Methane Biofilter

The wastewater treatment process can actually contribute to your carbon footprint. In Ireland, approximately one-third of domestic wastewater is treated by on-site domestic wastewater treatment systems (OSWTSs), which typically release 10 kg-CO2eq/year/person GHG emission. These emissions include 63% carbon dioxide (CO₂) and 27% methane (CH₄), with CH₄ being the second most significant contributor (28%) to greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland. Unfortunately, the diluted CH₄ stream produced in low-purity (~5%) streams cannot be recovered using existing physical-chemical treatments or burned off, and can easily escape into the environment.

To address this issue, a proposed project will develop a sustainable passive CH4 biofiltration solution to mitigate CH4 emissions from OSWTS. By implementing this solution, we can reduce the impact of domestic wastewater treatment on our environment and contribute to a more sustainable future.  The goal of this project is to develop and implement this solution to reduce Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions and contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG13. This project is financial support by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).