In the United Kingdom, water treatment company United Utilities is trialing a process at its Blackburn sewage works to extract glucose from used toilet paper. The glucose can then be used as feedstock for fermentation-based production.
TP recovery starts with filtering and compaction steps. The TP is then treated with enzymes to create a cellulose-rich sludge that is heated for two days. At this point, the glucose is available for extraction.
“There are numerous potential uses for biopolymers such as glucose, including in the production of biofuels and as an alternative material for manufacturing things like bioplastics and more sustainable detergents,” Lisa Mansell, UU’s chief engineer, told BBC.
UU was adamant that the glucose would only be used to produce industrial products, and never for alternative proteins or other food products manufactured via fermentation.