A Cohesive Strategy for Wastewater Sludge (Biosolids) Management: A Uk Case Study

Biosolids is a nutrient rich byproduct of wastewater treatment. The United States Environment Protection Agency (US EPA) provides guidelines for the adequate disposal of these biosolids under the Clean Water Act of 1987 (US EPA, 1993). These standards emphasize minimization of biosolids quantities and beneficial reuse such as recycling to agricultural land. The challenge in the future is likely to be continued development of means and methods for sustainable collection, treatment and disposal while maximizing the use of biosolids as a nutrient rich resource and a potential income source.This paper presents a possible strategy for biosolids management which incorporates the afore mentioned elements and is based on an example from a wastewater company in the United Kingdom.