Effect of food waste co-digestion on the quality of the digested sludge and leachate parameters

Abstract

Co-digestion of sewage sludge with other wastes allows a significant increase in energy production from fermentation gas, at the expense of a potential increase in the mass of sludge to be disposed of and the nitrogen load in the leachate. The paper presents the results of research on the co-digestion of sewage sludge with used frying oil and restaurant waste. The resulting increase in gas volume production was significant (60 and 45%, respectively) with virtually no increase in digester sludge mass. The capillary suction time tests showed no effect of co-digestion on the filtration properties of the digested sludge.