Reutilization of sludge as fertilizer

Abstract

Sludge is an imminent byproduct of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plant. Accelerated growth of population, urbanization, and industrialization intensifies wastewater generation and thereby sludge production, which is a major concern in many developing and developed countries. Sewage sludge, generated from wastewater treatment plant, is rich in organics, macro- and micronutrients, which constructs the idea of utilizing it for fertilizer production. The applicability of sewage sludge fertilizer for agricultural purposes in arid and semiarid region has been investigated largely in past few years as a way to manage the huge amount of sludge generated every year and to counteract the rise in price and necessity of chemical fertilizers. However, there are certain constrains due to the presence of harmful constituents such as, pathogens and heavy metals. This chapter comprehends global and Indian scenario of sludge production, types of sludge that can be used for fertilizer production, their application, and both adverse and beneficial environmental effects for utilizing sludge as fertilizer. Moreover, fertilizer production from sewage sludge promotes the emerging concept of circular bioeconomy by bringing the waste material into mainstream economy. � 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.