Sustainable management of biological solids in small treatment plants: overview of strategies and reuse options for a solar drying facility in Poland

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international 2021-05, Vol.28 (19), p.24680-24693
• Main Authors: Boguniewicz-Zablocka, Joanna, Klosok-Bazan, Iwona, Capodaglio, Andrea G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; Biosolids; Circular economy; Composting; Dewatering; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Energy consumption; Energy requirements; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental impact; Environmental science; Evaporation; Evaporation rate; Greenhouses; Landfills; Sewage sludge; Sludge; Sludge disposal; Sludge drying; Solid waste management; Sustainability management; Waste and Biomass Management & Valorization; Waste management; Waste Water Technology; Wastewater treatment; Wastewater treatment plants; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water treatment
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10200-9

The issue of sustainable management of biosolids (excess sludge) from wastewater treatment is an important issue in the entire developed world. Residual sludge disposal costs and environmental impact may be significant, and reducing such costs, as well as the energy consumption for dewatering and drying, is a key issue for safe and sustainable sludge disposal, considering the recent ban of some disposal options, such as landfilling, in many European countries. An alternative to thermal technologies is solar drying (not to be confused with bio-drying, very close to the concept of composting). Solar greenhouse drying technology is characterized by reduced land requirements compared with traditional outdoor drying beds, as well as by low-energy requirements compared with other thermal drying methods. Process operation is cost-efficient, with close to no maintenance, and observed specific evaporation rates up to threefold higher than conventional drying beds. Many applications of this technology exist in Poland, Germany and Austria: more than 10,000 t of wet sludge per year is treated in this way in Germany alone and almost as many (9000 t/year) in Poland. This paper examines current biosolids treatment technologies applicable to small wastewater treatment plants (2000–9999 population equivalents served) and opportunities for possible solids reuse in Poland in view of sustainable circular economy schemes. In particular, a purely solar-driven greenhouse facility for sewage sludge drying was investigated under different conditions (season, temperature, environmental humidity) and possible improvements for its efficiency evaluated. Sludge processed by solar drying could have different final disposal pathways, according to season, in accordance with the prescriptions of the new National Waste Management Plan of Poland.