Chinese scientists have developed a technology that can
effectively turn sewage water and mud, two main headaches of
urbanization, into organic fertilizer and high value
pesticide.
The closed microorganism aerobic fermentation technology, developed
by a research group headed by professor Chen Liqiao of the
Shanghai-based Huadong Teachers' University, has passed a technical
appraisal by experts of the Shanghai Municipal Science and
Technology Committee recently.
Experts spoke highly of the technology, saying it can remove the
odor of sewage and mud, and turn waste into resources.
Experiments by the Shanghai Sewage Water Treatment Plant show that
disposing of mud with the new technology can generate 150 yuan
(US$18.13) per ton.
Currently, China's sewage treatment plants discharge more than nine
million tons of mud annually and the figure is rising by an average
10 percent year on year.
Two methods are now used to deal with increasing urban sewage water
and mud in China: incinerating and burying underground.
(Xinhua News Agency February 20, 2005)