IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v12y2020i9p3686-d353396.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Directions and Challenges in the Management of Municipal Sewage Sludge in Poland in the Context of the Circular Economy

Author

Listed:
  • Ksymena Rosiek

    (Department of Industrial and Environmental Policy, Cracow University of Economics, 27 Rakowicka Street, 31–510 Krakow, Poland)

Abstract

Landfilling was the main method of sewage sludge disposal in Poland for decades. After Poland’s accession to the European Union (EU), many investments have been made into providing better access to tap water as well as to collect and treat municipal sewage. However, sewage sludge treatment has not been treated as an integral part of the implementation of wastewater management obligations. Stricter European Union regulations regarding the management of municipal sewage sludge (MSS) pose new challenges for Poland. The aim of this study was to analyze changes in the direction of the final management of municipal sewage sludge in Poland based on the analysis of strategic documents, regulations, literature, and available statistical data. The aim of the analysis was to search for directions to modify how sewage sludge is managed, given the approach promoted by the circular economy concept. The results prove that investments in wastewater treatment plants according to the EU sewage directive are not applied to the development of infrastructure that would enable the disposal of sewage sludge, which, for many years, has been stored (landfilling) or used directly in agriculture and ground reclamation. The introduction of stricter regulations in the area of sewage sludge usage and better wastewater treatment have increased the level of difficulties concerning sewage sludge management. Poland faces the challenge of defining sewage sludge management directions. The circular economy concept offers an approach that can be the basis for the creation of a new sewage sludge management strategy for Poland. The concept allows the combined goals of sewage sludge disposal and of energy and nutrients recovery to be achieved.

