Best practice sludge management

Sludge removal from waste management ponds is a pressing issue for many piggeries.

This study reviewed the physical properties and behaviours of sludge in different types of waste management ponds in order to establish recommendations for the most effective frequency and methods of sludge removal.

Value for producers:

• Optimising sludge removal will minimise the expense of maintaining waste management ponds.
• Assists with management of biogas systems.

Recommendations:

• Removing the water and digging out the sludge with earthmoving equipment is often cheaper for ponds containing very old or thick sludge.
• Sludge management in covered anaerobic ponds being used for biogas production requires a different approach as the cover cannot be removed during operation.
• Frequent pumping of recently settled sludge from a covered pond is more effective than infrequent pumping of densely settled sludge with a solids content beyond 10 per cent.