Municipal waste treatment plants are responsible for processing all of the residential, commercial, and industrial waste that is produced each day. Managing this waste requires that the waste is processed and removed from the treatment plant to make room for a new batch of waste.

Biosolids are the most commonly removed products from waste treatment plants. Biosolids are the solid, semi-solid, or slurry byproducts of the treatment process. Transporting biosolids effectively is critical to the management of waste.

Volume Reduction

Before biosolids can be transported for disposal, they must be treated to help reduce their volume. Volume reduction not only results in a product that is easier to handle, it also makes it easier to transport large quantities of sludge for disposal.

Thickening and dewatering are the primary processes used to reduce the volume of biosolids within treatment facilities. Thickening makes the sludge easier to handle. Dewatering removes excess moisture from the sludge in order to reduce its total volume. These processes are the first steps in a successful biosolid transport program.

Stabilization

Untreated waste can be extremely volatile and must be handled with care. This volatility makes it unfeasible to transport untreated sludge off-site. Digestion is a process used by treatment facilities to help stabilize biosolids in preparation for transport.

Sludge digestion can be classified as a biological process. Bacteria are introduced into the sludge to help break down the waste molecules in the slurry. The digestion process results in a reduction in the volume of the sludge, and it helps to dry out the sludge so that any pathogens present in the waste can be eliminated.

Once the digestion process is complete, the biosolids will no longer have an offensive sewage odor. The texture of digested biosolids resembles that of potting soil. Transportation is much easier once digestion has been completed.

Transportation

Following the completion of all essential treatment processes, biosolids can be transported to their final destination. Treated biosolids are loaded into dump trailers and hauled to safe disposal sites. These sites can include sanitary landfills, agricultural lands, or incinerators that will burn the biosolids.

It's important to have a covered dump trailer when removing biosolids from a waste treatment facility. The reduction in volume that occurs prior to transport makes the biosolids extremely lightweight and susceptible to blowing out of the trailer while traveling on public roadways. A cover can help secure biosolids and prevent possible contamination during transport. Contact a service, like Duffield Hauling INC, for more help.