this year and the average price is currently up 40 percent year-on-year "The most popular type of the 05 model of Yonex was sold at 125 yuan in the past Li said badminton manufacturers appear to be having a hard time meeting demand "I usually put in orders for 2,000 tubes of shuttlecocks each month to suppliers but now I can only receive 200 to 300 tubes," he said "I've never experienced such a price hike and such a short supply." hashtags related to the price boom have been trending on social media platform Sina Weibo with netizens complaining that badminton has become a rich person's sport and even with a monthly salary of 20,000 yuan a person cannot be sure they can afford to play According to a report released by the General Administration of Sport of China in 2022 badminton is the most popular racket sport in China and is the third most-popular sporting activity among teenagers and adults Li said he has noticed an increase in the number of young badminton enthusiasts in recent years Xuebao said nearly all badminton courts where his club members often gather are fully booked during peak hours on weekday nights and weekends and a large number of them got into the sport over the past two years," he said "And they are willing to spend money on high-end shuttlecocks "The growing popularity of the sport could be playing a role in straining shuttle supplies and driving up their prices." Another possible culprit behind the higher prices is the lower demand for the meat of ducks and geese whose feathers are used to make shuttlecocks In addition to leading shuttlecock manufacturers such as Yonex and Victor Li said that a number of emerging producers have emerged in recent years meaning a smaller supply of feathers have to be distributed even more widely across different channels a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology Information at Shanghai Academy of Agricultural Sciences said during an interview with Jiefang Daily that a decline in pork prices has resulted in higher demand for pork and a lower demand for the fowl "The phenomenon has prompted livestock farmers to quit raising poultry meaning there are fewer feathers available for making shuttlecocks," he said Liu said that shuttlecock prices are expected to remain high for the rest of this year high-end shuttlecocks are still selling out quickly at the store," he said "Badminton enthusiasts value the better control feel and sound offered by more expensive shuttlecocks." As part of an investigation into drug-related crime the police have raided a large drug laboratory in Mechelen and an illegal cigarette factory in Aartselaar A total of 5 properties were searched and 5 people were arrested The investigation began in May of this year after German customs discovered a shipment of over 1 tonne of cocaine at Hamburg docks Kristof Aerts of the Antwerp public prosecutor's office told VRT News that “In the course of investigation it became apparent that the criminal organisation involved was active here in Belgium” Officers from the Belgian Federal Police Service searched 5 properties in and around Mechelen on Tuesday a drug laboratory was discovered in a warehouse in Mechelen and an illegal cigarette factory was discovered in Aartselaar” At the drug laboratory oils were produced that were then used in the production of amphetamines police confiscated around 1 million cigarettes During the operation 1 woman and 4 men were arrested They are all between 30 and 40 years’ old and are Belgian Archive REMODELING-RENOVATION 0 items Register Account Login Help An April 20 Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS) contact with youngsters in the small town of Winmalee folded excitement and enthusiasm into their studies It was a live demonstration for ham radio trainees in Belgium too It took a couple of years to arrange the ham radio hook-up with teacher Alison Broderick’s K – 6 pupils at Winmalee Public School but the effort put into the enterprise paid off at NA1SS fielded questions on a range of space travel-related topics The “telebridge” contact involved a direct 2-meter ham radio connection between Glover on the ISS and ARISS team member Jan Poppeliers who used the call sign ON4ISS for the event Two-way long lines audio between Belgium and Australia completed the circuit for the approximately 11-minute contact Winmalee Public School’s curriculum includes a weekly STEM Lab taught by a specialist primary science educator Space-based studies also included lessons about the solar system Lessons in the run-up to the ARISS contact focused on the space station how to track its position in orbit using applied mathematics The ham radio contact gave eight youngsters a possibly life-changing opportunity to learn about living and traveling in space by speaking with someone who’s already there Kindergartener Alberto Campos-Wagner