Municipal sewage sludges are one of most relevant waste typologies produced in Europe as result of civil water treatment. In Italy more than 3 million tons of municipal sewage sludges were collected in 2020. Its amount is increasing year by year due to improvement in the effectiveness of civil sewage treatment plants and a progressive expansion of the sewage network as requested by European directives.
The management of municipal sewage sludges is currently one of major issues that Municipalities must face with: several regulatory interventions, either national than from European Commission, have been promulgated in the last years defining strict limits for sewages usage as fertilizers for agriculture and for disposal in landfill (considering its organic content), main destination of municipal sludge in the past.
Several North-European countries have identified in the selective incineration of municipal sewage sludges the solution for this typology of waste. In France, Switzerland, and Germany several treatment plants are already working and many more are under construction for sewage sludge mono incineration.
After an analysis of the difficulties that water service operators are facing with, Eni Rewind has promoted the mono incineration of municipal sewage sludges as long-term solution for this waste stream also in Italy developing a project in Porto Marghera within its own area.
This plant, designed with the support of a leading engineering company experienced in sewage sludge valorisation, will face with Veneto needs in municipal sewage sludges treatment.