Municipal sludge disposal emerges as a major, hidden, and rapidly growing atmospheric mercury source.

Municipal sludge disposal in China emitted [Formula: see text] Mg of atmospheric mercury in 2024, exceeding 10% of national anthropogenic emissions and ranking third.

• Why it matters: Wastewater treatment lowers mercury in water but leaves ongoing atmospheric inputs largely unaccounted for, creating a hidden gap in pollution budgets.
• What they did: The study quantified mercury emissions from sludge disposal in China and analyzed how emissions changed since the 1970s and where they concentrate across urban areas.
• The result: Emissions rose nearly a thousandfold since the 1970s and are linked to rapid growth of sludge incineration, codisposal, and composting, informing UNEP and Minamata assessments.

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