Challenges to Accurate Estimation of Methane Emission from Septic Tanks with Long Emptying Intervals

Abstract

Septic tanks in low- and middle-income countries are often not emptied for a long time, potentially resulting in poor pollutant removal efficiency and increased greenhouse gas emissions, including methane (CH₄). We examined the impact of long emptying intervals (4.0–23 years) on the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) removal efficiency of 15 blackwater septic tanks and the CH₄ emission rates of 23 blackwater septic tanks in Hanoi. The average BOD removal efficiency was 37% (−2–65%), and the average CH₄ emission rate was 10.9 (2.2–26.8) g/(cap·d). The emptying intervals were strongly negatively correlated with BOD removal efficiency (R = −0.676, p = 0.006) and positively correlated with CH₄ emission rates (R = 0.614, p = 0.001). CH₄ emission rates were positively correlated with sludge depth (R = 0.596, p = 0.002), but against expectation, negatively correlated with BOD removal efficiency (R = −0.219, p = 0.451). These results suggest that shortening the emptying interval improves the BOD removal efficiency and reduces the CH₄ emission rate. Moreover, the CH₄ emission estimation of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which is a positive conversion of BOD removal, might be inaccurate for septic tanks with long emptying intervals. Our findings suggest that emptying intervals, sludge depth, and per-capita emission factors reflecting long emptying intervals are potential parameters for accurately estimating CH₄ emissions from septic tanks.