Dow's Minimal Liquid Discharge Approach Takes Center Stage With 2018 International Desalination Association Award Win

Transitioning to a circular economy is necessary for society to move to the next level of sustainable consumption. Dow Water Solutions, a business unit of DowDuPont Safety & Construction division, won the 2018 International Desalination Association (IDA) Award for Industry Technology and Innovation Leader in Water Reuse and Conservation. The award recognizes Minimal Liquid Discharge (MLD), an innovative wastewater management approach that helps industry move beyond a linear “take, make and dispose” model to a world in which raw materials are continuously recycled and reused.

“Advancing sustainable water management and a true circular economy requires more than industry-leading knowledge. It requires innovation in applying what we know,” said HP Nanda, global business director, Dow Water Solutions. “This humbling recognition from the IDA reinforces that our MLD approach is meaningfully disruptive and increasingly being embraced and adopted by industry to further improve efficiencies across the water value chain.”

MLD is a cost-effective and sustainable approach for companies looking to improve their water footprint. The MLD process helps municipal and industrial plants make substantial gains in minimizing liquid discharge by enabling recovery of up to 95 percent of discharge at a fraction of the cost compared to a Zero Liquid Discharge system.

“MLD is centered on meeting customer’s specific needs – identifying sources and types of wastewater, and matching integrated technology systems to their waste streams to enable it for reuse,” said Tina Arrowood, lead research scientist, Dow Water Solutions. “With this cutting-edge concept in hand, Dow has changed the conversation about water reuse and conservation and shown that businesses can do what is right for the bottom line, community and the environment.”

The term MLD might be new, but the process relies on a core set of proven, existing technologies – including ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, nanofiltration and ion exchange. Dow has developed a broad range of products to help reduce the cost and energy requirements of treating wastewater. The FILMTEC FORTILIFE Reverse Osmosis Elementsproduct line for challenging waters helps customers reduce costly concentrate waste, lower operating expenses and move toward MLD. Our newest elements include FORTILIFE CR100, XC70 and XC80, which are equipped to tackle biological and organic fouling. The FORTILIFE XCN ion-separation membrane can be used to further treat wastewater by enabling the recovery of a large fraction of salts.

The 2018 IDA Awards were presented at the IDA International Water Reuse and Recycling Conference on June 26. The award recognizes outstanding performance by private consulting firms and technology and equipment providers that have achieved disruptive advances in water reuse and conservation technologies, allowing for significant reduction in energy use, carbon footprint and costs of alternative water supplies.

About Dow Water Solutions
The global leader in sustainable separation and purification technology, Dow Water Solutions is making real progress in the world. We’re helping to make water safer and more accessible, food taste better, pharmaceuticals more effective and industries more efficient and spearheading the development of sustainable technologies that integrate water and energy requirements. Dow Water Solutions offers a broad portfolio of ion exchange resins, reverse osmosis membranes, ultrafiltration membranes, particle filters and electrodeionization products, with strong positions in a number of major application areas, including industrial and municipal water, industrial processes, pharmaceuticals, power, oil and gas, residential water and waste and water reuse. For more information, visit www.dowwatersolutions.com.

About DowDuPont Specialty Products Division
The Specialty Products Division of DowDuPont is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials, ingredients and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, building and construction, health and wellness, food and worker safety. DowDuPont intends to separate the Specialty Products Division into an independent, publicly traded company. For more information, visit www.dow-dupont.com.

About DuPont Safety & Construction
DuPont Safety & Construction, a DowDuPont Specialty Products Division business, is a global leader in products and solutions that protect what matters – people, structures and the environment – and enables its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale and iconic brands including Corian, Kevlar, Nomex, Tyvek, Styrofoam and Filmtec.

About International Desalination Association Water Reuse and Conservation Awards
The International Desalination Association (IDA) Water Reuse and Conservation Awards honor three outstanding individuals and organizations who have demonstrated exceptional performance and contributions to the field. Award winners are chosen by the Water Reuse and Conservation Award Committee and are presented every two years. The IDA is a non-profit association that serves more than 2,600 core members in 60 countries and reaches an additional 4,000 affiliate members comprised of scientists, end-users, engineers, consultants and researchers from governments, corporations and academia. For more information, visit www.idadesal.org.