CURRENT STATE OF SLUDGE PRODUCTION, MANAGEMENT, TREATMENT AND DISPOSAL IN ROMANIA

For many years, the large amount of sludge generated at the WWTPs in Romania has been of great trouble, raising significant concerns for plants operators. This paper reviews the current situation of sludge production, management, treatment and disposal routes. The continuous development of the wastewater sector and the need to align to the European regulations that state that all settlements with over 2000 inhabitants should have sewerage systems connected to a wastewater treatment plant which includes a sludge processing line, will lead to a great increase in the total amount of sludge generated. The total sludge production in Romania has been growing in the past decade and current studies estimate that by the end of 2018 the total amount will exceed 400000 tonnes. Choosing the most appropriate sludge treatment technology is a key factor in the application of integrated sewage sludge management system. Together with economic and social considerations, sludge managers need to implement more sustainable management systems. Decision makers should combine in an optimum way the alternatives for sewage sludge handling, considering all available information on technical, economic and environmental issues.