China’s “Dual Carbon” initiative necessitates a green transformation in urban sludge management, where conventional dewatering is hindered by high residual moisture and energy consumption, severely limiting volume reduction and resource recovery. This paper investigates an upgraded technological pathway centered on the Advanced Ultra-High Pressure (A-UHP) belt filter press. The A-UHP technology reduces sludge moisture from a conventional 70-80% to below 40%, achieving significant source reduction, while an integrated PLC system optimizes operational efficiency by minimizing energy and chemical inputs. This deep dewatering process enhances the cake’s calorific value, enabling its valorization as a fuel for incineration, a feedstock for cement kilns, or a component in construction materials. This establishes a new management paradigm of “source reduction—process optimization—resource empowerment.” A comprehensive assessment confirms the pathway’s significant economic, environmental, and social benefits, highlighting its potential for synergistic pollution and carbon reduction. The paper concludes by analyzing implementation challenges and proposing policy recommendations to guide the high-quality development of sludge management in China.

Lijuan Xie, Tao Chen, Weizhen Fan, Guihua Li. An Upgraded Technological Pathway for Urban Sludge Management under China’s Dual Carbon Goals: A Case Study of Advanced Ultra-High Pressure Belt Filter Press Technology. Academic Journal of Environment & Earth Science (2025), Vol. 7, Issue 4: 95-100. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJEE.2025.070412.

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