Lewis, Asa

Asa has over 2 years of experience with a focus on PFAS treatment in drinking water and biosolids. Asa received his PhD from Drexel University where...

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About Lewis, Asa

Asa has over 2 years of experience with a focus on PFAS treatment in drinking water and biosolids. Asa received his PhD from Drexel University where he focused on PFAS treatment, fate, and transport in the environment. At Hazen, he has helped utilities understand their PFAS contamination and develop approaches to address these issues to comply with the EPA's MCL and to help prepare management options for future regulations for PFAS in biosolids.

Lewis, Asa

Titles from this speaker

Description: Evaluation of Innovative Biosolids Management Strategies with Considerations of...

Evaluation of Innovative Biosolids Management Strategies with Considerations of Circular Water Economy

Abstract

The circular water economy optimizes water resources and minimizes waste and emissions by recycling, recovering and regeneration. Biosolids, an organic and nutrient-rich byproduct of wastewater treatment, are an important and valuable resource that can be beneficially used to support improvements to the circular water economy. However, growing challenges associated with greenhouse gas emissions, limited land and resources, contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), such as PFAS and microplastics, have begun to threaten the beneficial use of biosolids. In response to the rising challenges, a plethora of innovative biosolids management alternatives have been emerging, providing utilities new perspectives on biosolids treatment, end-use, and pathways to advance the circular water economy via beneficial co-product(s) generation, emissions control/capture, and cost reduction. To comprehensively understand the potential of innovative biosolids management alternatives in addressing these challenges, a holistic evaluation framework (Fig. 1) was developed. The framework encompasses environmental impacts, social impacts, cost-effectiveness, as well as integrability into the circular water economy through the sustainable management of end-products. This presentation will provide valuable and practical information to utilities including: 1) definition, function, and level of readiness of innovative biosolids treatment technologies and 2) a holistic evaluation framework developed to screen innovative technologies for implementation, featuring end-product evaluations. The presentation will inform utilities of innovative solutions to rising wastewater treatment challenges, offer insights to different end-products from innovative technologies, and provide an adaptable tool that utilities can use to select suitable, practical, and sustainable innovative technology(ies) for implementation. This project is funded by the Water Research Foundation (WRF 5169). Innovative Biosolids Treatment Technologies The comprehensive evaluation gathered information from 140 references, including published literature (focused on peer-reviewed literature), gray literature (information from vendors, including WRF's TechLink), information from associations, and responses from a distributed online survey. Technologies captured from the comprehensive search were required to provide at least one of the following benefits compared to established technologies to be considered as 'innovative technology': - Reduce biosolids quantity. - Improve end-product quality. - Enhance energy generation. - Reduce GHG emissions. - Address concerns on emerging contaminants. The findings from this initial evaluation were screened to determine whether the technology is classified as 'innovative,' in alignment with the definition developed by the EPA (2006), where at least one of the following categories must be met by the technology: - Tested at a full-scale demonstration site in this country. - Available and implemented in the United States (U.S.) for less than 5 years. - There is some degree of initial use. - Established technologies overseas with some degree of initial use in the U.S. Within the technology capture, there were 36 innovative treatment technologies identified. The technologies are grouped under several unit operations; thermal conversions, stabilization, thickening, dewatering, drying, and other innovative processes. The results from this evaluation will be presented on an interactive dashboard accessible to utilities and other interested parties. Holistic Evaluation Framework for Innovative Treatment Technologies The framework embraces end-product evaluation, technical capabilities, operation and maintenance requirements, social impacts, regulatory performance, and environmental impacts. The viability of end product biosolids and their co-products, such as energy content, plays a key role in closing the unsustainable loop of resource release to the environment. To this end, end-products are evaluated through the lenses of waste diversion, materials cycling and their benefit predominantly in the natural environment in comparison to the traditional management of biosolids. Key considerations of end-product evaluation are their inherent values, cost recovery potential, market viability, and destruction of CECs. Inherent value reflects the value of constituents in the end-products, such as nutrients and organic matter, and the indirect value of their use (e.g. energy content, carbon offset generation potential). Aggregated inherent values are not indicative of the market value of residuals, but are rather an indication of potential market access and suitability for beneficial use. Management fees and potential market values present opportunities for cost recovery which is typically not available to the baseline product of dewatered biosolids. The values are estimated based on the project team's experience, reports from US contractors, reports from technology vendors, or professional opinion. Figures 2 and 3 present an example result of inherent value and cost recovery potential of the end-products of innovative thermal conversion technologies. The range of beneficial constituents inherent within these residuals will influence market access. Residual products are assessed for their suitability for a range of traditional and innovative markets. Market suitability was assessed on a scale of 0-1 (with 0 being no suitability/access and 1 being full access) based on the project team's experience, industry knowledge, and academic trials and reporting. The environmental impacts of innovative technologies are quantified through energy demand and the greenhouse gas emission during the operation of technology as well as the application of its end-products. Technical performance, operational and maintenance requirements provide information on the robustness, consistency, and scaling flexibility of innovative technologies, helping utilities assess the potential staffing and operating requirements. Social impacts are also included in the evaluation framework, accounting for public opinion and nuisance risks such as odor and noise. The weights of evaluation categories and criteria represent the relative importance of each one and serve as channels to incorporate stakeholders' opinion. The weights are determined based on utilities, project advisory committee, and other stakeholders. Conclusion This project aims to assist utilities in understanding the cross-section and applicability of innovative and sustainable technologies that can fit into a circular water economy, while also meeting the current pressures being faced by the biosolids management community. This presentation will provide practical information on emerging solutions to the challenges in biosolids management and share tools that utilities can use to select options to meet their unique needs.

