Trucking Costs Have Risen, Driving Up Sludge Disposal Costs

Have your phosphorus removal related sludge disposal costs increased this fall? If so, you are not alone. Trucking costs have increased substantially, driven by higher gas and diesel prices and a shortage of truck drivers. If you are lucky, it may not have hit your sludge disposal costs yet, but it probably will soon.

Is it Time to Examine Your Sludge Production Due to Phosphorus Removal?

Did you know that the chemical sludge produced by the traditional coagulants for removing phosphorus from wastewater can increase the volume and weight of your sludge up to 40%, even for moderate limits of 1 mg/L (Phosphorus Treatment and Removal Technologies, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, June 2006, https://www.pca.state.mn.us/sites/default/files/wq-wwtp9-02.pdf)?

For very low limits, less than 1 mg/L, this can easily increase to a 55% increase or even more, due to an increase in the Al or Fe/P removed dosage required. (Excess Sludge Production and Costs due to Phosphorus Removal, Etienne et. al., Environmental Technology, December 2001). The lower your phosphorus limits, the greater the increase in sludge volume and weight.

Neo WaterFX Reliably Removes P While Reducing Chemical Sludge Production and Lowering Costs

Neo WaterFX uses lanthanide salts. Lanthanides are much more efficient in bonding with and removing phosphorus than the traditional chemical coagulants. Most clients find a 20 to 40% reduction in sludge as well as easier dewatering and drier cake. Bottom line, clients send much less sludge to the landfill or to the incinerator, and that saves in sludge processing and disposal costs.

You need reliability – not only in achieving treatment objectives but in cost control…

… and you need it NOW. Neo WaterFX can give you both reliable phosphorus removal and lower costs for sludge disposal, while improving and simplifying your operations. With gas and diesel prices expected to remain high well into 2022, now may be the best time to explore how switching to Neo WaterFX can lower your sludge production, improve dewatering and lower sludge disposal costs.

Want to see if WaterFX is right for you? Take this short survey.

Phosphorus Removal From Wastewater

Learn more about Phosphorus Removal From Wastewater.