Ilsur Metshin: “Kazan is the first city in Russia to solve the sludge environmental issue”

At the biological treatment plants of Kazan, a line for thermomechanical treatment of sludge is being prepared. By using a new technology, widely implemented in Europe, at the final stage of sewage treatment, 50 tons of safe granulate will be produced daily from 250 tons of sludge. It can be re-used– for example, in the production of cement.

Ilsur Metshin, the Mayor of the city, provided details to journalists on the implementation of a unique environmental project in Kazan during a press tour at the MUE Vodokanal. “This project is unique in Russia. Kazan is the first city to solve an important environmental problem. The sludge will now become a construction material”, - the Mayor said.

“This issue is widespread throughout Russia, and we are the first to take an important step to solve it”

The construction of a thermomechanical sludge treatment line worth 1.699 billion rubles began in December 2018 with the own funds of MUE Vodokanal. Now the construction of the facility is 95% completed.

Every day, 450,000 m3 of sewage is generated in the city. Previously, after mechanical and biological treatment, 250 tons of sludge remained per day, which was disposed to the sludge fields, the Mayor noted.

“The launch of this line is a landmark event for all of us. The sludge is a big environmental issue. This problem is widespread throughout Russia, and today we are the first to take an important step to solve it. The start-up and commissioning is already underway, which will allow receiving 50 tons of granulate per day instead of sludge”. It can be re-used in the production of cement, for the reclamation of landfills and road works, the head of the city added.

1.5 kg of granulate can be produced out of 7.5 m3 volume tank

The journalists inspected a four-story building with a line for thermomechanical treatment of sludge. All the necessary equipment has already been installed, Andrey Yegorov, director of MUE Vodokanal, told the visitors of the press tour.

“Now we obtain 350 tons of waste water per day –explains A. Yegorov. - Previously, after two – stage sludge treatment-mechanical and biological-we let out the purified water into the Volga and disposed hundreds of tons of sludge to the fields."

The director of MUE Vodokanal showed the journalists the first batch of test sludge-a bottle with 1.5 kg of granulate. “Just imagine – this amount of granulate is obtained from a 7.5 cubic tank”, - he said.

“We do not patch the holes, but implement projects that will determine the future of Kazan”

Through the introduction of this line, Kazan will become one of the first cities in the country that will be able to abandon the operation of sludge fields and introduce zero-waste and safe treatment, the Mayor said.

“From the issues of leaking roofs, broken elevators and poor yards, we are now moving on to environmental problems that affect future generations. This is a completely different stage of the development – said I. Metshin. – We do not patch holes, but we implement projects that will determine the future of Kazan and Tatarstan for years to come”.