Drones Reveal Swedish Wastewater Plants Emit 2.5 Times More Greenhouse Gases Than Expected
A new study using drones found methane and nitrous oxide emissions from Swedish wastewater treatment plants are about 2.5 times higher than IPCC estimates, highlighting significant underestimations.
- • Swedish wastewater treatment plants emit 2.5 times more methane and nitrous oxide than IPCC estimated.
- • Custom-built drones with specialized sensors measured emissions from twelve treatment plants.
- • Emissions mainly occur during the storage of digested sludge before reuse as fertilizer.
- • Researchers emphasize these facilities are not environmental offenders but lack precise monitoring tools.
Key details
Researchers at Linköping University have uncovered that Swedish wastewater treatment plants release much higher levels of methane and nitrous oxide than previous estimates suggested. Using custom-built drones equipped with specialized sensors, the team measured emissions from twelve wastewater treatment facilities employing sludge digestion for biogas production. Their findings revealed that the emissions were approximately 2.5 times greater than the figures provided by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The study, led by Professor David Bastviken and docent Magnus Gålfalk, emphasizes the significant underestimation of greenhouse gas emissions associated with wastewater treatment plants. According to the IPCC, such plants account for around 5% of human-caused methane and nitrous oxide emissions globally. However, the new data suggest that actual emissions from Swedish plants are considerably higher.
This innovative drone-based approach enables accurate monitoring over large areas, offering treatment plants the tools necessary to better manage and reduce their emissions. The majority of the emissions occur during the storage of digested sludge, a process designed to minimize harmful microorganisms before the sludge is reused as fertilizer.
Professor Bastviken highlighted that these facilities should not be viewed as environmental offenders, noting they are actively working to curb emissions but have lacked precise measurement data until now. The research aims to provide improved monitoring capabilities, enabling more effective greenhouse gas mitigation strategies at these treatment plants.
Overall, this discovery underscores the need to revisit existing greenhouse gas inventories and adopt advanced technologies for more accurate environmental assessments, which could influence future climate policies related to wastewater management in Sweden and beyond.