Use of sewage sludge in the recovery of degraded areas in the federal district

Abstract

The high volume of sewage sludge (biosolid) produced at Distrito Federal needs efficient and correct destination. Degraded areas by mine activities can cause erosion process at nearby sites or can be used for illegal waste deposits. Therefore, these relevant problems can be solved by the use of biosolid to recover those degraded areas. The objective of this paper was to present the partial results of the use of biosolid on the reclamation process of a degraded area in Distrito Federal. The surface of the area was planned and terraces were constructed. Afterwards, it was realized a mechanized distribution and incorporation of approximately 10 thousand tons of  biosolid, humid basis, between March and May 2007. It wasn’t planted any vegetal species. Costs of the process were evaluated, as well as visual response of the revegetated area. It wasspent almost R$39/ton of biosolid, humid basis, of which an amount of 60% represents the transport only. A significant and spontaneous development of plants were identified, both in visual and spectral responses. Biosolid may have significantly contributed to the natural, spontaneous and fast process of revegetation. Thereby, this alternative of use of biosolid has shown its efficiency and economic vantage against other destination, although, further researches might be done.