Primary and secondary sludge composting: a feasibility study

The disposal of primary and secondary sludge is becoming a string ent probl em for the pulp and paper industry. With the increasing costs of traditiona l disposal such as landfilling, the industry is seeking new alternatives. I n this paper, the key parameters for the treatment of sludge to produce a h igh quality compost are discussed. In particular, the physical and chemical characteristics of the sludge, the composition of the raw materials mix an d the design of the composting plant are addressed. A preliminary cost anal ysis is also presented.