An innovative material in a reusable container that adsorbs and captures phosphates from wastewater, predicted to reduce eutrophication by 85%

Rookwood是一家总部位于英国的环境中小企业，其核心项目团队包括Josh Hares（技术负责人、蛋农、业务多样化专家和企业家）、Liam皮尔斯（BDM和销售及营销专家）、Jane皮尔斯（运营总监、业务和产品所有者和企业家）。磷酸盐是一种有限的资源，含有磷，是地球上生命发展的必需营养素。人类依靠农业肥料中的磷酸盐来种植食物。然而，英格兰一半以上的河流由于磷酸盐而缺乏良好的生态状况，其中三分之二来自废水处理厂。水中磷酸盐含量过高会导致富营养化（即植物和藻类过度生长），剥夺水中的氧气，使水生动物和植物窒息。由此产生的对水质的影响产生了数百万英镑的经济影响。此外，磷酸盐污染的减少导致了水成本的增加，并导致了开发计划的禁令，这减少了住房供应，加剧了负担能力问题。为了解决这个问题，卢克伍德正在开发一种碳负性水基磷酸盐吸附材料，沿着一种可以回收，重新装载和重复使用的容器。有了这种产品，废水处理企业将能够有效地处理废水，从废水中捕获磷酸盐，而不使用有毒材料或密集的机械和化学技术，改善操作人员的工作条件。这可以整合到现有的流程中，而不需要任何重大的重新安装或重新开发。卢克伍德的解决方案将使取消发展规划禁令成为可能，这些禁令通过阻碍投资和负担得起的住房而对经济产生重大影响。这一创新直接符合政府的目标，即减少处理后废水中的磷负荷，预计将减少85%的富营养化，并改善自然栖息地。

Rookwood is a UK-based environmental SME with a core project team of Josh Hares (technical lead, egg farmer, business-diversification specialist and entrepreneur), Liam Pearce (BDM and sales and marketing specialist), Jane Pearce (operations director, business and product owner and entrepreneur)Phosphate is a finite resource containing phosphorus, an essential nutrient for life development on earth. Humans rely on phosphates in agricultural fertilisers to grow food. However, over half of the rivers in England lack a good ecological status due to phosphates, of which two-thirds come from wastewater-treatment plants. Excessive phosphate levels in water cause eutrophication (i.e. excessive plant and algal growth), stripping oxygen from the water and suffocating aquatic animals and plants. The resulting effect on water quality has economic impacts costing millions of pounds. Furthermore, the failure to mitigate phosphate pollution has contributed to an increase in the cost of water and has caused development-planning bans, which has reduced the housing supply and exacerbated affordability problems.To solve this issue, Rookwood is developing a carbon-negative water-based phosphate-adsorbing material, along with a container that can be recovered, reloaded and reused. With this product, wastewater-treatment businesses will be able to process wastewater effectively, capturing phosphates from wastewater without using toxic materials or intensive mechanical and chemical techniques, improving the working conditions of operators. This can be integrated into existing processes without the need for any major reinstallation or redevelopment.Rookwood's solution will enable the lifting of development-planning bans, which affect the economy considerably by hindering investment and affordable housing. This innovation directly aligns with the government's goal to reduce phosphorus loadings from treated wastewater, predicted to reduce eutrophication by 85% and improve natural habitats.