The management of sewage sludge is becoming of even greater concern si
nce the generated volumes are increasing as a result of extended sewer
age and advanced wastewater treatments. Agricultural use and landfilli
ng face growing difficulties due to sludge increased contamination obs
erved and stricter disposal criteria introduced, while incineration co
ntinues to be undesirable by the public, although technology is availa
ble today to meet extremely stringent air quality standards and guaran
tee a safe and convenient operation. Sludge management is particularly
problematic in highly urbanized areas because of the large volumes in
one location and the lack of suitable sites at convenient distance. I
n this paper, management options applicable to large urban centers are
outlined and several case histories in Western and Eastern Europe, N.
America and Asia described. Copyright (C) 1996 IAWQ. Published by Els
evier Science Ltd.