A new $2.3 million eco-friendly sewage treatment plant will be up and running within two months in Bahrain to process more than 1,000 cu m of wastewater produced by Asry, a major shipyard, every day.

The state-of-the-art plant, with a capacity of 1,500 cubic metres per day, will be set up at the company's facility in Hidd and will be completed in July.

It will be the first in the country to employ a highly sustainable organic reed-bed treatment system, leading the way in environmentally friendly industrial waste management, said Asry officials.

"As one of the region's most active industrial complexes, a commitment to sustainable best practice has become an integral part of the company's strategy," said Asry chief executive Chris Potter .

The technology used in the plant is an advanced high-rate wastewater treatment mechanism known as Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (MBBR), coupled with an organic process known as Reed Bed treatment, added Mr Potter.

Asry projects realisation manager Adel Boutari said once the wastewater flows through the bio films, the sludge will be utilised as wetlands for fields of reeds which naturally recycle the sludge.

"This method, never used in Bahrain before, has the primary benefit over other sewage treatment systems of being completely sustainable; it uses no chemicals, has very low carbon footprint, produces zero noise or odour, beautifies the local area and has a zero hazard rating," he said.

"In addition, it is low-maintenance, operates year-round and is cost-effective."

Boutari said the plant is in addition to the company's award winning marine sludge treatment facility, which was the first of its kind built by a shipyard in the Middle East and recycles polluting sludge that is removed from crude oil carriers for landscaping purposes. – TradeArabia News Service