Sewage sludge treatment and disposal are related to climate change. Composting is the oldest and most natural form of recycling organic material. Carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (NO_x) are all by-products of the composting process. These three greenhouse gases contribute to global warming by absorbing radiation emitted by the earth. When the natural breakdown of organic materials is happening under optimum conditions, it produces primarily carbon dioxide, water vapour and heat. When the process is unbalanced in some way, other gases begin to be produced, some of which have objectionable odours (NH₃). Odour and greenhouse gases management, then, is one of the primary motivators for optimizing our composting process. The article deals with composting sewage sludge from the experimental results of the investigation of CH₄ and NH₃.

Article in Lithuanian