Which term is commonly used to refer to treated waste in wastewater management?

In wastewater management, the term commonly used to refer to treated waste is "biosolids." Biosolids are the nutrient-rich organic materials that result from the treatment of sewage in a wastewater treatment plant. After the wastewater has undergone treatment processes, which can include physical, biological, and chemical methods, the remaining solids are stabilized to create biosolids that are safe and beneficial for land application, helping to improve soil quality and fertility.

In contrast, sludge refers to the solids that settle at the bottom of treatment tanks before they are further processed into biosolids. Effluent denotes the treated liquid that is discharged from the treatment plant, whereas influent refers to the untreated wastewater entering the treatment system. Understanding these distinctions is key in wastewater management practices.