Sludge management practices: Drivers, opportunities and implications for small island developing states

The generation of wastewater is a universal practice in all spheres of life. Wastewater is generated from different stream sources including domestic, industrial and commercial sources. During the last years, global volume of wastewater generated has witnessed a surge in developing countries. After wastewater treatment, sewage sludge is generated and is considered an asset rather than a by-product. This sludge is generally disposed of in landfills. The practice of directing sewage sludge to landfills is not considered an optimal use of sludge as an asset. However, a comprehensive review of techniques for sewage sludge management is still inexistent in small island states. As such, this paper aims to conduct systematic literature reviewing of research papers published in the area of waste management to determine the transformation of sewage sludge in view of uncovering ideal global processes. The findings out of the 111 scientific papers published from 1997 to 2021 were analysed on the sewage sludge management methods adopted in developing countries and the possibility of applying them in small island developing states. The analysis indicates that the distribution of sewage sludge management techniques is inequitable and research on sewage sludge management in small island developing states is insufficient. It is therefore crucial to evaluate the implications and challenges of the elements associative of sewage sludge in the establishment of a proper sewage sludge management plan for small island developing states.