– Our experience in other industries shows that starting early often pays off. From the decision to implement treatment to having a fully operational plant, the process can take anywhere from 8 to 24 months, Tarasz says. He developed the industrial water treatment solution, MivaMag™.

This pertains to the new EU Industrial Emissions Directive (IED) regulations, which came into force on December 4, 2023, after being approved four years earlier.

In early 2023, Mivanor urged salmon processors to proactively evaluate water treatment options ahead of the stricter emissions standards. Now, the company fears that prolonged delays could lead to costly repercussions.

Water Treatment Is Achievable

In 2023, Mivanor received water samples from nine different salmon processing plants, all of which achieved highly satisfactory results.

– The goal isn't to achieve perfect purification but to use the best available technology (BAT) to get as close to the target as possible without expending disproportionate time, money, and resources, Tarasz explains.

He adds that both Mivanor’s tests and the work reported by M Vest Water in iLaks demonstrate that effective water treatment is feasible.

– With just one treatment step, plants can often come very close to, or even exceed, the required standards, which in many cases is sufficient.

Postponements Are Not Permanent

Recently, Teknisk Ukeblad reported that nearly all pelagic fish processors have applied for exemptions from the new EU environmental regulations.

The County Governor of Trøndelag confirmed to Intrafish that they’ve received multiple extension requests. However, these are temporary. Tarasz believes this should prompt more businesses to act.

– It’s understandable that water treatment feels like an additional burden during tough times for the blue industries. However, experience shows that when everyone applies for exemptions at once, it creates a bottleneck, forcing companies to implement treatment under tighter deadlines, Tarasz says.

He warns that many may underestimate the time and costs involved in implementing water treatment solutions.

– Failure to act could result in penalties or even operational shutdowns. We’re not trying to scare anyone into buying our solutions but rather to highlight the practical and economic benefits of starting early.

Tarasz stresses that while businesses don’t need a treatment plant installed overnight, initiating the water treatment process well before the final deadline is critical.