Partnering with the North East Biosolids and Residuals Association (NEBRA)’s Research Committee, NEIWPCC is launching a six-part Reimagining Residuals: Innovations, Impacts and Insights Webinar Series in July. The series spotlights the technologies shaping the future of sludge and biosolids management, and will cover established approaches like dewatering and drying to emerging and early-stage innovations. Residuals, which include both sludge and biosolids, are organic solid, semi-solid, or liquid by-products removed from wastewater during the treatment process.
Led by researchers and industry experts, each webinar will combine a strong technical foundation with real-world insights. Sessions will introduce the core principles behind each technology, showcase utilities that have piloted or implemented these solutions, and provide attendees with standardized reference materials and known vendors for select technologies. The series will also highlight future research needs and opportunities for innovation.
Designed for a broad professional audience — including utility managers, operators, regulators, consultants, design engineers, environmental groups, science reporters, university faculty, and students — the series offers an opportunity to stay current on rapidly evolving residuals technologies. Training contact hours (TCHs) and professional development hours (PDHs) credits will be available for each session. All webinars are held from 2-3:30 p.m. EDT and cost $40. Registration is available on the NEIWPCC website.
The Reimaging Residuals Webinar Series includes:
July 15: Dewatering Technologies
The first installment will explore mature dewatering technologies that are critical for volume reduction in order to control costs and liability concerns. Technologies covered will include centrifuges and common press types, like the screw and belt filter presses. York (Maine) Sewer District and Montague (Massachusetts) Clean Water Facility will present case studies on screw and volute presses.
July 29: Drying Technologies
Drying technologies are an important first step to implementing technologies for removal and destruction of PFAS and other emerging contaminants from biosolids. Presenters will discuss a variety of commonly used dryers, including drum, paddle, and belt dryers, among others. Synagro and Middlesex County Utilities Authority (New Jersey) will present case studies on rotary drum and thin film dryers.
August 12: Digestion Technologies
Digestion technologiesare important for resource recovery from biosolids. Presenters will highlight innovative approaches to digestion and discuss a variety of technologies including, but not limited to, anaerobic, thermophilic, and acid phase digestion. Lewiston Auburn (Maine) Clean Water and the city of Nashua, New Hampshire will share digestion case studies.
August 26: Incineration, Pyrolysis, and Gasification
This webinar will cover thermal conversion technologies that have the potential to help manage PFAS and emerging contaminants in biosolids. Presenters will review the characteristics of pyrolysis, gasification, and incineration. Case studies from Denmark and the Metropolitan District Commission (Connecticut) will detail uses of incineration and pyrolysis.
September 16: Hydrothermal Liquefaction, Super Critical Water Oxidation, and Deep Well Injection
Thermal conversion technologies have the potential to help manage PFAS and emerging contaminants in biosolids. During this webinar, presenters will review the considerations of hydrothermal liquefaction, super critical water oxidation (SCWO), and deep-well injection. Case studies will explore uses of SCWO and deep-well injection in Orlando (Florida) and Los Angeles (California).
October 7: Embryonic Stage Technologies
New and evolving technologies have the potential to help manage PFAS and emerging contaminants in biosolids. The presenters will explain novel treatment innovations including hydrothermal alkaline treatment (HALT), plasma destruction, and electrochemical treatment.