K S : Permanent solution for saline wastewater disposal in the Werra and Upper Weser rivers

29 September 2014

Hessian environmental minister Priska Hinz and Norbert Steiner, chairman of the K+S Board of Executive Directors, introduce a four-step plan for the disposal of saline wastewater - Werra and Upper Weser to regain freshwater quality.

The federal state of Hessen has reached an agreement with the resources company K+S on a four-step plan for the permanent disposal of saline wastewater in the Werra potash district. The key points presented today by environmental minister Priska Hinz together with Norbert Steiner, chairman of the K+S Board of Executive Directors, call for a regulatory period to extend until 2075. The goal of the various measures is to further relieve the Werra-Weser natural area within the meaning of European water law and the natural environment by additional significant capital expenditures from K+S and to secure the future viability of the jobs and the sites in the Werra potash district in North Hessen.

• Long-term measure planning creates a clear and reliable framework that will be valid after the discontinuation of production.
• Injection into the subsoil will end 2021. Starting in 2021, local disposal will be supplemented by temporary operation of a pipeline leading to the Upper Weser in order to gain flexibility in wastewater disposal.
• A newly developed facility will be constructed to reduce the occurrence of saline wastewater by 1.5 million cubic meters per year starting from the end of 2017.
• Tailings piles will be covered for the long-term and pile wastewater will be continuously reduced.
• The Werra and the Upper Weser rivers will attain freshwater quality by the end of Phase 4.
• Solving the saline wastewater problem will not be left to future generations.

These key points are to be clarified and laid down in a public law agreement over the next few weeks. Environmental minister Priska Hinz clearly stated that "We have succeeded for the first time in presenting a permanent solution for this problem, which has remained unsolved for many years. The four-step plan will result in the Werra and Weser rivers regaining freshwater quality." Mr Steiner, head of the K+S Board of Executive Directors, emphasised that "Today is a good day for our employees and the many jobs in the Werra region that are associated with K+S. The federal state of Hessen and K+S have agreed on a framework that is expected to enable potash mining in the region over the long term, regardless of the political constellation."

According to the current agreement, K+S will invest another approximately EUR 400 million, particularly between 2018 and 2021, in addition to the extensive water protection measures implemented since 2008. A considerable portion of that sum will be used for the planning, construction and operation of a temporary supplemental pipeline to the Upper Weser that is expected to go into operation at the end of 2021 and that will transport some of the saline wastewater away from the Werra plant until the end of the production period, in addition to the local discharge into the Werra. Operation of the pipeline will allow the surface area of the required retention basin to be reduced to approximately 25-30 per cent of the figure planned thus far. To reduce the pile wastewater over the long term, the tailings piles shall be covered. Implementation of these measures, which must undergo an approval process, will result in freshwater quality for the Werra and Upper Weser rivers.

"It was agreed that K+S will invest EUR 400 million for the implementation of these measures. Not a single euro will come from the state budget. It is absolutely clear that the 'polluter pays' principle applies to solving the wastewater problem," stated Minister Hinz. Mr Steiner underlined that "We have created the foundation for a plan of measures that is expected to clear up the waste management issues of the North Hessian potash sites once and for all. In light of this, we are prepared to take on substantial additional expenses, which present an enormous economic challenge for us."

In Phase 1, K+S will construct a kainite crystallisation flotation facility at the Hattorf site to replace the solvent deepfreeze previously planned. This new technical development is intended to reduce the quantity of wastewater from production by an average of 1.5 million cubic meters per year.

To reduce the quantities discharged into the Werra in the future, K+S is planning and building a supplemental pipeline on the Upper Weser along with retention basins that can hold a maximum of 750,000 cubic meters. The long-distance pipeline is expected to go into operation in 2021 and be utilised until 2060. K+S believes that investment security is guaranteed with respect to realisation of the long-distance pipeline.

It is planned for K+S to be granted one last temporary injection permit valid until the end of 2021. The prerequisite for this is that the wastewater discharged not be harmful to the ground water or to drinking water, which K+S must prove (using a 3D model among other things). The scope of the injection will amount to a total of around 12 million cubic meters over six Page 4 of press release "Permanent solution for saline wastewater disposal in the Werra and Upper Weser rivers", 29 September 2014 K+S Aktiengesellschaft · Bertha-von-Suttner-Str. 7 · 34131 Kassel/Germany · Phone +49 561 9301-1262 · www.k-plus-s.com years (approximately 2 million cubic meters per year). The injection volume approved for 2014 is 4.5 million cubic meters.

To reduce the pile wastewater over the long term, methods for covering the tailings piles will be tested.

At the start of Phase 2, the Upper Weser long-distance pipeline will go into operation on a temporary basis and the injection into the subsoil will be permanently terminated. At the same time, the threshold values for discharge into the Werra will be lowered compared with Phase 1: the threshold value for chloride from 2,500 mg/l to 1,700 mg/l, for potassium from 200 mg/l to 150 mg/l and for magnesium from 340 mg/l to 230 mg/l. K+S will conclude testing the tailings pile coverings or any similarly effective procedures to reduce the occurrence of tailings pile water and initiate the necessary approval processes.

The treatment of crude salt at the Unterbreizbach/Thuringia site will in all probability be terminated in 2032. This will reduce wastewater from production by an additional million cubic meters and enable another reduction in the salinity level of the Werra. K+S will commence steady implementation of covering the tailings piles to reduce the occurrence of pile wastewater. The salinity level of the Werra will decrease to approximately 1,000 mg/l of chloride. The threshold value for potassium will be 150 mg/l and that for magnesium 230 mg/l.

Potash production at the Werra plant will cease at the beginning of Phase 4 in 2060 when the deposits are used up. No more wastewater will be generated from production. The covering of 60 per cent of the tailings piles will be completed. By no later than 2075, this measure will lower the pile wastewater to 1.5 million cubic meters per year, which will be discharged locally into the Werra. The Werra will attain freshwater quality upon the cessation of Phase 4. At the Gerstungen monitoring point, the threshold values are to decrease to 800 mg/l for chloride, 70 mg/l for potassium and 90 mg/l for magnesium. Operation of the Upper Weser long-distance pipeline will be discontinued.

"We have undergone intense negotiations to develop an overall solution, which will require a high level of investment from the company in addition to meeting the prerequisites for approval. The plan creates reliable prospects for improving the ecological quality of the rivers and retaining jobs in Hessen," summarises environmental minister Hinz with respect to the significance of the four-step plan for permanent saline wastewater disposal.

Your contact persons:

Hessian Ministry for Environment, Climate Protection, Agriculture and Consumer Protection
Karin Möhrlin
Phone: +49 611 815-1020
Fax: +49 611 815-1943
pressestelle@umwelt.hessen.de

K+S Aktiengesellschaft

• Press Release 29.09.2014 (PDF  | 187 KB)