Wastewater plants’ greenhouse gas emissions far exceed estimates, US study finds
AI Article Summary
A Princeton-led study found that U.S. wastewater treatment plants emit nearly twice as much greenhouse gas as previously estimated, with significant emissions of methane and nitrous oxide. These emissions account for notable percentages of U.S. methane and nitrous oxide outputs. While most emissions are from a small number of plants, targeted improvements could reduce overall pollution. The study utilized a mobile lab to measure emissions across various facilities.
What This Means for Canadian Contractors
For Canadian builders, this means that updating or building wastewater treatment facilities may require more stringent environmental assessments and potentially more innovative emission reduction technologies. It highlights the importance of targeting high-emission facilities to maximize the impact of improvements. Moreover, this could influence funding opportunities for projects that integrate renewable energy solutions to capture and utilize methane from wastewater plants.
