A team of scientists from Columbia University has found evidence that emissions of nitrous oxide from wastewater treatment plants may be significantly higher than previous estimates. Nitrous oxide is a powerful greenhouse gas that is almost 300 times stronger than carbon dioxide. As for the good news, the team also found indications that much of the problem could be resolved by tweaking operations at existing plants and introducing more efficient design standards in new plants, rather than developing expensive new technology.
The Columbia study provides some insight into the potential for making significant but relatively inexpensive cuts in greenhouse gas emissions by working within existing infrastructure and technology. It also illustrates the key role that accurate measurement plays in targeting resources to achieve the biggest bang for the greenhouse gas reduction buck. In doing so, the study supports the logic behind the U.S. EPA’s recent proposal to expand its new greenhouse gas reporting rules.