Sewage Sludge Management in Egypt: Current Status and Perspectives towards a Sustainable Agricultural Use
The present disposal routes of sewage sludge represent a critical environmental issue in Egypt. Recently, there has been an increasing concern about sewage sludge management due to the environmental risks, which resulted from the fast expansion of wastewater treatment plants without equal attention in dealing with the produced sludge. This paper discusses the current situation of sewage sludge management in Egypt presenting a brief overview of the existing wastewater treatment plants, sludge production and characteristics as well as options of beneficial use and potential demand of sewage sludge under Egyptian conditions. The characteristics of sewage sludge are discussed considering the results of own sampling and analysis as well as previous studies. Furthermore, alternative treatment scenarios for sewage sludge, which have been recently developed in Egypt, are discussed and perspectives for a sustainable agricultural use are outlined.
[1] Marcos von Sperling, Carlos A. Chernicharo, (2005). "Biological
wastewater treatment in warm climate regions". IWA Publishing, USA.
[2] Zaini Ujang and Mogens Henze: (2006)."Municipal wastewater
management in developing countries". IWA Publishing, USA.
[3] Murphy, J. D., McKeogh, E., Kiely G., (2004).
"Technical/economical/environmental analysis of biogas utilization".
Apply Energy, 77,4, 407-427.
[4] Spinosa L., Editor, (2007). "Wastewater sludge: a global overview of the
current status and future prospects". Water21 market briefing series,
IWA Publishing, London, pp. 41.
[5] CAPMAS, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egypt,
(2004). http://www.capmas.gov.eg/home.htm.
[6] Mona Khalifa, Julie DaVanzo, and David M. Adamson, (2008).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿPopulation growth in Egypt: A continuing policy challenge". Center of
Middle East public policy and CIA World Factbook.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/issue_papers/IP183.1.
[7] Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Soliman, Minister of housing, utilities and
urban communities, Egypt, (2005). ÔÇÿÔÇÿImproving the performance of
public utilities". The Water week, World Bank, Washington. USA.
[8] Chemonics, Dr. Ahmed Gaber, (2006). "Towards a sanitation strategy for
rural Egypt", Concept report, World Bank 2006, Egypt. "Unpublished".
[9] T.A. Emitwallie, A. AI-Sarawey, and M.F. EI-Sherbiny, (2004).
"Egyptian effluent standards for treated sewage: Evaluation and
recommendations". Efficient management of wastewater: Its treatment
and reuse in water-scarce countries, chapter 4, Springer- Publishing
(2008). Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
[10] AFESD, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, (2007).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿSludge management project in Greater Cairo". Summary of technical report on composting facility in Al Berka site. Cairo, Egypt,
"Unpublished--.
[11] JBICO, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, (2007). ÔÇÿÔÇÿWastewater
projects in Greater Cairo, Egypt". Interim report. "Unpublished--.
[12] Joseph B. Farrell, Bouglas T. Merrill, Perry L.Schafer, (2004).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿProducing class A biosolids with low cost technology treatement
processes- IWA and WEF Publishing, London.
[13] Ludovico Spinosa and P. Aame Vesilind, (2001). ÔÇÿÔÇÿSludge into biosolids:
processing, disposal, utilization". IWA Publishing, London.
[14] DJ. Lee, L. Spinosa, P.J .He, and T.B. Chen, (2006). ÔÇÿÔÇÿSludge
production and management processes: Case study in China". Water
Science &Technology, Vol 54, No 5, pp 189-196.
[15] Y.H. Ahn and H.C. Chol, (2005). ÔÇÿÔÇÿMunicipal sludge management and
disposal in South Korea: Status and new sustainable approach". Water
Science &Technology, Vol.50, No 9, pp.245-53.
[16] Janus, T. (2007). ÔÇÿÔÇÿCalculation of sludge production from aerobic ASP
based on COD and BOD5: Comparison of methods and model
validation". In proc. 21th European Biosolids and Organic Resources
Conference, November 2007, Manchester, UK.
[17] German Standards (2000). ÔÇÿÔÇÿDimensioning of single-stage activated
sludge plants". ATV-DVWK-A-131E.
[18] Metcalf & Eddy, (2003). ÔÇÿÔÇÿWastewater engineering treatment and reuse".
