The practice of recycling urban sewage was discontinued in the 1920s due to concerns regarding hygiene and the environment. However, in recent times, circular wastewater management has experienced a resurgence to address contemporary resource crises.

In their seed money project “Re-inventing Wastewater“, researchers from Eindhoven University of Technology, Wageningen University & Research, and Utrecht University have embarked on an innovative research project. Their aim is to co-create actionable transformation pathways with stakeholders that can drive changes in narratives, social practices and governance to enable the reuse of wastewater products

BNR nieuwsradio recently interviewed researcher Bas van Vliet, who is part of the Re-inventing Wastewater consortium. His message: ”Because of drinking water shortages and nutrient wastage, we really need a system change around our toilet use. There are purification technologies, but decades-old toilet routines and waste and food legislation stand in the way of change.”

Want to learn more? Listen to the interview [in Dutch] on Spotify: