Paul Togna, Ph.D. and Todd Webster, Ph.D., P.E. of Envirogen Technologies, Inc. recently presented at the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) Selenium Summit 2021, hosted virtually by EPRI on October 26-28.
Presentation Abstract: An Evaluation of Treatment System Options for Treatment of Selenium.
There are a number of technologies available for treatment of selenium, including biological reactors, chemical precipitation, ion exchange, reverse osmosis and zero-valent iron. The best treatment option over the life cycle of a project, taking both capital and operating costs into consideration, will be dictated by the water chemistry as well as the concentration and form(s) of selenium in the water. For example, high scaling potential may preclude reverse osmosis while high sulfate may preclude use of iron-based medias. As another example, the form of selenium observed for water in contact with coal combustion residuals can change from selenite [Se(IV)] to selenate [Se(VI)] during the course of an ash pond closure, making chemical precipitation ineffective during the latter stages of the closure.
Envirogen offers both biological (Fluidized Bed Reactor; FBR) and iron-based media (Advanced Metals Removal System; AMRS) options for selenium treatment. Envirogen’s non-biological AMRS process is similar as our biological FBR process and is designed to operate effectively using a variety of iron-based medias.
Get your copy of Envirogen’s EPRI 2021 Selenium Summit presentation:
For further information, including a copy of Envirogen’s EPRI presentation slides, please contact us using the form to the right of this page.
Learn more about Envirogen’s systems and experience in Selenium treatment:
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Envirogen is pleased to announce the appointment of Robert “Bobb” Campbell as Chief Operating Officer, North America, responsible for Operations and Services.
The appointment of Bobb follows the addition of Joe Higgins as Group Chief Executive, which was announced in September.
Bobb will be responsible for strengthening Envirogen’s regional service lifecycle and support functions, within process water and ground water remediation, as well as harnessing product and technology transfer from Envirogen’s European operations to the North American market. This forms part of a comprehensive strategy to deliver a single global solution that truly offers total water solutions.
He has more than three decades of industrial water and wastewater industry experience, having previously held several senior executive positions, alongside experience in facilities management, operations and sales focussed roles. Earlier in his career, Bobb spent three years with Parkson Corporation, where he led an effort to grow and scale an industrial systems business, with focus on clarification, filtration, biological, and screening products. More recently, Bobb served at De Nora Water Technologies, and has held positions at US Filter, Veolia, and Evoqua’s predecessor Siemens.
Bobb will draw on his experience leading customer-centered organizations to build a strong future for Envirogen’s North American operations and services business.
Joe Higgins, Group CEO, Envirogen, comments:
“It’s great to have Bobb join the North American executive leadership team in the critical role of Chief Operating Officer. Bobb brings extensive experience and proven excellence in operational leadership. Strengthening the senior management team is part of our investment to allow us to capitalize on exciting opportunities we see for the business. We will also be investing in our people, technology, and processes to ensure we offer our customers the best service.
Bobb Campbell, Chief Operating Officer, Operations and Service said:
“This is a very exciting period for the development and growth of Envirogen. I’m joining an excellent, well respected, and trusted team with a strong reputation in the water treatment and wastewater market. It’s great to be able to bring my skills and experience to help take operational performance to the next level as Envirogen enters a new phase of growth and value creation.
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Envirogen announces the appointment of Joe Higgins as Group Chief Executive. Joe’s appointment is one of several management changes within the group’s leadership team signalling the next stage of Envirogen’s growth strategy and value creation.
According to Joe, Envirogen is ideally positioned to benefit from the global water and wastewater market:
“The global water and wastewater treatment industry is forecast to grow by 7.1% year on year to reach US$456.68bn by 2026*. Our people, leading experts in their field who underpin Envirogen’s broad and deep capabilities across our centres of excellence in the Americas and Europe, will enable us to grow well aead of the market trend. The last two years have seen the company both develop new and market leading technologies and improve our core solution range. These include the innovative modular design EcoRange water treatment products and improvements to our existing EndoTherm range, that have supported healthcare providers such as the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) during the pandemic. We also have a niche speciality in that we provide unique bespoke solutions to water treatment for emerging contaminants and contaminated waters. Envirogen has delivered many complex water and wastewater engineering solutions to clients and global brands such as Rolls Royce, GSK, the US Army, NASA, Molson Coors, Coca Cola, Solensis, Vital Energi and Bouygues Group,
Joe, who joins Envirogen following a 23-year career culminating as Regional and Technical Director at Veolia in Ireland, brings his significant leadership and technical skills to the role. With an MBA, MEng and BSc, he is a Fellow of the Institute of Engineers (IEI), a chartered manager, engineer, environmentalist and scientist (Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management CIWEM).
Former Group Chief Executive Scott Malvenan, who has moved into the role of Non-Executive Chairman, highlights: “Envirogen’s board is delighted that a leader with such an extensive business building and technical track record has joined the team to lead Envirogen through the next phase of growth and value creation.”
In his Group Chief Executive role, Joe will also take on the direct responsibilities of retiring North American CEO Ron Riley.
“To ensure our clients meet their business challenges with integrated water and wastewater treatment solutions delivered by our expert team, our immediate focus will be to build on the existing strengths and regional brands and identify synergies,” concludes Joe. “This will result in a single global solution that truly offers total water solutions.”
*Fortune Business Insights Water and Wastewater Treatment Market Size.
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Hospitals are under increased pressure to meet the needs of a growing and ageing population. This trend is seen in endoscopy as preventative medicine spearheads a non-invasive approach, but it is a trend seen across departments. Increased numbers and types of operations are putting more pressure on centralized Sterile Processing Departments (SPDs) and Endoscopy Reprocessing Unit (ERUs). To add to this burden, many of these departments are struggling with limited space and equipment that is coming to the end of its natural life.
In the battle to keep waiting lists under control, many hospitals are turning to temporary, modular, and mobile units, both to continue services during refurbishment and to run alongside existing departments to reduce waiting lists. Vanguard Healthcare Solutions is pioneering this technology, providing complete mobile SPDs and ERUs powered by Envirogen’s purified water solutions.
Vanguard’s mobile and modular SPDs and ERUs are used in hospitals across the UK and Europe, providing reliable, temporary solutions to meet the exacting regulatory standards.
“Hospitals rent our units to meet a range of requirements,” explains Steven Peak, Chief Operating Officer, Vanguard Healthcare Solutions. “Many internal ERUs and SPDs are reaching the end of their natural life and need upgrading. For a large hospital, this can take upwards of six months. But the demand for operations and clinical investigation doesn’t stop while the refurbishment or construction takes place. Rather than place strain on other departments or temporarily relocate complex equipment, hospitals are choosing to invest in our temporary mobile units. These units are also running alongside in-house departments to reduce long waiting times. This is particularly important now as hospitals deal with the backlog of suspended services due to Covid-19.”
NHS England data shows 52.6% of patients waited six weeks or more for their endoscopy procedures in October 2020 versus 9.3% in October 2019. Many endoscopy departments were temporarily closed to reallocate ventilators, other vital equipment, and staff, leaving a backlog of procedures. Increased reprocessing capacity is now needed in many healthcare settings to cope with the greater demand for endoscopy as the waiting lists are cleared.
(Source: NHS Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity Data, NHS England and NHS Improvement, October 2020 monthly report).
Purified water streams are essential for both SPDs and ERUs. The UK has one of the highest water quality standards in the world when it comes to supplying surgical cleaning facilities. Expensive endoscopes need delicate treatment and since automated endoscope reprocessors (AERs) need to operate at low temperatures, high purity water is needed to achieve sterile standards. Envirogen works with Vanguard to provide complete water purification solutions for its mobile SPDs and ERUs.
Allan Wigglesworth, UK Healthcare Market Manager, Envirogen, explains: “We’ve worked in the healthcare sector for decades, providing high-quality water streams for AERs but also for wider sterile processing departments and laboratories. We install the main hospital, permanent installations, as well as mobile and temporary units, designed by the hospital or using third party suppliers such as Vanguard and Q-bital healthcare solutions. The systems installed for Vanguard include a combination of carbon filters, high-efficiency reverse osmosis membranes, inline endotoxin retention ultra-filters and ultraviolet sterilization, along with automated thermal sanitization cycles. This ensures that our EndoTherm units provide high-quality water purification solutions that meets the Government’s requirements, including HTM01-06, HTM01-01 and ISO15883, as well as the Australian equivalent AS/NZ 4187, and upcoming US AAMI ST108.”
“Our systems are recommended by AER, washer, and autoclave manufacturers, thanks to their compatibility, straightforward operation, and slim design. Although we size each EndoTherm to the requirements at each site, the EndoTherm Mini is a very popular solution for Vanguard mobile units due to its slim profile. At only 22” wide (550mm) and 25” deep (625mm), ours is the most compact purification system on the market. The straightforward touchscreen operation makes it one of the simplest to use too.”
Envirogen also provides an extensive range of pre-treatment water solutions, such as water softeners, to protect EndoTherm systems, as well as the installation of ring main connections. Each EndoTherm is installed and commissioned in a matter of days, thanks to the skid-mounted design, ensuring new endoscopy reprocessing/sterile services capacity is delivered as quickly as possible.
“EndoTherm systems are installed in Vanguard mobile units across England, Scotland and Wales,” continues Wigglesworth. “Some have been in place for several years and include largescale systems that provide up to 265 gallons per hour (1,000 l/hr) of purified water. In some hospitals, the mobile units become more permanent fixtures with enclosed walkways connecting the main hospital to the mobile facility.”
Steven Peak, Chief Operating Officer, Vanguard Healthcare, said:
“Our mobile centralized SPDs and ERUs are centered on flexibility. That’s one of the reasons we chose Envirogen. The EndoTherm has been tried and tested in hospitals across the world and each one is tailored to the exact requirements of that mobile solution. Envirogen’s technical expertise and consultative approach mean that we ensure high-quality solutions and the Envirogen team are always available with advice when we need them. Envirogen engineers carry out regular preventative maintenance to ensure a continuous supply of purified water that meets the most exacting standards. We have 24/7 emergency technical support and engineers are guaranteed to be on-site in eight hours, should our clients have any issues. This nationwide network of expert engineers means that our clients have a rapid response to breakdown calls so that critical applications can be restored as a matter of urgency. Envirogen supplies these services on our behalf so we can provide a single point of contact to our clients.
“Our temporary solutions often turn into permanent relationships,” continues Wigglesworth. “Many units become part of the fabric of the hospital and facilities managers often go on to purchase more permanent water purification solutions in-house. We provide a wide range of water treatment systems across many different industries and our problem-solving approach ensures the most effective and efficient solutions. Our systems are available to rent or buy, giving additional flexibility.”
Vanguard Healthcare Solutions is a clinical infrastructure provider that specializes in delivering fast, flexible mobile and modular solutions to hospitals and healthcare systems across the globe. Vanguard provides high-quality, temporary clinical environments that can assist in reducing procedure waiting times, as well as increasing clinical capacity in both planned and emergency situations.
Water for the Processing of Reusable Medical Devices: Prepare for the upcoming implementation of AAMI ST108 with confidence. Our team of experts specialize in water purification solutions for healthcare providers, ensuring compliance with new industry standards. Take advantage of a complimentary initial consultation to assess and optimize your water treatment systems, guaranteeing seamless adherence to AAMI ST108.
EndoTherm systems stand out in the market for its unique advantages, offering unparalleled performance and compliance:
Envirogen SimPACK N+3 staggered bed design
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Musgrove Park Hospital embarked on a site-wide improvement program to streamline and modernize its processes. Under this initiative the Sterile Processing Department (SPD) launched a review of its department infrastructure and water treatment processes. As well as conducting its own analysis, the department asked Envirogen for efficiency improvement ideas.
An extensive risk assessment process identified the need to replace its ten-year old Reverse Osmosis plant (RO plant). It would further enhance an earlier Envirogen project to upgrade its RO pre-treatment section; the combined result being to process cleaning of sterilization equipment more quickly and efficiently.
The SPD has four washer/disinfectors for instrumentation sets with the addition of one flexible endoscope washer. The challenge was not only to keep the decontamination service running with no operational downtime; but also, to install and commission equipment during a period of refurbishment of the designated plant room.
A proven prefabricated duplex reverse osmosis ‘EndoTherm Duo’ system was recommended as this would deliver the enhanced water treatment processes in terms of water quality and volume improvements. Envirogen consulted closely with the hospital’s Capital Projects Estates and SPD teams to agree timings and best installation processes.
A plan was developed to enable full installation, with zero downtime, in just ten weeks.
Phase 1: Temporary reverse osmosis unit is loaned to SPD:
• Continuous operation of decontamination area is secured through installation of loaned RO system which is positioned in a ‘temporary location.’
• Following successful water quality samples to ensure compliance with latest regulatory standards and approval from the Authorizing Engineer in Decontamination (AED), this temporary equipment is connected to washer disinfectors.
Stage 2: Existing reverse osmosis plant decommissioned:
• Minimal disruption to department as existing reverse osmosis plant is decommissioned and removed.
• Musgrove Park Hospital took advantage of this recently vacated space to redecorate and relay the flooring.
Stage 3: New RO plant installed and commissioned, and temporary RO unit removed:
As a vital piece of equipment within the sterile processing department, its performance and reliability is critical. Mark Morley, SPD Manager, explains:
“In every SPD, department managers want to optimize the speed and performance of their sterilization equipment to ensure targets are met. Items for sterilization therefore need to be processed more quickly and efficiently with effective water treatment processes being critical. Close collaboration with Envirogen at the early stages, meant a robust workable solution was put in place to guarantee continuous operation. I am pleased to say that during the installation the SSD did not miss a single wash cycle.
The replacement of an outdated RO system with high quality modern equipment enabled Musgrove Park Hospital’s SPD to achieve its primary goal of boosting the infrastructure of its water treatment processes, whilst also improving efficiency and overall ability to provide sterilization services across multiple healthcare specialties. As a vital piece of equipment within the SPD, its performance and reliability was critical.
Mark Morley confirms: “From the word go our efficiency and capability within the department increased, and following installation, we can now handle over 250,000 items for sterilization per year… that’s good news for our Trust, the NHS, and our patients.”
Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton is part of Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. It is the largest acute hospital in Somerset, serving a population of over 340,000 as well as providing some specialist and tertiary services for the whole of Somerset with a catchment population of 544,000. This equates to around 700,000 visits from patients each year. The hospital is equipped with over 700 beds, 30 wards, 16 operating theatres, a fully equipped diagnostic imaging department and an enhanced cancer treatment center. They’ve also an onsite purpose-built Sterile Processing Department (SPD) that provides sterilization services across multiple healthcare specialties.
Water for the Processing of Reusable Medical Devices: Prepare for the upcoming implementation of AAMI ST108 with confidence. Our team of experts specialize in water purification solutions for healthcare providers, ensuring compliance with new industry standards. Take advantage of a complimentary initial consultation to assess and optimize your water treatment systems, guaranteeing seamless adherence to AAMI ST108.
EndoTherm systems stand out in the market for its unique advantages, offering unparalleled performance and compliance:
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Viewing the impressive new endoscope reprocessing department at St Helens Hospital and learning how the technical group and its suppliers worked together to deliver a resilient, future-proof facility exceeding current design standards, it’s no surprise to learn that the trust is rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission. Central to its success is a new duplex reverse osmosis water purification system.
“An endoscope is a medical device and should be treated as such,” says Maggie Gilleeney, Decontamination Manager at St Helens, and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. “It’s all about providing safe scopes for patients.”
The forward-thinking trust began planning the striking department quite a few years ago. “Sue Dickinson, the previous Decontamination Manager who retired in 2021, stayed on longer to ensure everything was right,” explains Maggie. “Sue and joint Decontamination Manager John Howarth, who has also retired, were very much part of the technical team involved in the scheme.”
Maggie, who joined the department 12-years ago as a technician and was also a member of the technical group, explains: “It was a very intense period. The group met every week to get the department right. All the options were appraised, and we engaged with a lot of suppliers to arrive at a solution which met our needs.
Maggie Gilleeney, Decontamination Manager at St Helens, and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, says:
““We are remote from user departments, so scope turnaround times and efficiency were key factors in the equipment selection process. We specified resilience as part of our tender process. Future-proofing was part of the overall design with contingencies built-in. We’re now back up to pre-Covid levels, reprocessing 32,000 scopes a year across both the St Helens and Whiston Hospital sites. Due to demand, our volume is increasing by around 6% per year. So, that was built into the specification to allow for future growth. We designed the system with our RO system and washer-disinfectors in pods. So, if one pod fails, for whatever reason, we have the ability to continue to work.”
Maggie explains: “There are currently three separate areas where we reprocess scopes. When the new, centralized facility opens we will go to just one. That’s why we wanted to ensure the department will be able to support itself if we have any issues, by making the areas podded and future-proofing for growth.”
“Also, because of the distance we have to transport the scopes to our user departments, we were looking for an efficient process for transport turnaround.”
The detailed selection process considered a whole range of the equipment suppliers on the UK’s NHS Framework. The technical group chose Envirogen for the reverse osmosis water purification system and iM Med, the UK distributor of Steelco, for the endoscope washer-disinfectors and various supporting equipment and materials to provide a complete, one-source pathway.
As the scheme was progressing, the department’s existing Envirogen chemical sanitization RO system, which was nearing the end of its operational life, was being maintained by the company’s service engineers. While iM Med had been appointed to service and validate the department’s old endoscope washer-disinfectors.
“The service engineers from both Envirogen and iM Med are very efficient and proactive” says Maggie.
However, with the age of the RO system and spare parts becoming an issue, the time came to find an interim solution. For the last 18-months, this has been provided by three Envirogen EndoTherm Mini reverse osmosis hire units. Two went into the main endoscopy washroom, operating alongside the washer-disinfectors, while the third is in urology, which is on another floor.
“Since moving to the hire units there’s been no downtime,” says Maggie. “They just keep on going, doing their job.”
As for the scheme’s chosen RO system, Maggie explains: “We specified resilience for the RO. Envirogen came up with a solution to satisfy our requirements. We’ve always had duplex on this site. You always need resilience.”
Initially, the new department has two EndoTherm Duo duplex RO systems feeding 11 Steelco washer-disinfectors. However, as part of the future-proofing strategy, another EndoTherm Duo and five further Steelco washer-disinfectors will be installed.
“We may fit those earlier than we thought due to the increasing demand,” says Maggie. “The department’s been designed so that, when demand warrants, we can remove a wall and install the additional washers, bringing the department’s total to 16. There’s a ring main from the RO already installed to feed these further washers whenever required.”
Allan Wigglesworth, UK Healthcare Market Manager at Envirogen, explains:
““For resilience, the new department is currently split into two pods, with one of the duplex ROs feeding five washers and the other feeding six washers. “In line with the requirement for resilience: in the event of one of the RO systems going down, the remaining working plant is capable of satisfying the demand of two of the ring mains. So, one duplex reverse osmosis water purification system will satisfy the demand of the current 11 washers. That added resilience was a key design criteria – not just duplex, but two duplex. Each of them capable of feeding all 11 machines. “A third duplex RO unit will be installed to feed the additional five washers when demand increases. These will also be podded for resilience.”
Allan continues: “The current two duplex ROs each produce 158 – 317 gallons per hour (600 – 1,200 l/hr) when running duty/assist mode. They are in a separate plant room and located in a bund, with a leak detector. The reverse osmosis plant feeds two separate, orbitally welded high-quality stainless steel ring mains. The out of hours pre-programmed thermal sanitization of the EndoTherm Duo units and their ring mains takes less than two hours to complete.”
“The third ring main is already installed in the ceiling. All that needs to be done is to connect up the tails and away we go.”
Endoscopy and sterile processing applications (compatible with AMMI ST108 standards)
Allan adds: “This is a substantial centralized endoscopy installation and a significant scheme for Envirogen, and a continuation of our long-term relationship with the trust.”
Designed for endoscopy and sterile processing department applications, the EndoTherm Duo range of reverse osmosis water treatment systems meets the water quality standards of HTM 01-06, HTN 01-01 and ISO15883, AS/NZ 4187 and US AAMI ST108.
The reverse osmosis water purification units can be set to operate at ambient or elevated temperatures and are user adjustable. They use a combination of reverse osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection, sub-micron endotoxin filtration and constant recirculation, which all work together to maintain good quality water. The range of dispense rates can be matched to single or multiple decontamination equipment needs.
A full color touchscreen HMI monitor allows for secure access levels, simple maintenance procedures and displays real-time graphical data. The pre-assembled, skid mounted EndoTherm Duo RO units are fast and easy to install, commission and validate.
Speaking in the new centralized department, which is a fine tribute to the intensive work of the technical team, Maggie adds:
““I can’t sing the praises highly enough of both iM Med and Envirogen. The level of service we get is second to none. Decontamination is sometimes forgotten about, but the trust sees it as integral to the process and key to patient care.”
St Helens Hospital opened in 2008 and is a purpose designed hospital offering a full range of outpatients clinics, day case surgery and diagnostic suites.
Water for the Processing of Reusable Medical Devices: Prepare for the upcoming implementation of AAMI ST108 with confidence. Our team of experts specialize in water purification solutions for healthcare providers, ensuring compliance with new industry standards. Take advantage of a complimentary initial consultation to assess and optimize your water treatment systems, guaranteeing seamless adherence to AAMI ST108.
EndoTherm systems stand out in the market for its unique advantages, offering unparalleled performance and compliance:
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
When the reverse osmosis plant (RO) supplying the endoscope reprocessing unit at Good Hope Hospital, part of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), began to produce poor total viable count (TVC) results and with the existing plant becoming difficult to repair, UHB faced the dilemma of requiring a permanent replacement unit, while needing to maintain the endoscopy service for its patients with a temporary reverse osmosis hire unit.
Sharon Fox, head of decontamination central endoscopy decontamination units and sterile services at UHB, explains: “It was simply not an option to shut the endoscopy department down, as we needed to continue to provide a high-quality service for our patients. We also did not want to reprocess the endoscopes off-site. We were trying to find a solution, when it was suggested that we could take one of the washer-disinfectors out of service and put a temporary RO unit in its place.”
Envirogen, the RO manufacturer chosen for the project following an extensive selection process by the estates department, had a reverse osmosis hire unit available. One of the endoscopy department’s washer-disinfectors was disconnected and the rental unit installed in front of it. “We couldn’t have positioned the reverse osmosis unit any closer,” says Sharon. “We had no service issues whatsoever, which was fantastic.”
Outlining the role of the UHB’s estates team, recently appointed estates manager, Neil Turnbull, explains: “When I came into post, the selection process for the replacement RO had already been completed. Estates ordered the rental unit and were involved in some enabling works. We checked the size of the existing water tanks, which were already in the plant room. The water and electrical supply were increased accordingly. A structural engineer checked the spread load.”
As soon as the reverse osmosis hire unit was commissioned and signed-off, work began to replace the old RO unit and install the permanent replacement system. To ensure everything ran smoothly, weekly online meetings where held throughout the project, involving estates, the endoscopy and decontamination team and Envirogen.
Sharon says: “The plant room is quite some distance from endoscopy. Envirogen advised that the existing plastic pipework and diameter was not suitable for the scheme. So, the old pipework was removed and replaced with a larger diameter stainless steel ring main.
“The installation went smoothly. All the commissioning and mycobacterial tests passed with a ‘clean bill of health’, which was really good.”
On the advice of the RO manufacturer, the endoscopy department retained the RO water treatment rental equipment in position on site for a month, to ensure that everything was running smoothly, before it was finally removed.
Sharon adds: “The department has now been operating for almost a year with no service issues whatsoever. The new RO unit is remotely monitored and can be adjusted if required with the manufacturer making us aware, if necessary.
Wayne Spencer, UHB’s authorizing engineer (decontamination), says:
““Replacing key pieces of equipment in a busy department is always a challenge, especially so when space is limited. The project required the department to use their endoscope washer-disinfector capacity for extended time periods, due to the temporary rental RO system being in place”.
Describing the RO plant and installation in detail, Allan Wigglesworth, Envirogen’s UK healthcare market manager, says: “The system is from our EndoTherm Duo product range, a compact duplex RO unit, sized to serve the six or eight endoscope washer-disinfectors which the hospital planned to install as part of its development program.”
Designed for endoscopy and sterile service applications, the EndoTherm Duo range of RO systems meets the water quality standards of HTM01-06, HTM01-01, ISO15883, AS/NZ 4187 and US AAMI ST108.
The EndoTherm RO water purification equipment can be set to operate at ambient or elevated temperatures and are user adjustable. Automatic thermal sanitization takes place outside of hours. All models can be either electric or steam heated. The units use a combination of reverse osmosis, ultra-violet disinfection, sub-micron endotoxin filtration and constant recirculation, which all work together to maintain good water quality. The range of dispense rates can be matched to single or multiple decontamination equipment needs.
A full color touch screen HMI monitor allows for secure access levels, simple maintenance procedures and displays real-time graphical data. The compact, pre-assembled, skid-mounted EndoTherm units are fast and easy to install, commission and validate.
“The top floor plant room is some distance from the endoscope reprocessing unit and required about 600 feet (180 meters) of orbitally welded stainless-steel pipework to feed the RO water,” explains Allan. “The previous installation had used a narrow PEXa ring main, which is usually associated with renal dialysis installations. We removed this and installed a new, larger, one-and-a-half-inch stainless steel pipework system. To avoid the disruption of the pipework running inside the consulting and treatment rooms, the new ring main runs partly outside the building and is fitted with protective trace heating.”
Allan says: “Within the reprocessing unit, the ring main has a stainless-steel header in a removeable manifold with tri-clamp fittings. It’s a sanitary method of connecting stainless steel pipework without welding. This sits above the current washer-disinfectors. It will enable the ring main to be easily disconnected from the machines when these come to be replaced in the future, prior to fitting a new manifold and connecting the RO to the new washers. This will ensure that there is minimal downtime or revalidation required for the RO water system when the machines are installed.
“When the new equipment was manufactured and delivered to site ready for installation, we commissioned and validated one of our reverse osmosis hire units in the endoscope reprocessing department. This enabled the service delivery to continue uninterrupted while the scheme went ahead. The rental unit was a small EndoTherm Mini system, sized to supply the endoscope washers. It was installed in the reprocessing department, in front of one of the machines. This enabled the service to continue using the three available washer-disinfectors using a short, temporary ring main.
“The rental unit ran for nearly ten weeks, while the replacement RO unit was installed, commissioned and mycobacterial results validated. We then switched the washer RO feed over to the new EndoTherm plant. However, we suggested that the hire unit should stay in place for a month, whilst we ensured that the team were happy with the new equipment, training had been provided and that everything was running smoothly.”
Allan adds: “The scheme was safely completed during COVID-19 restrictions. It was delivered through the UK’s NHS Supply Chain, a normal procurement route for us. It is covered by a two-year warranty, with the reassurance of including all parts and call outs. The installation features a remote digital monitoring program enabling our service center to dial in remotely and make various adjustments without visiting site.
“Being a duplex system with 100 per cent resilience, we can work on one RO unit and change filters or pumps, for example, while the other unit has full capacity without the need to shut down the ring main. The main elements of the system are manufactured and tested at our UK facility in Alfreton, Derbyshire, where factory acceptance testing is available.”
While chosen following a three-way selection process for the scheme at Good Hope Hospital, Envirogen is no stranger to UHB. An Envirogen duplex RO system serves the main endoscopy unit at Heartlands Hospital, where a mobile endoscopy unit also features another of the company’s machines. Another EndoTherm duplex RO unit is also installed at Solihull Hospital.
Good Hope Hospital, part of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), serves North Birmingham, Sutton Coldfield, UK, and a large part of south-east Staffordshire, including Burntwood, Lichfield and Tamworth. The catchment population is about 450,000.
Water for the Processing of Reusable Medical Devices: Prepare for the upcoming implementation of AAMI ST108 with confidence. Our team of experts specialize in water purification solutions for healthcare providers, ensuring compliance with new industry standards. Take advantage of a complimentary initial consultation to assess and optimize your water treatment systems, guaranteeing seamless adherence to AAMI ST108.
EndoTherm systems stand out in the market for its unique advantages, offering unparalleled performance and compliance:
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Called in at the “eleventh hour,” Envirogen Group’s EndoTherm Modular RO system enabled The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust’s new centralized endoscope reprocessing facility to open on schedule and is providing trouble-free operation.
While sterile processing services had been centralized from 2007, endoscope reprocessing was carried out at each of the Trust’s three hospitals: Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield, Pontefract Hospital, and Dewsbury and District Hospital.
When issues arose with the endoscope reprocessing department at Pinderfields Hospital the service was initially moved to Pontefract Hospital, before a mobile endoscopy unit was hired in.
With the issues appearing irresolvable and equipment at the other hospitals approaching the end of its working life, it was time to look to the future.
“I was pleased Envirogen were chosen” says Angela Fairbank, the Trust’s Decontamination Services Manager and Decontamination Lead. “The modular approach is highly flexible. You can easily add to it. It’s based on a proven reverse osmosis water system technology.”
“Envirogen have a lot of experience and a good reputation. They’ve been in the market for a long time. We have their RO systems on other sites, so the estates engineers have plenty of experience of them.”
Angela explains: “I wrote a business case to provide a centralized endoscope decontamination facility. It was designed to provide a phased facility over a four-year period. The business case was accepted, and we began the renovation program. The sterile processing department had a second clean room, which had been taken over by our supplies department.”
“I got the space back and re-designed the facility to be ISO 13485 compliant. We’re working towards JAG (Joint Advisory Group) accreditation during 2020. Centralizing gives us the economies of scale. The new endoscope washer-disinfectors (EWDs) have shorter cycles too,” explains Angela. “We’ve invested in more endoscopes, recruited further consultants and a nurse endoscopist. So, we are actively increasing our lists.”
“The scheme is designed to take endoscope reprocessing for all three hospitals. While the number of endoscope washer disinfectors increases over the phased program, the reverse osmosis plant was specified to cater for the full requirement from the start.”
“The first phase, opened in September 2019, serves Pinderfields Hospital. So, that we take the current machines to the end of their working life, Dewsbury and District Hospital moved in Summer 2020, and Pontefract Hospital will be moved in 2022.”
While endoscope reprocessing and packaging could be accommodated within the re-designed facility, a separate plantroom was required to house the RO system.
“We ended up with the reverse osmosis system being part of this separate building contract.,” explains Angela. “The EWDs were selected by the Trust’s capital team. We used the UK NHS Supply Chain and had presentations from various manufacturers, rating them using a scoring system.”
“We chose Wassenburg, which requires a cold and hot-water feed, and passed that selection on to the building contractor to come up with the design. The contractor knew the RO system would be between two companies but had designed the scheme based on the one used in the mobile endoscopy facility, which was cold water only. When we selected Wassenburg, which require a cold and a hot-water feed from the RO, they had to re-design the system.”
“At the eleventh-hour the contractor went out to competitive tender to the various reverse osmosis water treatment system suppliers.” Following an extensive technical and commercial tender process, Envirogen was selected to provide the hot and cold-water compliant RO system.
