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Greenhouse Gas Emissions after Application of Landfilled Paper Mill Sludge for Land Reclamation of a Nonacidic Mine Tailings Site
Author(s) -
Faubert Patrick,
Durocher Simon,
Bertrand Normand,
Ouimet Rock,
Rochette Philippe,
Tremblay Pascal,
Boucher JeanFrançois,
Villeneuve Claude
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq2017.03.0119
Subject(s) - tailings , environmental science , greenhouse gas , tonne , land reclamation , paper mill , environmental engineering , waste management , effluent , chemistry , engineering , geology , ecology , biology , oceanography
Large areas of mine tailings are reclaimed by applying organic amendments such as paper mill sludge (PMS). Although mining industries can use PMS freshly generated by paper mills, operational constraints on paper industries make temporary landfilling of this material an unavoidable alternative for the paper industries, creating the most prominent PMS source for mining industries. This study aimed to quantify soil greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (N 2 O, CO 2 , and CH 4 ) after application of landfilled PMS (LPMS; i.e., excavated from a landfill site at a paper mill) and LPMS combined with a seeding treatment of white clover ( Trifolium repens L.) on nonacidic mine tailings site prior to reforestation. Soil N 2 O, CO 2 , and CH 4 fluxes were measured after applications of 50 and 100 Mg dry LPMS ha −1 during two consecutive snow‐free seasons on two adjacent sites; LPMS was applied once in the first season. The LPMS application increased N 2 O emissions (7.6 to 34.7 kg N 2 O‐N ha −1 , comprising 1.04 to 2.43% of applied N) compared with the unamended control during the first season; these emissions were negligible during the second season. The LPMS application increased CO 2 emissions (∼5800 to 11,400 kg CO 2 –C ha −1 , comprising 7 to 27% of applied C) compared with the unamended control on both sites and in both seasons. Fluxes of CH 4 were negligible. White clover combined with LPMS treatments did not affect soil GHG emissions. These new GHG emission factors should be integrated into life‐cycle analyses to evaluate the C footprint of potential symbioses between the mining and paper industries. Future research should focus on the effect of PMS applications on soil GHG emissions from a variety of mine tailings under various management practices and climatic conditions to plan responsible and sustainable land reclamation. Core Ideas Applied PMS for mine tailings reclamation affected GHG emissions. PMS application increased N 2 O and CO 2 emissions, whereas CH 4 fluxes were negligible. White clover combined with PMS treatments did not affect soil GHG emissions. Mine and paper industries can integrate these GHG emissions into industrial symbioses.