Reuse of Wash Water from Container Cleaning in the Fruit Industry of the Río Negro Valley, Argentina

Compensation

Water Recycling and Reuse

Overview

This project aims to significantly reduce the use of potable water in industrial container washing operations within the fruit sector of the Alto Valle of the Río Negro, Argentina. Through the implementation of an advanced water treatment and recirculation system, the goal is to transform a linear consumption-discharge process into a closed-loop cycle, where the water used during the washing stage can be recovered, treated without chemicals, and reused within the same process. This strategy improves the plant’s structural water efficiency, reduces the volume of effluents, and lowers the costs associated with water extraction and treatment.

The solution is based on treatment technologies that integrate physical solid separation, advanced oxidation, and chlorine-free disinfection, in compliance with the safety requirements of the fruit industry. The system operates automatically with real-time monitoring, ensuring that the quality parameters of the treated water are compatible with safe reuse.

Problem and Causes

In the Alto Valle of the Río Negro, one of the main pear and apple production and packaging hubs in Latin America, industrial plants use large volumes of potable water to wash bins, plastic crates, trays, and other reusable containers. This water is used only once and then discarded as effluent, often without sufficient treatment, which leads to:

Inefficient use of potable water from surface sources or wells.
Significant volumes of effluent with organic load and detergents.
Regulatory and reputational risks in light of new requirements for water efficiency and discharge control.

The main cause is the lack of integration of circular solutions in packaging plants, along with a misguided perception of the difficulty of treating gray water from these processes.

Health Effects

Mitigation Measures and Solutions

The proposed intervention involves installing a modular on-site treatment and recirculation system, with a plug-and-play design adaptable to washing lines. The system operates without chemical inputs, with low energy consumption, and without compromising food safety.

Mechanical pre-filtration: removes suspended solids, organic residues, soil, and labels.
Advanced electrochemical oxidation: degrades biofilm, fruit residues, detergents, and microbial load without generating by-products.
Chlorine-free disinfection: through UV radiation or activated peroxides, safe for indirect contact processes.
• Automated reinjection of treated water into the pre-wash lines.
Continuous digital monitoring: in-line sensors for turbidity, pH, conductivity, ORP, and temperature.

This enables up to 80% reduction in the use of fresh water in container washing processes, over 70% reduction in generated effluents, and avoidance of chemical use—thereby lowering operational costs and environmental risks.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation: Improves water use efficiency and reduces pollutant discharges by reusing water in industrial processes.

SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Introduces clean and efficient technologies into a key industrial process like container washing in fruit packing plants.

SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production: Transforms a linear use-discharge process into a circular model that reduces waste and promotes water recirculation.

SDG 13 – Climate Action: Reduces indirect emissions associated with pumping, transport, and external water treatment.

SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: Promotes collaborations between the fruit industry, technology developers, environmental certifiers, and local governments.

Project Information

Country:

Argentina

Implementation

Technologies or Actions Applied:

The implemented system combines various treatment and automation technologies designed to adapt to the operational environment of a fruit packing plant:

It begins with mechanical filters, sedimentation units, and hydraulic separators that remove solid particles, soil, leaves, and organic residues from container washing. These units form a first line of defense to ensure the downstream system operates effectively.
Next, an advanced oxidation process is employed, where highly reactive oxidizing radicals are generated in situ. This stage is essential for breaking down organic compounds, fruit residues, detergents, and microorganisms, without introducing chemical agents into the system.
Then, the water goes through a final disinfection stage, which can be carried out using technologies such as ultraviolet (UV) radiation, activated peroxides, or electrochemical processes.

These solutions ensure the safety of the reused water without adding chlorine or generating harmful by-products.

Finally, the system includes comprehensive automation through digital sensors that monitor parameters such as turbidity, conductivity, pH, temperature, and ORP. This data enables real-time management of water quality and safe reintegration into the process, especially in pre-wash lines.

Monitoring Plan:

System monitoring is based on a combination of technological tools and verification procedures:

Electromagnetic flow meters are installed in the intake, recirculation, and discharge lines to quantify the volume of treated and reused water. In-line sensors also measure critical quality parameters.
A digital operations log is maintained, accessible in real-time, where operational events, maintenance activities, and key data are recorded to ensure traceability and compliance.
External verification is performed through testing by accredited laboratories on samples of treated water, comparing results with regulatory limits and internal quality requirements for reuse.

Implementing Actors:

The project’s implementation requires coordination among various key actors:

Fruit packing companies in the Alto Valle, acting as direct beneficiaries and responsible for operating the system.
Local technology providers, responsible for designing, installing, and technically supporting the treatment and automation solutions.
Accredited laboratories, ensuring the quality of the recovered water through periodic controls.

Understanding the Project

The project addresses the need to modernize water resource management in a key productive sector for the economic development and regional identity of the Río Negro Valley. The fruit industry, especially in the Alto Valle, is characterized by a large-scale, export-oriented production model that demands high standards of quality and food safety, while also facing increasing challenges related to water availability and quality. In this context, packing plants represent strategic nodes where the integration of technological solutions can yield significant environmental and operational impacts.

The recirculation and reuse of water used in washing bins, plastic crates, and fruit trays represent a concrete opportunity to transition toward a more resilient, efficient, and competitive industrial model. The implementation of the proposed system will enable plants to move toward water circularity, reduce their operational water footprint, lower costs associated with water use and treatment, enhance regulatory compliance in increasingly demanding environmental frameworks, and strengthen their positioning in international markets that prioritize sustainable supply chains.

The proposal aligns with multiple public policy strategies: from the objectives of Argentina’s National Water Plan to the climate adaptation guidelines of the Patagonian region and the environmental commitments required by international certifications. Being scalable and modular, this model is replicable both in large cooperative packing houses and in mid-sized facilities, and can be integrated with traceability, water footprint, and circular economy schemes. Its potential environmental, reputational, and operational return makes it a strategic solution to transform the Alto Valle fruit chain into a benchmark for water sustainability in Argentina’s agribusiness sector.

Estimated price:

1,10 €