Where companies previously had to demonstrate how much nitrogen or phosphorus their wastewater contained, the focus today is increasingly on minute concentrations of specific micro‑pollutants, such as PFAS. These substances are becoming ever more decisive in determining whether water may still be discharged, reused, or require further treatment. Belgian company Inopsys responds to this with modular purification technology and is developing new solutions that are eligible for subsidies with the support of KPMG.
In the past, companies discharged their wastewater into the sewer system. That changed in the 1970s and 1980s, when governments required them to treat their wastewater themselves. The most heavily polluted water was transported to incineration plants. The water evaporated, and the remaining components were destroyed or turned into ash, from which recovery is particularly difficult.
“That was a waste,” says Kwinten Van Eyck, co‑founder and CTO of Inopsys. “Incinerating water at a time of water and energy scarcity is hard to justify. Moreover, valuable metals such as palladium are lost in the process. Treating water on site and enabling reuse is therefore our primary focus.”
Using the same technology, Inopsys can also remove micro‑pollutants from wastewater, a demand that, according to Van Eyck, has been increasing for years. “Changing legislation has led to greater attention to ecotoxicity, but also to individual components whose toxicity we understand better and better. That is why today we not only test at the source, but also at the point of discharge.”
Modular model
Inopsys works with mobile treatment units at the customer’s production site. “We generally operate according to the DBFOM model: design, build, finance, operate, and maintain,” says Van Eyck. “We design and build the installation to measure and remain the owner. This allows us to add, modify, or remove components depending on the required outcome. And at the end of a project, the company is not left with the unit. Moreover, we offer the system capex‑free, meaning the customer does not have to invest upfront.”
Because more and more harmful substances can be identified, and the related legislation and technologies are evolving rapidly, guidance has become essential. “We work with multidisciplinary teams of engineers and chemists, and translate increasingly stringent regulations into technologically and economically feasible solutions.”
This approach proves its value, particularly in the case of PFAS. “Where in the past we only dealt with a few components, we are now already monitoring around twenty, all of which require different treatments. Such an increase raises complexity but also creates opportunities for innovation.”
Van Eyck continues: “Because of these new insights, companies sometimes unintentionally violate environmental legislation. Effective treatment is not always possible, because adequate technology does not yet exist. We develop innovative technologies to address these new substances of concern, enabling us to tackle an ever-wider range of pollution.”
Support for innovation
Those who innovate technologically may qualify for support measures. That is why Inopsys partnered with KPMG’s Grants & Incentives Practice, led by Matthias Marescaux.
“We support Inopsys in their PFAS development project. Through targeted questions, we map the market and examine their offering in depth. Our role is to provide constructive criticism, so to speak. Our team is multidisciplinary, allowing us to ask the right questions, suggest alternative techniques, and analyze data. We also assess what kind of support the project may receive from VLAIO, which subsidizes 25% to 50% of such development projects, depending on the size of the company and the potential collaboration between companies. By thinking through all steps in advance, the client — in this case Inopsys — ends up with a detailed project plan. This accelerates execution once the company effectively enters the market. In this way, Inopsys builds a technological lead that makes the company indispensable.”
Van Eyck confirms the added value of the collaboration. “KPMG asked us the right questions, unburdened us, and challenged us at the same time. In the meantime, we are already sparring with them about a second project. Because every time we can develop a technology, we can also tackle a new form of pollution.”
According to Marescaux, a broad range of companies qualifies for this type of support. “Any ambitious company that wants to grow by fully committing to technological innovation is eligible. Some entrepreneurs think this is not for them. But by entering this process, their development project gains momentum and they still submit a subsidy application. An innovative approach, where possible linked to the right support measures, not only improves the future prospects of the company, but also those of Flanders and its residents.”
