Sludge Treatment And Disposal Regulations Drive The Need for Sludge Treatment Equipment

Palo Alto, CA — Manufacturers in the sludge treatment equipment market closely follow both the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local regulations in order to promote safe sludge disposal. Trends such as increasing disposal costs and limits on landfilling sludge drive the demand for treatment equipment for dewatering and drying that are capable of reducing the disposed sludge volume.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, North American Sludge Treatment and Disposal Market, reveals that the market earned revenues of $409 million in 2006 and estimates this to reach $534 million in 2013.

"Legislative requirements for efficient treatment of sludge and safe sludge disposal measures expect to increasingly empower the future demand for sludge treatment equipment," says Frost & Sullivan Research Analyst Yamini Ugender. "Continued attempts to develop wastewater treatment facilities and increasingly strict regulations for safe sludge management will create a need for new as well as improved sludge treatment facilities."

The EPA and other regulatory bodies encourage the reuse and recycling of sludge, along with the recovering of energy from sludge. These organizations have also encouraged higher taxes with respect to disposal options for sludge that do not meet these criteria. Increasing sludge disposal costs and restriction of organic content in landfills will likely drive developments in sludge disposal technologies.

The sludge treatment equipment market has reached saturation, with compounded annual growth rates reaching only approximately four percent. In addition, features of this market include fewer technological advancements, lower product prices and increasing competition. Technological advancements in this market have also become less frequent owing to the reduced profit margins of various companies, which hamper the growth of the market.

"Prices that have leveled in response to increasing competition resulted in reduced profit margins," explains Ugender. "Growth opportunities in these markets will present themselves in the form of mergers and acquisitions, Class A options and identifying new end users."

Both the food and beverage manufacturing and the paper and pulp industries became the most affected by waste disposal legislations. These industries will consider sludge treatment options such as sludge digestion, which will help them generate biogas for power production. This trend ensures the future growth of the sludge treatment equipment market.

SOURCE: Frost & Sullivan