Biosolids and Sludge Management

The literature review has been divided into the following sections1: * Biosolids regulation and management issues, * Biosolids characteristics and measurement, * Sludge treatment technologies, * Disposal and reuse, * Odor and air emission, energy issues, * Risk Analysis The sludge treatment technologies include: pretreatment and sludge minimization, anaerobic digestion, aerobic digestion, alkaline stabilization, composting, dewatering, drying and innovative technologies. Important factors include: the inclusion of the solids stream in the Wisconsin Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit program; establishing sludge treatment design standards; requiring the sludge treatment and handling be part of the facility plans; imposing site restrictions; and criteria for the setback distance from sites to homes, businesses, and schools; and environmental features etc. (2007) conducted an energy balance calculation in the thermophilic temperature range to determine the specific heat of biological oxidation and found that sludge digestion at 60°C resulted in more economic energy consumption, better volatile solids reduction, better sludge dewaterability, and more effective pathogen inactivation, as compared to sludge digestion at 40°C. Risk Analysis One of the main concerns related to land application is the presence of bioaerosols and the risks they present.