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Ecosan Waterless Toilet System

Currently, the pursuit towards sanitation is one of the pressing issues around the world.

Have you ever come to a point where you are challenged with the recent issues on sanitation in the world? Have you ever asked yourself questions like: “How have I contributed to sanitation problems today?; How can I contribute in solving sanitation problems?; Am I an enemy of sanitation? ” Or perhaps you probably had ask more questions than me…

So much for that, I just want to share one video I found on the internet about Ecosan Waterless Toilets:

Ten steps to stop open defecation

WaterAid, an international charity organisation, recently launched a 3D animated film illustrating the disease burden that comes with open defecation, and what communities in Bangladesh are doing to address the issue:

The short film outlines the problems caused by open defecation and specifies ten steps that communities can take to achieve “open defecation free status”, leading to a reduction in disease.

[via]

Sanitation NOW magazine, special edition

The Stockholm Environment Institute and EcoSanRes Programme published this special edition of the “Sanitation NOW” magazine for the UN International Year of Sanitation 2008 on the global sanitation crisis:

“Climate change will transform the way we look at sanitation. It’s not just a poverty issue. In a world of more frequent floods, even wealthy nations have to revise their sanitary solutions.” Gunhild Arby, Editor

This interesting publication with lots of facts, case studies and experienced experts talking about the global sanitation crisis is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) from the EcoSanRes website in a low- (1.34 mb) and high-resolution (2.37 mb).

use a toilet and get paid

Have you ever used a toilet and got paid afterwards?

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in India has just claimed to be doing this. From January 15th 2008 onwards, users of a local toilet system based on ecological sanitation (ecosan) principles will be paid the sum of 10 paise* for each visit.

By doing this, the Society for Community Organization and Peoples Education (SCOPE) wants to create an awareness for the value of human waste: “urine and faeces are so rich in nutrients for farm production that they are worth buying”.

The first Ecosan Community Compost Toilet in the country in Saliyar Street is functioning for the past 18 months. Every fortnight on an average 250 liters of urine is collected, the same is used for farming purposes. Already the Tamilnadu Agricultural University is studying the use of urine as liquid fertilizer for the past one year, under an MoU signed by SCOPE with the University. WASTE of Netherlands has funded, Rs. 4 lakhs for the two-year research project. (src)

Apparently, this really is the first time anywhere in the world that toilet users are being paid. What a smart approach!

* 100 paise = 1 Indian rupee = 0,01774 EUR