Agricultural and environmental authorities have been overwhelmed with work as a result of the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak. However, the authorities responsible for performing a critical function — sewage treatment — seem to have been overlooked.
In other countries where sewage systems are widespread, the common practice is to grind up kitchen waste and flush it into the sewage system, where it is ultimately treated at wastewater treatment plants.
In the past, the coverage rate of Taiwan’s sewers was quite low. If kitchen waste was poured directly down the drain, the pipes would soon become clogged — this is especially true because kitchen waste in Taiwan tends to contain significant amounts of grease, which can exacerbate clogging. Public kitchen waste recycling was implemented to help reduce the burden on the sewage system. Now that problems have arisen in the disposal of kitchen waste, sewage authorities should step in to assist environmental agencies in addressing these difficulties.
When China reported its first ASF outbreak seven years ago, the Executive Yuan approved the sixth phase of its sewage system construction plan, which included an emergency plan for public wastewater treatment plants to assist with kitchen waste treatment as part of epidemic prevention efforts.
The plan called for installing dedicated anaerobic digestion tanks within wastewater treatment plants specifically for kitchen waste, in addition to using pre-existing sewage sludge digestion systems to digest kitchen waste. Unfortunately, , the progress of such efforts is still too slow to address the urgent need. Disposing of kitchen waste via incineration or landfills should be regarded as temporary emergency measures — not long-term solutions.
Sludge digestion systems at wastewater treatment plants have spare capacity of more than 30 percent — more than enough to accommodate excess kitchen waste. Considering the properties of kitchen waste and sewage sludge, combining them could buffer biological fermentation, enhance the efficiency of biodegradation and increase the production of biogas as a form of green energy — all without requiring too much additional equipment.
Digesting kitchen waste within sewage treatment systems is a technically feasible measure that could be implemented immediately. It is likely the most effective solution available.
Chen Wen-ching works in environmental services.
Translated by Kyra Gustavsen
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