Evers P, Schmitt F, Albrecht D R, Jardin N
Head of the Division Wastewater Treatment, Construction and Operation, Ruhrverband, Kronprinzenstr. 37, D-45128 Essen, Germany.
Water Sci Technol. 2005;52(10-11):247-53.
The Ruhrverband, acting as a water association responsible for integrated water resources management within the entire natural river basin of the Ruhr, operates a network of 83 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and connected sludge disposal facilities. According to German regulations, the disposal of sewage sludge containing more than 5% of organic dry solids will be prohibited as of 1 June 2005. In Germany, the only future alternative to incineration will be the agricultural utilization of sludge. However, this way of sludge disposal is presently the subject of critical discussions in Germany because of the organic and inorganic toxic substances, which may be contained in sewage sludge, despite the fact that very stringent standards are to be met by agricultural uses. On the other hand, application of sewage sludge to agricultural land is explicitly supported by the European Sewage Sludge Directive 86/278/EEC. In the face of this controversial situation the Ruhrverband has initiated, in 2000, the development of a comprehensive and sustainable sludge and waste disposal concept for all wastewater facilities it operates in the entire Ruhr River Basin. The concept includes de-central sludge digestion and dewatering and subsequent transport to two central sludge incineration plants. It is expected that in future not more than 5% of all sludges produced in Ruhrverband's WWTPs will be used in agriculture. That means, the major part of 95% will have to be incinerated.
鲁尔verband作为负责鲁尔整个自然流域内水资源综合管理的水协会，运营着一个由83座污水处理厂（WWTPs）和相关污泥处置设施组成的网络。根据德国法规，自2005年6月1日起，将禁止处置有机干固体含量超过5%的污水污泥。在德国，未来污泥处置的唯一替代焚烧的方法将是污泥的农业利用。然而，由于污水污泥中可能含有有机和无机有毒物质，尽管农业用途要符合非常严格的标准，但目前这种污泥处置方式在德国仍是激烈讨论的主题。另一方面，欧洲污水污泥指令86/278/EEC明确支持将污水污泥应用于农田。面对这种有争议的情况，鲁尔verband于2000年启动了一项全面且可持续的污泥和废物处置概念的开发，用于其在整个鲁尔河流域运营的所有废水处理设施。该概念包括分散式污泥消化和脱水，随后将污泥运输到两座中央污泥焚烧厂。预计未来鲁尔verband污水处理厂产生的所有污泥中，用于农业的比例将不超过5%。这意味着，95%的大部分污泥将不得不进行焚烧。