Fourth edition, USA.
[19] IPP Consult, (2002). ÔÇÿÔÇÿSewage sludge conversion in Egypt, resume of
final report". www.gtz.de/ecosan/download/ipp-Agypten.pdf.
[20] METAP, The Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance
Programme, (1995). ÔÇÿÔÇÿStrategic management plan for agricultural use of
sewage sludge in Cairo". Final report summary, Cairo, Egypt.
[21] WHO/UNICEF, (2000). ÔÇÿÔÇÿGlobal water supply and sanitation assessment
Report". WHO press, Geneva. 80 pp, viewed at
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/jmp2000.pdf.
[22] U.S.EPA, (1999). ÔÇÿÔÇÿBiosolids generation, use and disposal in the United
States". EPA530-R-99-009, www.epa.gov.
[23] Eliot Epstein, (2003). ÔÇÿÔÇÿLand application of sewage sludge and
biosolids". Lewis publishers, USA.
[24] T. Dockhorn and N. Dichtl, (2004). ÔÇÿÔÇÿDecision support tool for
implementing a sustainable resource management in the sector of
municipal wastewater treatment". In Proc. 2nd IWA Leading-Edge
Conference on Sustainability in Water-Limited Environments, November
2004, Sydney, Australia.
[25] ENCID, Egyptian national committee on irrigation and drainage, (2005).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿEgypt profile". http://www.icid.org/cp_egypt.html#cp.
[26] Alan L. Wright, Edward A. Hanlon, David Sui, and Ronald Rice (2009).
"Soil pH effects on nutrient availability in the everglades agricultural
Area". Soil and water science department, Institute of food and
agricultural sciences, University of Florida, USA. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
[27] Egyptian Code ECP 501-2005, (2005). "Egyptian standards for use of
treated wastewater in agriculture".
[1] Marcos von Sperling, Carlos A. Chernicharo, (2005). "Biological
wastewater treatment in warm climate regions". IWA Publishing, USA.
[2] Zaini Ujang and Mogens Henze: (2006)."Municipal wastewater
management in developing countries". IWA Publishing, USA.
[3] Murphy, J. D., McKeogh, E., Kiely G., (2004).
"Technical/economical/environmental analysis of biogas utilization".
Apply Energy, 77,4, 407-427.
[4] Spinosa L., Editor, (2007). "Wastewater sludge: a global overview of the
current status and future prospects". Water21 market briefing series,
IWA Publishing, London, pp. 41.
[5] CAPMAS, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egypt,
(2004). http://www.capmas.gov.eg/home.htm.
[6] Mona Khalifa, Julie DaVanzo, and David M. Adamson, (2008).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿPopulation growth in Egypt: A continuing policy challenge". Center of
Middle East public policy and CIA World Factbook.
http://www.rand.org/pubs/issue_papers/IP183.1.
[7] Prof. Dr. Mohamed Ibrahim Soliman, Minister of housing, utilities and
urban communities, Egypt, (2005). ÔÇÿÔÇÿImproving the performance of
public utilities". The Water week, World Bank, Washington. USA.
[8] Chemonics, Dr. Ahmed Gaber, (2006). "Towards a sanitation strategy for
rural Egypt", Concept report, World Bank 2006, Egypt. "Unpublished".
[9] T.A. Emitwallie, A. AI-Sarawey, and M.F. EI-Sherbiny, (2004).
"Egyptian effluent standards for treated sewage: Evaluation and
recommendations". Efficient management of wastewater: Its treatment
and reuse in water-scarce countries, chapter 4, Springer- Publishing
(2008). Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.
[10] AFESD, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, (2007).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿSludge management project in Greater Cairo". Summary of technical report on composting facility in Al Berka site. Cairo, Egypt,
"Unpublished--.
[11] JBICO, Japan Bank for International Cooperation, (2007). ÔÇÿÔÇÿWastewater
projects in Greater Cairo, Egypt". Interim report. "Unpublished--.
[12] Joseph B. Farrell, Bouglas T. Merrill, Perry L.Schafer, (2004).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿProducing class A biosolids with low cost technology treatement
processes- IWA and WEF Publishing, London.