This paper was presented at the WEF Residuals and Biosolids Conference, June 18-21, 2024.

SpeakerSun, Yian

Presentation time

13:30:00

14:00:00

Session time

13:30:00

15:00:00

SessionLand Application

Session number17

Session locationOklahoma City Convention Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

TopicCircular Economy, Innovative Technology, Research

Author(s)

Sun, Yian

Author(s)Y. Sun1, C. Evans2, M. Teshima2, A. Lewis1, D. Dursun1, M. Abu-Orf M. Blate1

Author affiliation(s)Hazen and Sawyer 1; Sylvis 2; Sylvis 2; Hazen and Sawyer 1; Hazen and Sawyer 1; Hazen and Sawyer1; Hazen and Sawyer1;

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Jun 2024

DOI10.2175/193864718825159442

Volume / Issue

Content sourceResiduals and Biosolids Conference

Word count13

Market Value for Various Biosolids Products from Innovative Biosolids Technologies (WRF Project #5169)

Abstract

...Introduction: Biosolids are an organic and nutrient-rich product that are an important and valuable resource than can be used beneficially to support the advancement of the circular water economy. However, the market for the beneficial use of biosolids has been increasing challenged by concerns regarding high cost and limited land application opportunities, public perception, and contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs), such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl acids (PFAS) and microplastics. In response to these rising challenges, a range of innovative biosolids management alternatives have been emerging that can help utilities overcome some of these challenges. To comprehensively understand the potential of innovative biosolids management alternatives to address these challenges, a holistic evaluation framework (...Figure 1) was developed. ...Objective: The information presented provides valuable and practical information to utilities including: 1) definition, function, and level of readiness of innovative biosolids treatment technologies and 2) a market assessment and value of the various end products identified through the technology screening. The proposed presentation will inform utilities of emerging technologies to address specific challenges, offer insight to different end-products from innovative technologies, and provide an assessment of diverse end-products from an aggregated dollar value perspective. ...Status: The project is funded by the Water Research Foundation (WRF 5169) and will produce an adaptable tool that utilities can use to select suitable, practical, and sustainable innovative technologies for implementation. The project is ongoing and will be completed the second half of 2024. Three of the six tasks have been completed. ...Methodology: The comprehensive technology review and evaluation gathered information from more than 140 references, including published literature (focused on peer-reviewed literature), gray literature (information from vendors, including WRF's TechLink), information from various associations, and responses from an online survey. Once the initial number of innovative technologies was compiled, several screenings were conducted to determine applicability and if it would advance to further evaluation. Technologies captured from the comprehensive search were required to provide at least one of the following benefits compared to established technologies to be considered as 'innovative technology.'