“I sent the design to Terry Easy, our Authorizing Engineer in Decontamination (AED). He approved that he was happy with the selection,” says Angela. “Everything had to happen very quickly. While I was not really involved in the system contract, as that was the responsibility of the building contractor, I had to ensure we met the deadline. I brought Wassenburg and Envirogen together.
“The Envirogen installation went very smoothly, absolutely to timescale. We had weekly planning meetings to ensure everything went ahead as scheduled. We had to go through all the water testing and waiting for the mycobacterial results, which takes 28-days in the UK, as standard. The water test passed first time.”
Describing the Envirogen system, Angela says:
“Some of the benefits are that you can thermally disinfect the ring main. We’ve had issues in the past at one of the hospitals, which resulted in our changing to a hot and cold-water system, so we could thermally disinfect the ring main.”
“The RO plant is so simple to upgrade as further machines are installed – it’s future-proof. The system is remotely monitored. So, Envirogen are aware of any potential issues and can adjust, if required.”
“The contract in the tender process was for emergency maintenance. I discussed the service contract and my site-specific requirements with Allan Wigglesworth, Envirogen’s UK Healthcare Market Manager. He was very responsive and made the changes. We now have an eight-hour response. It’s all-encompassing. We don’t have any additional costs. We’ve taken a three-year contract to fix the cost. The first call is to our engineers for any troubleshooting, but it’s all been running smoothly since we went live.”
With an office in the centralized facility, the estates officers for decontamination are Andrew Holland and Stuart Macdonald. “We know the reverse osmosis system well,” explains Stuart. “We have Envirogen at other hospitals. They only needed to give us basic training. It’s all worked perfectly since it was installed.”
Terry Easy, the Trust’s AE(D), adds: “I only had limited input into the reverse osmosis system as it was supplied as part of the building contract. I stated that it had to be a duplex system and have built-in resilience as it would be supplying eight endoscope washer-disinfectors.”
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Describing the EndoTherm Modular RO plant in more detail, Envirogen’s UK Healthcare Market Manager, Allan Wigglesworth, said:
““We installed one of our EndoTherm Modular systems to feed a series of Wassenburg WD440PT washer-disinfectors. There will eventually be eight endoscope washers-disinfectors in total, initially, the system is feeding four machines. These require both a cold RO feed and a hot RO feed. So, we have a duplex RO system, feeding two treated water tanks/pump sets – one running hot and one running cold along with two stainless steel ring mains. “We installed all the points of use for the second wave of washers so there would be no downtime/revalidation of the RO water system when the further machines are installed. The duplex RO unit was sized to feed all eight washers but has been installed with only the RO membranes fitted that are required to run the initial four machines. This avoids inflating the current running costs.”
Hospitals NHS Trust provides acute hospital services to more than half a million people living in the Wakefield and North Kirklees districts of West Yorkshire. It offers services in three main hospitals – Pinderfields (Wakefield), Dewsbury and District and Pontefract.
Water for the Processing of Reusable Medical Devices: Prepare for the upcoming implementation of AAMI ST108 with confidence. Our team of experts specialize in water purification solutions for healthcare providers, ensuring compliance with new industry standards. Take advantage of a complimentary initial consultation to assess and optimize your water treatment systems, guaranteeing seamless adherence to AAMI ST108.
EndoTherm systems stand out in the market for its unique advantages, offering unparalleled performance and compliance:
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
July 20, 2021 – Envirogen has been awarded the contract for a new Build-In-Place (BIP) biofiltration system. The $1.7MM contract will treat the air flowing through the city’s sewer systems to remove odorous compounds and address resident complaints of smells of rotten cabbage and rotten eggs.
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
Envirogen has completed a comprehensive testing program on a variety of iron-based media including zero valent iron and chemically modified iron. After evaluating for physical characteristics, selenium absorption ability and rate of absorption, as well as impact of sulfate and chloride on the media, it became clear that the media differ greatly on all parameters tested. The extensive data gathered in our pilot facility will benefit clients in the proper selection of media, that will ultimately make a critical difference in compliance and system lifecycle costs for each specific customer’s application. Read the complete whitepaper here.
Envirogen Technologies
700 Rockmead Drive, Suite 100
Kingwood, TX
77339
T: 713 766 6270
Envirogen Group
Unit 9, Wimsey Way
Alfreton Trading Estate
Alfreton, DE55 4LS
T: +44 (0) 1773 441029
Envirogen Technologies bv
Penningweg 71
1507 DG Zaandam
The Netherlands
T: +31 75 204 7200
