In recent days, several different Danish media have written about four import permits, also called notifications, which Industrial Water Solutions in Stigsnæs (IWS) manages on behalf of industrial customers. The media attention stems from two DR articles of 15 January 2024. In one of its articles, DR specifically mentions the notification NO 500500 and claims that with this IWS can continue to import “tons of waste water from the Norwegian oil and gas industry”. This is incorrect.
The notification NO 500500 as well as NO 500949 are in-active permits that were used once for single case imports and are no longer used in connection with import. This was also disclosed to DR in several conversations during week 2, 2024.
The two remaining active notifications also do not result in additional import of oily waste water from Norway. These notifications only concern the import of glycol and lye, respectively. Both are residual products from other processes, but for our facility completely necessary materials which we use as food for bacteria and ph adjustment in our biological purification process of various types of industrial waste water. Biological treatment of industrial waste water is considered the most environmentally friendly form of treatment compared to burning industrial waste water, which causes a climate impact of up to 30 times that produced during biological treatment.
Therefore, the recycling of the residual products glycol and lye, as a replacement for the purchase of new materials, is an example of sensible utilization and circularity. IWS has, as with the first two notifications, informed the reason for the import of the residual products to DR in conversations during week 2, 2024.
Despite dialogue with DR about the two inactive notifications and the necessity of importing circular ingredients for use in biological purification, the notifications are described in the articles as an immediate continuation of the import of oily waste water from Norway on an equal footing with earlier, now revoked notifications. This is an erroneous and incorrect interpretation which has caused serious misinterpretations by other media, interest groups and politicians. As an expert in the field waste water treatment and responsible waste handler, we at IWS consider it crucial that any societal debate is conducted on a factual and professionally correct basis.
Therefore, today we have also contacted DR and asked for a correct interpretation of the four import notifications.
Our treatment plant in Stigsnæs is one of Northern Europe’s most advanced biological treatment plants for waste water from industry. We are specialists in handling waste materials, and we have over 25 years of experience in cleaning waste water efficiently for both Danish and foreign companies and consistently use the best available technology.