enjoyed getting to ask Glover how the crew avoids hitting space junk First-grader Indiana Bartush admitted to being nervous “I liked the way Victor talked to me,” she said Fourth grader Ayva Dacey appreciated the once-in-a-lifetime experience while fifth grader Erin DeBono expressed amazement that there were no technology glitches “I’m still on a massive cloud of happiness I realized that most people come home to their family each day and take that for granted The whole thing was better than I ever thought it could be.” Glover’s number one piece of advice: “Be resilient be a life-long learner — learning inside and outside of the classroom Channel 9 in Sydney aired a news story about the Winmalee contact that was posted to Facebook took advantage of the opportunity to listen in to the direct 2-meter (145.800 MHz) signal from the ISS as a demonstration for their Belgian Army trainees learning about amateur radio “We both used the Australian Winmalee Public School ARISS QSO / ISS pass between Victor Glover KI5BKC and the students to demonstrate Amateur Radio,” Dombrowski said “This was a success as we heard all 18 questions and answers and the brief sign-off at both our sites with just a simple hand-held station It was an excellent demonstration of ham radio capabilities and was also a good educational demonstration of antenna polarization and signal weakening with distance.” Having Trouble? ​CategoriesCategoriesEnglishGENERAL, ECONOMYPoland and Belgium major hubs for illegal tobacco: 9 factories dismantled in Belgium6 April 2022 In 2021 74 illegal cigarette factories have been dismantled in Europe putting the country in a dubious second place Belgium proved to be a major hub for illegal tobacco production This involvement is most likely a consequence of its central location Belgian illegal tobacco mainly goes to the United Kingdom although Greece and France are becoming increasingly important markets Recently increased tobaco duties in France play a role in this evolution Poland had by far the most illegal cigarette production sites in Europe last year: 32 Belgium follows in second place with 9 sites The Belgian government is losing a lot of revenue to illegal tobacco production which is why federal Finance minister Vincent Van Peteghem is making it a priority to tackle them "The production of illegal tobacco is not only a major threat to our public health "Every euro the illegal producers do not pay honest taxpayers end up having to cough up." The rising figures are the result of increased European cooperation on seizing illegal cigarettes and dismantling illegal factories the European Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats the United Kingdom and Europol were initially involved in this initiative but now 23 European Member States are cooperating Belgium has been leading the EMPACT initiative to tackle illicit tobacco production since 2018 According to Belgian customs administrator Kristian Vanderwaeren illegal production sites are getting bigger and more professional with the criminal gangs behind them becoming better organised "One actually runs a multinational without paying taxes." Picture shows a customs officer inspecting counterfeit cigarettes found during a raid on an illegal smuggling site in Aartselaar Copy linkGet updates in your mailboxYour email addressSubscribeBy clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy rapid and high-quality information 24 hours a day from Belgium and abroad to all Belgian media not to mention entertainment and lifestyle our journalists and press photographers produce hundreds of photos and news stories Since the end of March 2022 English has been added as a language businesses and various organisations that need reliable information Belga News Agency also offers a comprehensive range of corporate services to meet all their communication needs www.belganewsagency.eu Belgian customs officers on Wednesday mounted their biggest-ever operation against counterfeit cigarette production swooping on 10 illegal sites and making at least 40 arrests International gangs have turned Belgium into a production hub for fake cigarettes falsely packaged as leading brands and sold tax-free to smokers in neighbouring countries In a non-descript industrial park in Aartselaar on a main road into the port city of Antwerp officers arrested 18 men in a pre-dawn raid in an unmarked warehouse lived in a ramshackle dormitory inside the plant working shifts to dry tobacco then pass it through cigarette-rolling machines Some were sleeping in their bunks when the armed officers burst in while others were running the machines.  They were led off in handcuffs as senior officers arrived with reporters.  "While this depot was working 24 hours a day so as not to alert the neighbourhood," said Florence Angelici spokeswoman for the Belgian finance ministry in charge of the customs service a partitioned section of the warehouse featured messy bunks overflowing suitcases and signs of a hastily abandoned breakfast.  took their showers - they didn't leave for weeks A vast stock of cigarettes was ready for shipment with packages resembling popular Richmond and Marlboro brands and printed with standard UK health warnings in English alongside six more sites used for logistics to shred raw tobacco or to store supplies like cigarette paper Some of the plants were in northern Belgium Eeklo and Frasnes-lez-Anvaing - close to the port and allegedly serving the gang's markets in Britain Officials processing the vast haul estimated they had seized tens of millions of cigarettes falsely branded as Marlboro The raids brought the number of illegal cigarette production sites closed down in Belgium so far this year to seven more than 400 million cigarettes were seized by Belgian customs but authorities are not crying victory yet over the growing problem The haul in the Aartselaar plant underlined the cross-border nature of the trade The cigarettes - which may be even more hazardous than usual for consumers because they are not made to mandated health standards - were in British-style packaging but the safety warning notices on the cigarette-rolling machine were in Polish.  Director General of Belgium's Federal Customs and Excise Administration which he described as the biggest operation in his agency's history the gangs' calculation was a simple one: "The reason that the black market brings in a lot of money is because the taxes are very high - excise and VAT," or value-added tax "A packet of cigarettes costs about eight euros That calculation means a smoker paying four or five euros for a black-market pack of what looks like their favourite brand is getting a cheap deal with the gang taking its profit from the tax authority's cut But Vanderwaeren had a simple message for consumers who think they're onto a good thing "Half-price cigarettes are not legal cigarettes So the product - whether the tobacco or the filters - does not comply with (health) standards," he said "The sales feed criminal organisations which then use this money to organise trafficking in women So don't buy half-price cigarettes: You know they come from criminal organisations." Counterfeit cigarettes are a growing business as governments steadily increase tax and customs duty to boost revenue while deterring consumers from picking up a noxious habit that weighs on health systems Belgium's own cigarette raids are increasing apace The customs squad heads a 23-country European alliance that shares intelligence and tracks the gangs please register for free or log in to your account De Roma werd in 1928 opgetrokken en diende lange tijd als filmzaal en variététheater, maar sloot in 1982 de deuren. Na een eerste restauratiecampagne opende de Roma in 2003 als cultuurcentrum. Een tweede restauratiefase tussen 2010 en 2015 hielp een aantal bouwfysische problemen uit de wereld. “De grote nadruk op lokaal talent betekende geen compromis voor de kwaliteit van de restauratie, integendeel”, aldus de jury, die De Roma ook een voortrekker noemt door de financiering via crowdfunding. De drie genomineerden krijgen elk een bedrag van 2.500 euro, voor De Roma als winnaar komt er nog eens 12.500 euro bovenop. PremiumUnieke tentoonstelling voor het goede doel: "Radium van Lubumbashi tot in Olen"In de kerk van Sint-Jozef Olen kan je de volgende twee weekends gaan kijken naar een unieke tentoonstelling van tekeningen over de productie van radium in Olen. De tekeningen van de hand van Jan Vliegen zijn ook te koop. De opbrengst gaat naar Kom op tegen Kanker. Twee jaar na aanleg fietspaden in Mechelse stationsbuurt kent Vlaanderen subsidie toe De Vlaamse overheid heeft een subsidie van iets meer dan 200.000 euro toegekend voor de fietspaden die de stad Mechelen heeft aangelegd in de stationsbuurt. Zo’n twee jaar geleden investeerde ze daar 613.000 euro in. Overheid waarschuwt jongeren voor “later betalen”De federale overheidsdienst Economie lanceert een sensibiliseringscampagne om jongeren te waarschuwen voor de gevaren van de optie om aankopen pas later te betalen. Wie niet op tijd terugbetaalt, krijgt immers te maken met hoge kosten en groeiende schulden. PremiumEven geen supporters groeten, Ronaldinho in Westerlo en het zwarte beest van Anderlecht: 7 dingen die u dit competitieweekend niet zagOnze voetbalredactie selecteert na elke speeldag in de Jupiler Pro League zeven dingen die u niet zag, maar wel moet onthouden. Vandaag speeldag 37. PremiumJongeman achter zoekertje olympische medailles op tweedehandssite reageert: “Eerlijk? Ik kende Gella Vandecaveye niet”“Ik wist écht niet dat die medailles gestolen waren.” De jongeman achter het zoekertje op 2dehands.be waarin de olympische medailles van Gella