Hu, D.; Jiang, P.; Chen, Y.; Gao, F.; Liu, S. Sustainable Sludge Management in China: Quantifying GHG Emissions and Exploring Its Reduction Strategies. Preprints2024, 2024060967. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0967.v1
APA Style
Hu, D., Jiang, P., Chen, Y., Gao, F., & Liu, S. (2024). Sustainable Sludge Management in China: Quantifying GHG Emissions and Exploring Its Reduction Strategies. Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0967.v1
Chicago/Turabian Style
Hu, D., Fuyao Gao and Shuai Liu. 2024 "Sustainable Sludge Management in China: Quantifying GHG Emissions and Exploring Its Reduction Strategies" Preprints. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202406.0967.v1
Abstract
This study aims to quantify greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from China's sludge treatment industry and explore the potential of novel technologies to mitigate these emissions, promoting sustainable sludge management practices. Using a life cycle assessment approach, the total GHG emissions from sludge treatment in 2017 were estimated at 18.54 Mt CO2-eq, with significant regional variations. Incineration contributed the highest emissions (1,011.53 kg CO2-eq/t dry sludge), followed by landfill (717.51 kg CO2-eq/t) and land application (276.41 kg CO2-eq/t). The uneven distribution of emissions across cities highlights the need for targeted mitigation strategies that consider local sustainability challenges. Principal component analysis revealed that economic factors and treatment scale significantly influence emissions, emphasizing the importance of integrating sustainability goals with economic development. To reduce the carbon footprint of sludge treatment and enhance sustainability, the mitigation potential and costs of various technologies were evaluated, including thermal conversion, anaerobic digestion, hydrothermal processes, and wet oxidation. These technologies offer GHG emission reductions ranging from 0.09 to 0.46 t CO2-eq/t dry solids compared to conventional methods, while also promoting resource recovery and circular economy principles. However, further optimization is necessary to enhance their environmental and economic performance, ensuring long-term sustainability. By implementing these technologies and adopting optimization strategies, China's sludge treatment industry can significantly contribute to achieving the country's carbon neutrality goal and fostering sustainable development.
Keywords
Greenhouse gas emission; life cycle assessment; sludge management; sustainability.
Subject
Environmental and Earth Sciences, Waste Management and Disposal
Copyright:
This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
