Helsingborg-RecoLab

Description

RecoLab is a joint initiative of the City of Helsingborg, the municipally owned water utility NSVA, the waste management company NSR and the energy utility Öresundskraft. This cooperation demonstrates a full-scale, circular sanitation system based on source separation. Through the “Three pipes out” system, blackwater (toilet water), greywater (kitchen, shower and laundry water) and food waste from the Oceanhamnen district are collected in separate streams to be treated in the dedicated local development plant “RecoLab”. Apartments located in Oceanhamnen are equipped with a kitchen food-waste grinder in the sink, sending kitchen waste directly to the RecoLab system. Residents also use vacuum toilets requiring only 1 to 2 litres per flush, compared with 6 to 8 litres in traditional toilets. Vacuum pipes are used to transport blackwater and food waste, and gravity flows for greywater. Bi-monthly meetings are organised by the project team to consolidate residents’ operational and technical understanding of the system. 

The facility allows to recover nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) and energy from black water and food waste, in the form of biogas. Nutrients are then used to produce fertiliser. Grey water is treated and recycled into drinking water. 

In addition to the treatment plant, RecoLab functions as a test bed for new technologies. It has an exhibition and a learning space focused on urban development around water, waste, energy and recycling. 

Results (achieved or expected)

• RecoLab can recover three times more phosphorus in a cleaner form and seven times more nitrogen than conventional wastewater treatment.
• The source-separated system allows up to 80% of grey water to be treated and reused as high-quality water, with heat exchange enabling efficient heat recovery.
• By collecting blackwater and food waste in concentrated and separate streams, the plant produces 60–70% more biogas per person per year than a conventional system.
• RecoLab reduces emissions of nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide and provides an energy-efficient way to remove pharmaceutical residues from wastewater.
• Overall, the system achieves a lower carbon footprint than traditional treatment.

Success factors

• Consistent and stable political support was key to advance the RecoLab project.
• Collaborative and cooperative culture among utility operators, city leaders and the private sector fostered coordination and enabled meaningful exchanges.
• Active user engagement and continuous communication highlighted user-friendliness and the system’s environmental and socio-economic benefits.
• Close collaboration and continuous knowledge sharing across project management, suppliers, and builders were essential to establishing a shared technical understanding and ensuring successful implementation.
• Proximity to a wastewater treatment plant enabled Oceanhamnen to serve as an ideal test location for a source-separating system.

Obstacles and difficulties met

• Ensuring that the necessary competences and expertise are in place across the entire value chain can be difficult to achieve. Coordination was challenging because the process was lengthy, and key stakeholders, such as construction partners and suppliers, joined at different stages.
• Weak market and industry structures pose a challenge, as there is no well-established pool of planners, technology suppliers, and operators with experience in source-separating and resource-recovery technologies.
• Establishing clear policies and standards for project delivery and aligning mandates and budgets across the organisations and city departments involved has been challenging.
• RecoLab’s innovative approach demands a high degree of flexibility. 

Evidence of success

• The City of Helsingborg expects to further develop the water recycling plant and refine reuse processes in the coming years. In parallel, additional options for greywater reuse are still being explored.
• Residents have responded positively to the system, highlighting ease of use, and many see themselves as ambassadors for a more sustainable way of living. Continuous communication and accessible information have been essential, particularly in explaining the benefits of the system.
• RecoLab’s meeting and exhibition hall, together with the test bed, provide transparency and create a practical setting to share experience. RecoLab is now a reference project for nutrient, energy, and water reuse, with the ambition to inspire similar initiatives in Sweden and internationally. Visby in Sweden, Hamburg in Germany and Amsterdam in the Netherlands are now building their own systems. 

Recommendations for cities interested in developing such a project

• Build a long-term vision and strategy anchored in sustainability goals. National and local objectives provide a shared direction and enabling framework.
• Secure stable political support and maintain it over time. Source-separating and circular sanitation projects span multiple years and require sustained commitment across election cycles. Clear mandates, consistent funding signals, and cross-department alignment help with project implementation.
• Invest in continuous, transparent communication with residents and provide accessible information. Provide practical guidance on how the system works and explain the benefits in clear terms. Early engagement and ongoing dialogue build trust, improve user acceptance, and support long-term behavioural adoption.