Strong　wastewater　from　the　animal　breeding　industry　threatens　the　environmental　and　human　health,　while　the　widely　used　anaerobic　digestion　treatment　is　insufficient.　To　achieve　the　reclamation　and　reuse　of　the　effluent　containing　an　excessively　high　amount　of　nutrients　(N,　P　and　K)　and　a　certain　extent　of　biochemical　oxygen　demand　(BOD),　an　original　CO2-enhanced　natural　treatment　system　was　put　forward,　which　was　composed　of　trickling　filter　and　soil-plant　units　installed　inside　an　elaborate　greenhouse　with　an　elevated　CO2　concentration.　On　the　basis　of　previous　feasibility　studies,　an　investigation　on　the　system＇s　limitations　and　potential　were　carried　out　for　further　optimisation,　in　which　red　ball　earth-Kentucky　bluegrass　column　tests　were　conducted　at　the　recommended　CO2　concentration　of　1,400　ppm　for　two　specific　scenarios,　i.e.　high　BOD　concentration　and　increasing　hydraulic　and　nutrient　loading　rates.　N　is　the　most　critical　factor　determining　the　effect　and　efficiency　of　the　system,　and　results　confirmed　that,　to　establish　a　satisfactory　nitrification　function　in　the　soil　for　N　removal,　adequate　BOD　reduction　prior　to　land　application　was　indispensable.　Optimal　operational　strategies　and　parameters,　as　well　as　design　information　for　scale-up,　are　also　discussed.　By　means　of　nutrient　balance　approximation,　the　system＇s　significant　capabilities　of　removing　and　recovering　waterborne　nutrients　are　further　presented,　specifically　complete　removal　of　both　N　and　P,　and　8%,　18%　and　18%　recovery　rates　for　N,　P　and　K,　respectively.　Meanwhile,　carbon　balance　analysis　reveals　its　potential　for　substantially　reducing　greenhouse　gas　emission,　as　9%　of　the　input　waterborne　C　is　sequestrated　for　establishing　plant　biomass　and　maintaining　greenhouse　CO2　concentration　at　the　designated　level.　More　importantly,　the　above　are　realised　in　a　highly　profitable　manner,　as　the　value　of　the　high-quality　turf　product　can　be　an　order　of　magnitude　higher　than　the　cost　for　system　operation　and　maintenance.　This　original　system　provides　an　innovative　way　for　rural　communities　worldwide　to　achieve　sustainable　development　via　wastewater　reclamation　and　reuse.　©　2021　Elsevier　Ltd