Composting and Environmental Benefits of Resource Recovery

2019 ◽  
pp. 67-93
Author(s):  
Ran Xiao ◽  
Quan Wang ◽  
Junchao Zhao ◽  
Xiuna Ren ◽  
Zengqiang Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Environmental Benefits

scholarly journals Probabilistic evaluation of integrating resource recovery into wastewater treatment to improve environmental sustainability

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (5) ◽  
pp. 1630-1635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Wang ◽  
Perry L. McCarty ◽  
Junxin Liu ◽  
Nan-Qi Ren ◽  
Duu-Jong Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Wastewater Treatment ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Wastewater Treatment Plants ◽  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Time Frame ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Environmental Benefit ◽  
Bioenergy Generation

Global expectations for wastewater service infrastructure have evolved over time, and the standard treatment methods used by wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) are facing issues related to problem shifting due to the current emphasis on sustainability. A transition in WWTPs toward reuse of wastewater-derived resources is recognized as a promising solution for overcoming these obstacles. However, it remains uncertain whether this approach can reduce the environmental footprint of WWTPs. To test this hypothesis, we conducted a net environmental benefit calculation for several scenarios for more than 50 individual countries over a 20-y time frame. For developed countries, the resource recovery approach resulted in ∼154% net increase in the environmental performance of WWTPs compared with the traditional substance elimination approach, whereas this value decreased to ∼60% for developing countries. Subsequently, we conducted a probabilistic analysis integrating these estimates with national values and determined that, if this transition was attempted for WWTPs in developed countries, it would have a ∼65% probability of attaining net environmental benefits. However, this estimate decreased greatly to ∼10% for developing countries, implying a substantial risk of failure. These results suggest that implementation of this transition for WWTPs should be studied carefully in different temporal and spatial contexts. Developing countries should customize their approach to realizing more sustainable WWTPs, rather than attempting to simply replicate the successful models of developed countries. Results derived from the model forecasting highlight the role of bioenergy generation and reduced use of chemicals in improving the sustainability of WWTPs in developing countries.

Quantification of economic and environmental benefits of faecal sludge derived compost and briquettes using a REVAMP tool: The case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabela Thomas Mkude ◽  
Richard Kimwaga ◽  
Sara Gabrielsson
Keyword(s):  
Calorific Value ◽  
Local Environment ◽  
Resource Recovery ◽  
Dar Es Salaam ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Information Campaigns ◽  
Energy Needs ◽  
Guidelines And Standards ◽  
Dar Es Salaam City ◽  
Faecal Sludge

Abstract In recent years, the concept of resource recovery from waste, particularly faecal sludge (FS) has gained much attention and popularity. The aim of this study is to quantify/estimate the economic and environmental benefits of nutrients and energy that could be recovered from FS. The empirical data come from three unplanned settlements of Dar es Salaam City; Keko, Kipawa and Manzese. Two different FS resource recovery scenarios were assessed, namely nutrients and energy. The resource value mapping (REVAMP) tool was used to quantify benefits of nutrients and energy/solid fuels recovered from FS. The results indicate a daily economic benefit from FS recovery, ranging between 680-950 USD for energy and up to 7,000 USD for nutrients recovered, depending on the composition. The co-composting of FS with organic waste to recover nutrients was found more profitable than FS derived briquettes. The environmental benefits, beyond the disposal of untreated FS into the local environment, include a potential saving of up to 5 hectares of forest area when substituting the use of wood charcoal with FS-derived briquettes for domestic cooking energy needs. Even here, co-composting FS is estimated to be more profitable than FS derived briquettes. The study concludes that to obtain FS derived briquettes with high calorific value, FS should be co-fuelled with other feedstock materials. Guidelines and standards for safe re-use of FS derived products should be developed, adapted and information campaigns and demonstration sites to illustrate the economic and environmental benefits of resource recovery from FS for energy and agricultural purposes should be made available to relevant stakeholders

Environmental Benefits of Precision Agriculture Adoption

2020 ◽  
pp. 637-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco Medici ◽  
Søren Marcus Pedersen ◽  
Giacomo Carli ◽  
Maria Rita Tagliaventi
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Precision Agriculture ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Herbicide Application ◽  
Pesticide Application ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Application Rates ◽  
Biodiversity Policy ◽  
Lime Application

The purpose of this study is to analyse the environmental benefits of precision agriculture technology adoption obtained from the mitigation of negative environmental impacts of agricultural inputs in modern farming. Our literature review of the environmental benefits related to the adoption of precision agriculture solutions is aimed at raising farmers' and other stakeholders' awareness of the actual environmental impacts from this set of new technologies. Existing studies were categorised according to the environmental impacts of different agricultural activities: nitrogen application, lime application, pesticide application, manure application and herbicide application. Our findings highlighted the effects of the reduction of input application rates and the consequent impacts on climate, soil, water and biodiversity. Policy makers can benefit from the outcomes of this study developing an understanding of the environmental impact of precision agriculture in order to promote and support initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable agriculture.

Environmental benefits of magnesium hydroxide-based peroxide bleaching of mechanical pulp – mill results

TAPPI Journal ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 9-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
TOMI HIETANEN ◽  
JUHA TAMPER ◽  
KAJ BACKFOLK
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Hydroxide ◽  
Magnesium Hydroxide ◽  
Oxygen Demand ◽  
Pulp Mill ◽  
Transition Metal Ions ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Paper Machine ◽  
High Brightness ◽  
Peroxide Bleaching

The use of a new, technical, high-purity magnesium hydroxide-based peroxide bleaching additive was evaluated in full mill-scale trial runs on two target brightness levels. Trial runs were conducted at a Finnish paper mill using Norwegian spruce (Picea abies) as the raw material in a conventional pressurized groundwood process, which includes a high-consistency peroxide bleaching stage. On high brightness grades, the use of sodium-based additives cause high environmental load from the peroxide bleaching stage. One proposed solution to this is to replace all or part of the sodium hydroxide with a weaker alkali, such as magnesium hydroxide. The replacement of traditional bleaching additives was carried out stepwise, ranging from 0% to 100%. Sodium silicate was dosed in proportion to sodium hydroxide, but with a minimum dose of 0.5% by weight on dry pulp. The environmental effluent load from bleaching of both low and high brightness pulps was significantly reduced. We observed a 35% to 48% reduction in total organic carbon (TOC), 37% to 40% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 34% to 60% reduction in biological oxygen demand (BOD7) in the bleaching effluent. At the same time, the target brightness was attained with all replacement ratios. No interference from transition metal ions in the process was observed. The paper quality and paper machine runnability remained good during the trial. These benefits, in addition to the possibility of increasing production capacity, encourage the implementation of the magnesium hydroxide-based bleaching concept.

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