ECODAIRY ALBANIA – Dutch Water Technology for the Albanian Dairy Sector •	Short general project overviewWastewater treatment in Albania is at a relative low level and Albanian companies are far from complying with applicable discharge standards, standards and regulations. Wastewater treatment in the food industry is virtually absent, causing contamination to spread to surface and groundwater. This is a major problem in the dairy industry. Milk rinsing water, whey and other process flows are discharged untreated. In addition, the water consumption is also very high. Local ecosystems are seriously affected and drinking water supplies are at stake, which has consequences for water safety and water security in the country.Afmitech Friesland B.V. has water technology (BEVER system) that seems particularly suitable for the dairy sector in Albania. However, the technology must be adapted to the local conditions in Albania. Technical adjustments and the development of innovative solutions are necessary and must be tested in practice at two dairy processing factories (Ajka in Gorre and Erzeni in Berat).Tested elements are:1. The discharge of cheese whey is a very important factor in the operation of the BEVER system. Temperature, acidity (pH) and cheese proteins play a role here. The young fresh cheese in Albania is different from the Dutch and Northwestern European cheese. The effects of this on the functioning of the BEVER system are being investigated.2. Water consumption: Dairies in Albania have a specific water consumption of approximately 3 liters of water per liter of processed milk. For comparison: in the Netherlands this is about 1.2 liters / liter. The effect of this “dilution” on the efficiency of the BEVER system must be investigated and verified. The use of rinse water is particularly important.3. Cleaning agents: the use of cleaning agents will also be investigated. This is crucial for the functioning of a biological system. Now there is hardly any information available about this use.•	Initial activities and results of the projectActivities:Phase 1: preparation, design and construction with on-site installation. Operator training.Phase 2: test period, monitoring, demonstration days.Phase 3: definition of the modifications for Albanian conditions. Evaluation in collaboration with. SHUKALB and dairies. Spin-off and follow-up.Results:- New set of design parameters based on the changed composition of the wastewater and the working methods of the dairies;- Technical adjustments to the standard BEVER system (probably with regard to oxygen input, sludge recirculation and sludge retention;- Operational instructions adapted to Albanian conditions, including guidelines for monitoring, etc, making the technology effectively available to the Albanian market;- Service point for BEVER installations in collaboration with Yess;- Calculation of the business case and return on investment for the BEVER technology;- Cooperation Agreement between Afmitech and Y.E.S. for local service and monitoring;- Publications on BEVER technology in Albanian (in collaboration with SHUKALB).•	What makes the technology, product, method or approach used innovativeBEVER technology is absolutely unique to Albania for the following reasons:- In the field of biological treatment systems, no compact, decentralized systems are available in Albania;- Some water technology suppliers (e.g. from Turkey, Croatia, Bulgaria, etc) propose physicochemical solutions to dairies. These solutions are relatively cheap, but often do not work. These systems also require a lot of monitoring and operational knowledge. There are now some dairies in the region that have had to close their plants;- BEVER technology is hygienic and virtually odourless because the construction method is largely underground. This is important for the food industry;- The technology is particularly energy efficient compared to more traditional techniques (more than 30% lower energy consumption). There is no question of chemical consumption;- The approach and technology are based on EU standards and using high-quality materials and equipment. As such, it can set a standard in the Albanian water sector;- BEVER technology can be applied according to the "local-build" principle: the technological components are developed from the Netherlands, while the civil infrastructure, etc., can be built by local parties.