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Characteristics of sewage sludge and its potential applications in the construction industry: a review

The treatment of wastewater in sewage treatment plants results in a by-product called sewage sludge. Sewage sludge has limited practical applications and hence its disposal is becoming a major environmental problem around the world. Over the years, sewage sludge has been used to recover energy, heavy metals and in agriculture after undergoing various treatment processes. In recent times, sewage sludge is being used in the construction industry to reduce the exploitation of natural resources. Based on the previously published research articles, treated sewage sludge has been used as lightweight coarse aggregate, as a pozzolanic material, in the manufacturing of cement and also in the production of bricks and cement blocks respectively. The applications are economically viable and help in the effective disposal of sewage sludge. Therefore, a critical review of the potential application of sewage sludge in the construction industry is presented in this article.