Technical and financial evaluation of an emerging thermochemical technology for sustainable management of municipal wastewater sludge.

The management of municipal wastewater sludge is a significant challenge for wastewater management, particularly the need to manage and dispose of the sludge in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. The emergence of stricter regulations regarding landfill disposal of wastewater sludge necessitates the need for alternative options for municipal wastewater sludge management, with thermochemical technologies potentially contributing towards achieving carbon neutrality goals and fostering sustainable development. This study sought to address these challenges through a technical and financial evaluation of a pilot-scale emerging thermochemical technology, the enhanced hydrothermal polymerization to provide adequate understanding of the technology's feasibility regarding its application for municipal wastewater sludge volarization into a multi-use hydrochar.