DISCUSSION

Eliminating sludge entirely would be difficult, although there are still well-meaning people
who believe that engineers intentionally build sewers and treatment facilities in order to
ensure their livelihood. But by the same token, we cannot be too smug about producing
sludge. Sludge is, after all an unwanted by product of waste water treatment, so perhaps we
can eliminate it.
A field that shows immense promise for sludge elimination is synthetic biology. This
nascent technology takes apart DNA molecules to select building blocks that can then be
recombined to produce microbial life with desired properties. For example, it is now possible
to produce coliforms that will fluoresce on signal. Other microorganisms can change the
pigment in plants. There is no reason why we cannot design and build microorganisms that
will use the organic fraction of waste water and produce purely inorganic substances.
This technology is still far from application, but we should point out that such
operation are already being considered by molecular scientists. Before then, however, we are
stuck with sludge and cannot realistically hope in the near future to build treatment plants that
will produce no residuals.
CONCLUSION

The treatment and disposal of sludge coining from municipal wastewater treatment plants
which produce large amounts of wastes, have as their major purpose the anaerobic digestion of
sludge to oxidize the organic matters existing in the sludge, resulting from the primary and
secondary settling of waste waters. As with the waste waters from which it originates sludge is
characterized by its physical, chemical, bacteriological arid biological properties. These
depend on the nature, origin, unit from which the sludge was removed. Sludge classification is
further explained. Sludge produced from primary settling tanks is grey and has an objectionable
odour. Physical characteristics are also overviewed in the chapter. The physical characteristics
of sludge determine, to a great extent, the possibilities and conditions of digestion and disposal
of sludge.