Driven by environmental, economic, and ecological benefits, resource recovery from waste has started to draw attention worldwide. Recovering resources from water and wastewater can provide an alternative and economically viable source of resources supporting the resilience of human and natural systems under water stress. Resources from the water cycle can be water itself, energy (organic or thermal) and components such as nutrients and metals.

A range of new initiatives are underway to promote and accelerate the development and uptake of resource recovery science and technologies. Innovation on resource recovery in the water cycle has been developing fast, but examples of large scale and marketable applications from current scientific innovations are scarce. The key issue here is how to move from research to practice, while also taking into account: a. the market potential for the resource recovered, b. appropriate public policy, regulation and institutional arrangements to support and accelerate resource recovery and c. stakeholders’ needs well integrated with technologies, markets, policy, new initiatives, current research and practice.

A best practice, is a proven technology on resource recovery, applied at full or demonstrative scale in the water cycle, which can serve as an excellent example for another country, area, company, etc.

Partnered with the KWR Watercycle Research Institute in the Netherlands, IWA Resource Recovery Cluster is now calling for applications to the best practice award, which will be judged by an international evaluation committee chaired by Professor Willy Verstraete.

Award judging committee includes:

• W. Verstraete, chairman (IWA Resource Recovery Cluster)
• J. Cramwinckel (World Business Council for Sustainable Development, Switzerland)
• E. Namkung (Myungji University, Republic of Korea)
• B. Lesjean (KWB Berlin, Germany)
• J. Boere (KWR, the Netherlands)
• D. Daigger (IWA past president, USA)

The following criteria will be used to select the best practice in resource recovery:

• Innovative character of the best practice in resource recovery
• Applied/Application potential (or potential on further scaling up)
• Positive environmental impact
• Active cooperation within the value chain with all stakeholders
• Positive business case
• Cross-sectoral cooperation is highly appreciated

Entry period for nominations to the award is: from 15th of May till the 20th of July (please send the nomination form to Dr. Hong Li). Only the winner will be notified and there will be no correspondence to other entries.  The award will be handed out during the IWA Resource Recovery Conference: Ghent, Belgium, August 30th-September 2nd, 2015.

The winner of the Award is invited to present its best practice for a showcase session “best practice resource recovery” during the plenary session of the IWA Resource Recovery Conference.  There will be certain amount of contribution to the winner’s travel expenses and the registration to the IWA Resource Recovery Conference in Ghent, Belgium. IWA would also like to invite the winner for interviews to be featured in relevant websites and/or IWA magazine.

Apply now and may your best practice in resource recovery be an example to others!