[13] Ludovico Spinosa and P. Aame Vesilind, (2001). ÔÇÿÔÇÿSludge into biosolids:
processing, disposal, utilization". IWA Publishing, London.
[14] DJ. Lee, L. Spinosa, P.J .He, and T.B. Chen, (2006). ÔÇÿÔÇÿSludge
production and management processes: Case study in China". Water
Science &Technology, Vol 54, No 5, pp 189-196.
[15] Y.H. Ahn and H.C. Chol, (2005). ÔÇÿÔÇÿMunicipal sludge management and
disposal in South Korea: Status and new sustainable approach". Water
Science &Technology, Vol.50, No 9, pp.245-53.
[16] Janus, T. (2007). ÔÇÿÔÇÿCalculation of sludge production from aerobic ASP
based on COD and BOD5: Comparison of methods and model
validation". In proc. 21th European Biosolids and Organic Resources
Conference, November 2007, Manchester, UK.
[17] German Standards (2000). ÔÇÿÔÇÿDimensioning of single-stage activated
sludge plants". ATV-DVWK-A-131E.
[18] Metcalf & Eddy, (2003). ÔÇÿÔÇÿWastewater engineering treatment and reuse".
Fourth edition, USA.
[19] IPP Consult, (2002). ÔÇÿÔÇÿSewage sludge conversion in Egypt, resume of
final report". www.gtz.de/ecosan/download/ipp-Agypten.pdf.
[20] METAP, The Mediterranean Environmental Technical Assistance
Programme, (1995). ÔÇÿÔÇÿStrategic management plan for agricultural use of
sewage sludge in Cairo". Final report summary, Cairo, Egypt.
[21] WHO/UNICEF, (2000). ÔÇÿÔÇÿGlobal water supply and sanitation assessment
Report". WHO press, Geneva. 80 pp, viewed at
http://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/monitoring/jmp2000.pdf.
[22] U.S.EPA, (1999). ÔÇÿÔÇÿBiosolids generation, use and disposal in the United
States". EPA530-R-99-009, www.epa.gov.
[23] Eliot Epstein, (2003). ÔÇÿÔÇÿLand application of sewage sludge and
biosolids". Lewis publishers, USA.
[24] T. Dockhorn and N. Dichtl, (2004). ÔÇÿÔÇÿDecision support tool for
implementing a sustainable resource management in the sector of
municipal wastewater treatment". In Proc. 2nd IWA Leading-Edge
Conference on Sustainability in Water-Limited Environments, November
2004, Sydney, Australia.
[25] ENCID, Egyptian national committee on irrigation and drainage, (2005).
ÔÇÿÔÇÿEgypt profile". http://www.icid.org/cp_egypt.html#cp.
[26] Alan L. Wright, Edward A. Hanlon, David Sui, and Ronald Rice (2009).
"Soil pH effects on nutrient availability in the everglades agricultural
Area". Soil and water science department, Institute of food and
agricultural sciences, University of Florida, USA. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu
[27] Egyptian Code ECP 501-2005, (2005). "Egyptian standards for use of
treated wastewater in agriculture".
@article{"International Journal of Earth, Energy and Environmental Sciences:62664", author = "M. Ghazy and T. Dockhorn and N. Dichtl", title = "Sewage Sludge Management in Egypt: Current Status and Perspectives towards a Sustainable Agricultural Use", abstract = "The present disposal routes of sewage sludge represent a critical environmental issue in Egypt. Recently, there has been an increasing concern about sewage sludge management due to the environmental risks, which resulted from the fast expansion of wastewater treatment plants without equal attention in dealing with the produced sludge. This paper discusses the current situation of sewage sludge management in Egypt presenting a brief overview of the existing wastewater treatment plants, sludge production and characteristics as well as options of beneficial use and potential demand of sewage sludge under Egyptian conditions. The characteristics of sewage sludge are discussed considering the results of own sampling and analysis as well as previous studies. Furthermore, alternative treatment scenarios for sewage sludge, which have been recently developed in Egypt, are discussed and perspectives for a sustainable agricultural use are outlined.
", keywords = "Beneficial use, Egypt, Monetary value, Stabilization processes, Sewage sludge, Sludge management", volume = "3", number = "9", pages = "289-9", }