*Reduce biosolids quantity.

*Improve end-product quality.

*Enhance energy generation.

*Reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

*Reduce emerging contaminants. The findings from the initial evaluation were then screened to determine whether the technology is classified as 'innovative,' in alignment with the definition developed by the EPA (1). The innovative biosolids management technologies identified produce a variety of valuable products. To assess the markets for these products, an evaluation was conducted comparing the value of these end products to a standard of Class A/EQ dewatered cake. The suite of end products evaluated is presented in Table 1. Information was gathered from various sources including scientific journal articles, industry reports, technology vendors, characterization data, and professional experience. End-products, including a baseline product of Class A/EQ dewatered cake, were assessed on the following categories:

*Inherent Value

*Market Suitability / Access

*Cost of Management / Market Value

*Contaminants of Emerging Concern Removal ...Findings Following the initial screening 35 technologies met the defined criteria for innovation, seen in ...Table 2. The results from this evaluation will be presented on an accessible interactive dashboard for utilities and other interested parties (...Figure 2). The presented information will include definitions, fact sheets, benefits to existing technologies and more. The innovative technologies identified resulted in a variety of end products that were further evaluated in the context of the existing market. To contextualize the value of the various end products, they were evaluated from a cost perspective, specifically aggregated dollar value of nutrients and carbon, shown in ...Figure 3. On a per-dry ton basis, biochar and struvite have the highest inherent value (...Figure 3), and biochar has value in the greatest number of constituents/properties, suggesting a relatively wider market applicability. Market access (...Table 3), which is based on professional opinion/experience, assigns a score of 0 (low access) to 1 (high access) and supports the assertion that biochar has wide market access. The 'net market benefit' (...Figure 4) equals the market access score multiplied by the average cost of management and expresses the potential for cost recovery. The results of the market evaluation clearly show the positive net market benefit of end products from innovative biosolids management technologies in comparison to the baseline Class A/EQ biosolids. Each end product greatly reduces costs to the utility compared to Class A/EQ biosolids, and often even had potential to bring revenue to the utility. The identified innovative biosolids treatment technologies can diversify end product outlets by providing a wider range of accessible markets.

The information presented aims to provides valuable and practical information to utilities through a market assessment and valuation of the various end-products identified through the technology screening. The results will inform utilities of emerging technologies to address specific challenges, offer insight to different end-products from innovative technologies, and provide an assessment of end-products from an aggregated dollar value perspective.

SpeakerLewis, Asa

Presentation time

16:00:00

16:30:00

Session time

15:30:00

17:00:00

SessionPFAS in Biosolids: Remove and Track it

Session number417

Session locationRoom 238

TopicBiosolids and Residuals, Intermediate Level, PFAS

Author(s)

Lewis, Asa, Evans, Christian, Teshima, Mark, Sun, Yian, Abu-Orf, Mohammad, Knowles, Paul, Higgins, Matthew, Blate, Micah

Author(s)A. Lewis1, C. Evans2, M. Teshima2, Y. Sun3, M.M. Abu-Orf1, P. Knowles4, M.J. Higgins5, M.D. Blate1

Author affiliation(s)1Hazen and Sawyer, PA, 2Sylvis Environmental, BC, 2, 3Hazen and Sawyer, CA, 4Hazen & Sawyer, NY, 5Bucknell University, PA

SourceProceedings of the Water Environment Federation

Document typeConference Paper

PublisherWater Environment Federation

Print publication date Oct 2024

DOI10.2175/193864718825159578

Volume / Issue

Content sourceWEFTEC

Word count14

Base text size -

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