Innovative reuse of drinking water sludge in geo-environmental applications

In recent years, the replacement of natural raw materials with new alternative materials, which acquire an economic, energetic and environmental value, has gained increasing importance. The considerable consumption of water has favoured the increase in the number of drinking water treatment plants and, consequently, the production of drinking water sludge. This paper proposes a protocol of analyses capable of evaluating chemical characteristics of drinking water sludge from surface water treatment plants. Thereby we are able to assess their possible beneficial use for geo-environmental applications, such as the construction of barrier layers for landfill and for the formation of bio-soils, when mixed with the stabilized organic fraction of municipal solid waste. This paper reports the results of a study aimed at evaluating the quality and environmental aspects of reconstructed soils (bio-soil), which are used in much greater quantities than the usual standard, for massive applications in environmental actions such as the final cover of landfills. The granulometric, chemical and physical analyses of the sludge and the leaching test on the stabilized organic fraction showed the suitability of the proposed materials for reuse. The study proved that the reuse of drinking water sludge for the construction of barrier layers and the formation of bio-soils reduces the consumption of natural materials, the demand for landfill volumes, and offers numerous technological advantages. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.