Composting Of Municipal Wastewater Sludges

A guide to the technologies involved in composting sludge from municipal waste facilities, including case studies from small municipalities and metropolitan areas. "From the Introduction" Widespread interest in composting as a means of municipal sludge treatment in the United States began in the early 1970s. At that time, the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts initiated windrow composting of sewage sludge at the Joint Water Pollution Control Plant in Carson, California, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture investigated large-scale studies of static pile composting at the Agricultural Research Station in Beltsville, Maryland. Since that time, interest and activity in municipal sludge composting has increased dramatically. In 1984, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiated a technology evaluation of municipal sludge composting practice based on investigations at five operating facilities. The results of the technology evaluation are presented in this report. Objectives Objectives of the municipal sludge composting technology evaluation were as follows: 1. To investigate aerated static pile and windrow composting technologies based on experience at operating facilities. 2. To compare and contrast features of the aerated static pile and windrow technologies based on this experience. 3. To assess operating, performance, and cost features. 4. To identify key problems associated with municipal sludge composting using these technologies. 5. To define methods which have been used or are being considered to resolve these problems. The technology evaluation focused on three composting processes: the extended aerated static pile process, the conventional windrow process, andthe

FROM THE PREFACE This textbook explains and discusses many of the unit operations used for processing municipal sewage sludge. It also contains valuable information on the available methods for final disposition of this sludge. This textbook can be used for planning, designing, and implementing municipal sewage sludge management projects.