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Alkaline Stabilization of Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant Sludge
More than 60 % of sludge produced in the United States is beneficially used on land following treatment, frequently by alkaline addition. Unfortunately, when asked, each of the ten regions will say that their biggest problem with land application is odor and the biggest cause of odors is the alkaline treatment of sludge. Further articles in peer-reviewed journals have suggested that alkaline treated materials have been the biggest cause of illness complaints from people living near sites where biosolids are land applied.
When properly executed, alkaline treatment can provide a very well disinfected sludge and one which neither attracts vectors nor emits unpleasant odors. The entire sludge treatment system (cradle to grave), however, has to be engineered. Guidance will be based on material developed at two major workshops on alkaline treatment of sludge, information and data collected by states, manufacturers’ case studies, work on mixing and necessary moisture completed and underway at DCWASA, work being funded in Pennsylvania by Region 3, and the expertise of the National Lime Association.
Contact: Jim Smith, 513-569-7355 (EIMS #117931)