Vandecaveye te koop werden aangeboden, kwam naar eigen zeggen ongewild in het oog van de storm terecht. “Een huiszoeking? Ik ben precies een crimineel.” PremiumHij zat er rustig bij, maar rechtbankvoorzitter had harde woorden voor Tom Waes: “U beseft dat dit neigt naar moorddadig gedrag?”Tom Waes (56) gaf toe dat hij wellicht geen reflexen meer had toen hij die bewuste nacht dronken achter het stuur kroop. De rechtbank sprak hem streng toe en herinnerde hem eraan dat drinken en rijden niet samengaan. Waes werd twintig jaar geleden al betrapt op rijden onder invloed. PremiumHoe de Trump-clan zichzelf al honderden miljoenen rijker maakte dankzij crypto: “Dit kan de democratie ondermijnen”Trumps experimenten met een eigen cryptomunt lijken zich af te spelen op de achtergrond, maar ze zijn tekenend voor zijn presidentschap. “Dit zet de deur open naar corruptie.” LIVE. Volg hier alles over de oorlog tussen Rusland en OekraïneVolg hier alle recente ontwikkelingen over de oorlog tussen Rusland en Oekraïne op de voet. Belgische merken smelten samen: Côte d’Or krijgt een Biscoff smaakjeMondelēz International en Lotus Bakeries slaan de handen in elkaar en brengen binnenkort samen een nieuwe tablet met chocolade van Côte d’Or en knapperige stukjes Lotus Biscoff op de markt. Dat hebben de twee bedrijven maandag bekendgemaakt op een persconferentie. Fans opnieuw bezorgd nadat Justin Bieber foto deelt waarop te zien is hoe hij drugs gebruiktHet is al langere tijd een discussie onder de fans van Justin Bieber (31). Een nieuwe Instagrampost waarop de popster met een bong in zijn handen te zien is, voedt de bezorgdheden over zijn gezondheid. Hoeveel verdien je in telecom, ICT & internet?De sector van telecom, ICT & internet is zeer breed en uiterst divers. Dankzij het Jobat Salariskompas hebben we toch een mooie kijk gekregen op de gemiddelde lonen én extralegale voordelen die er gangbaar zijn. Een overzicht… Hoe is het om te wonen in Lier? Lier heeft 2 bijnamen: ‘Lierke Plezierke’ en ‘Schoon Lier’. Eigenlijk zegt dat al genoeg. En of het er plezant is: Lierse vlaaien, verschillende Lierse biertjes,.. de inwoners zelf zijn duidelijk erg trots op hun woonplaats. Wij stellen deze stad dan ook graag aan je voor!   Pausmobiel wordt omgebouwd tot mobiele medische unit voor kinderen in GazaHet was “een van zijn laatste wensen”, bericht Vatican News: in de maanden voor zijn dood heeft paus Franciscus een van zijn pausmobielen gedoneerd om er een mobiele kliniek van te maken voor de kinderen in Gaza. De katholieke hulporganisatie Caritas is intussen volop bezig met de transformatie.  Prijzen voor diesel en benzine op laagste niveau sinds 2021De maximumprijzen voor benzine en diesel gaan dinsdag omlaag, zo meldt de FOD Economie. De brandstofprijzen zijn op het laagste niveau beland sinds augustus en september 2021. Premium“Investeringen in een performante politie en justitie verdienen zich op termijn dubbel en dik terug”Iedereen moet zijn steentje bijdragen om de staatsfinanciën op orde te krijgen. Toch hebben de magistraten gelijk dat ze de confrontatie aangaan met de Arizona-regering. PremiumBroer van slachtoffer wiens gezin werd uitgemoord, reageert op euthanasie-aanvraag Horion: “Het is hem louter om de aandacht te doen”Johan Steyaert (66) gelooft werkelijk niks van de euthanasie-aanvraag van seriemoordenaar Freddy Horion (77). De gangster moordde 46 jaar geleden zijn broer Roland en zijn gezin uit. “Maar als hij morgen dood is, zal ik eindelijk de loodzware rugzak kunnen neerzetten.” PremiumGroep jonge Nederlandse mannen veroordeeld voor reeks ladingdiefstallen op Kempense bedrijfsterreinenDe correctionele rechtbank van Turnhout heeft woensdag zware straffen uitgesproken tegen een groep jonge Nederlandse mannen die verantwoordelijk werden gehouden voor een reeks ladingdiefstallen op bedrijfsterreinen, voornamelijk in de Kempen. ZAS Augustinus meet gratis longfunctie op Wereld Astma DagZAS Augustinus organiseert in zijn inkomhal op dinsdag 6 mei een gratis meting van de longfunctie. De timing hiervan is niet toevallig: op 6 mei is het Wereld Astma Dag. Met de actie wil ZAS (Ziekenhuis aan de Stroom) inzetten op bewustwording en op een verbetering van de zorg voor mensen met astma. PremiumOverheid overweegt stuurknuppel weer in handen te nemen bij Brussels Airport: “Haven van Antwerpen laten we toch ook niet over aan een privéspeler”Nu de grootste privéaandeelhouder zijn belang in de luchthaven van Zaventem wil verkopen, overwegen de federale en Vlaamse overheid opnieuw een meerderheid te verwerven. “De haven van Antwerpen zouden we toch ook nooit aan een privéspeler overlaten?” Olieprijzen zakken verderDe olieprijzen blijven zakken na de aankondiging van zaterdag dat het oliekartel OPEC+ de productie verder gaat opdrijven. Share this with twitterShare this with instagramShare this with facebookKlantenservice