In the state of Georgia, of the wastewater treatment facilities that were required by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) to report their biosolids production in 2021, 56% sent their biosolids to landfills releasing carbon dioxide. The reduction of carbon dioxide across the state is paramount for the mitigation of climate change impacts. As the tipping fees increase for high moisture content waste (HMCW) and the risks associated with landfilling intensify, it is essential to explore better disposal methods. A linear programming approach is applied to wastewater treatment facilities across the state to optimize the use of potential biosolids disposal sites including landfills and compost facilities. The initial results of the model indicate a reduction of 46,076.11 tons of carbon dioxide if 33 US EPA-regulated wastewater treatment facilities were to send their biosolids to compost facilities instead of landfills.