Suggested Citation

  • Ksymena Rosiek, 2020. "Directions and Challenges in the Management of Municipal Sewage Sludge in Poland in the Context of the Circular Economy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-28, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3686-:d:353396
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3686/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/9/3686/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Walter R. Stahel, 2016. "The circular economy," Nature, Nature, vol. 531(7595), pages 435-438, March.
    2. Considine, Timothy J. & Larson, Donald F., 2006. "The environment as a factor of production," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 52(3), pages 645-662, November.
    3. Leontief, Wassily, 1991. "The economy as a circular flow," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 2(1), pages 181-212, June.
    4. Walter R. Stahel, 2010. "The Performance Economy," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 2, number 978-0-230-27490-7, September.
    5. Walter R. Stahel, 2010. "The Performance Economy," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, edition 0, number 978-0-230-28884-3, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bachev, Hrabrin & Ivanov, Bozhidar, 2021. "Подход За Оценка На Ефектите, Ефективността И Факторите На Оползотворяване На Утайки В Селското Стопанство На България [A framework for assessing the effects, efficiency, and factors of sludge util," MPRA Paper 109723, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2023. "Оценка На Институционалната Структура На Оползотворяване На Утайки От Псов В Българското Земеделие [Assessment of the institutional structure of sludge utilization in Bulgarian agriculture]," MPRA Paper 118309, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Bachev, Hrabrin, 2023. "Institutional structure of the agricultural utilization of sludge from wastewater treatment plants in Bulgaria," MPRA Paper 118416, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    4. Sabina Kordana-Obuch & Michał Wojtoń & Mariusz Starzec & Beata Piotrowska, 2023. "Opportunities and Challenges for Research on Heat Recovery from Wastewater: Bibliometric and Strategic Analyses," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-36, September.
    5. Bachev, Hrabrin & Ivanov, Bojidar, 2021. "Оползотворяване На Утайки В Селското Стопанство На България [Utilization of sludge in Bulgarian agriculture]," MPRA Paper 109606, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Bachev, Hrabrin & Ivanov, Bozhidar, 2021. "Efficiency and factors for agricultural use of sludge in the circular Bulgarian economy," MPRA Paper 109783, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. David Palma-Heredia & Manel Poch & Miquel À. Cugueró-Escofet, 2020. "Implementation of a Decision Support System for Sewage Sludge Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-18, October.
    8. Marzena Smol & Paulina Marcinek & Eugeniusz Koda, 2021. "Drivers and Barriers for a Circular Economy (CE) Implementation in Poland—A Case Study of Raw Materials Recovery Sector," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-19, April.
    9. Jolita Kruopienė & Miglė Žiukaitė, 2022. "Situation Analysis and the Potential for Circularity of the Wastewater Sector in Lithuania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-21, April.
    10. Ewa Wiśniowska & Mariusz Kowalczyk, 2022. "Recovery of Cellulose, Extracellular Polymeric Substances and Microplastics from Sewage Sludge: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-11, October.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Doussoulin, Jean Pierre & Bittencourt, Mariana, 2022. "How effective is the construction sector in promoting the circular economy in Brazil and France? : A waste input-output analysis," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 47-58.
    2. Millar, Neal & McLaughlin, Eoin & Börger, Tobias, 2019. "The Circular Economy: Swings and Roundabouts?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 11-19.
    3. Erik G. Hansen & Ferdinand Revellio, 2020. "Circular value creation architectures: Make, ally, buy, or laissez‐faire," Journal of Industrial Ecology, Yale University, vol. 24(6), pages 1250-1273, December.
    4. Anne P. M. Velenturf, 2021. "A Framework and Baseline for the Integration of a Sustainable Circular Economy in Offshore Wind," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-41, September.
    5. Claudia Diana Sabău-Popa & Alexandra Maria Bele & Anca Otilia Dodescu & Marcel Ioan Boloș, 2022. "How Does the Circular Economy Applied in the European Union Support Sustainable Economic Development?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-16, August.
    6. Marco Pesce & Ilaria Tamai & Deyan Guo & Andrea Critto & Daniele Brombal & Xiaohui Wang & Hongguang Cheng & Antonio Marcomini, 2020. "Circular Economy in China: Translating Principles into Practice," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-31, January.
    7. Ghinoi, Stefano & Silvestri, Francesco & Steiner, Bodo, 2020. "The role of local stakeholders in disseminating knowledge for supporting the circular economy: a network analysis approach," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    8. Enric Camón Luis & Dolors Celma, 2020. "Circular Economy. A Review and Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-23, August.
    9. Manal Hamam & Gaetano Chinnici & Giuseppe Di Vita & Gioacchino Pappalardo & Biagio Pecorino & Giulia Maesano & Mario D’Amico, 2021. "Circular Economy Models in Agro-Food Systems: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-18, March.
    10. Junghee Han & Almas Heshmati & Masoomeh Rashidghalam, 2020. "Circular Economy Business Models with a Focus on Servitization," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-17, October.
    11. Mariale Moreno & Carolina De los Rios & Zoe Rowe & Fiona Charnley, 2016. "A Conceptual Framework for Circular Design," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(9), pages 1-15, September.
    12. Jing Shao, 2019. "Sustainable consumption in China: New trends and research interests," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(8), pages 1507-1517, December.
    13. Alessio Franconi & Fabrizio Ceschin & David Peck, 2022. "Structuring Circular Objectives and Design Strategies for the Circular Economy: A Multi-Hierarchical Theoretical Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-26, July.
    14. Knošková Ľubica, 2020. "Circular Design and Consumer Involvement in Circular Economy," Studia Commercialia Bratislavensia, Sciendo, vol. 13(43), pages 25-34, March.
    15. Luigi Fusco Girard & Marilena Vecco, 2021. "The “Intrinsic Value” of Cultural Heritage as Driver for Circular Human-Centered Adaptive Reuse," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-28, March.
    16. Marina P. P. Pieroni & Tim C. McAloone & Daniela C. A. Pigosso, 2019. "Configuring New Business Models for Circular Economy through Product–Service Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-22, July.
    17. Isabel Mendes, 2020. "The Circular Economy: an Ancient Term that Became Polysemic," Working Papers Department of Economics 2020/02, ISEG - Lisbon School of Economics and Management, Department of Economics, Universidade de Lisboa.
    18. Korhonen, Jouni & Honkasalo, Antero & Seppälä, Jyri, 2018. "Circular Economy: The Concept and its Limitations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 37-46.
    19. Ke Xing & Ki Pyung Kim & David Ness, 2020. "Cloud-BIM Enabled Cyber-Physical Data and Service Platforms for Building Component Reuse," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-22, December.
    20. Daniela M. Salvioni & Alex Almici, 2020. "Transitioning Toward a Circular Economy: The Impact of Stakeholder Engagement on Sustainability Culture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-30, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:9:p:3686-:d:353396. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.