The minimum potential CI of these tailored designs was estimated to be between -64.5-339 kg CO2eq•tonne -1 COD removed for fluidized bed designs (Figure ) and between -22.9-510 kg CO2eq•tonne -1 COD removed for packed bed designs (Figure ). In comparison, centralized WRRFs (> 10,000 population equivalent) using a conventional activated sludge process have been estimated to consume 0.79-1.07 kWh electricity per kg COD removed on average, which translates to a CI of 348-471 kg CO2eq•tonne -1 COD removed under identical assumptions of grid electricity carbon intensity. Additionally, onsite fugitive emissions of CH4 from the centralized WRRFs (using aerobic treatment) account for another (roughly) 210 kg CO2eq•tonne -1 COD removed. This suggests encapsulated anaerobic systems with design optimization have the potential to consistently provide distributed COD removal at a lower CI than average centralized WRRFs. Moreover, with improvements in critical technological parameters, both systems could potentially be deployed and operated with a negative CI at small-or mediumsized industries where more traditional technologies, such as UASBs, might be infeasible. The LCs were estimated to be 151-1,950 USD•tonne -1 COD removed with fluidized beds and 426-2,329 USD•tonne -1 COD removed with packed beds. The low values within these ranges are similar to or less than charges incurred by discharging to a centralized WRRF (e.g., 322-1,340 USD•tonne -1 COD discharged ). This means for small-or medium-size industries, onsite deployment of this technology also has a chance be more financially desirable than directly discharging high-strength wastewater to a centralized WRRF.