Environmental tradeoffs in municipal wastewater treatment plant upgrade: a life cycle perspective

Municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) play an indispensable role in improving environmental water quality urban areas. Existing WWTPs, however, are important source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and may not be able to treat increasingly complicated or meet stringent standards. These WWTPs can updated address these challenges, different technologies available but with potentially implications. Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a widely used approach identify alternatives lower footprint. In this study, LCA was applied actual WWTP, considering four scenarios involving upgrading energy-resource recovery. The performance respect life GHG eutrophication impact analyzed. benefits reduced pollution energy material displacement associated recovery process were also considered. results showed tradeoffs among the scenarios. Although studied WWTP would discharge standard for total phosphorus reduce by about 19%, it increase at least 16%. Besides, mode existing (S2) performs best terms emissions. For biogas utilization methods, combined heat power (CHP) system superior method delivering grid, reduction impact. Our research provide reference plant managers select most environmentally friendly upgrade scheme technique future projects.