Ecological Sanitation
Definition of ecological sanitation |
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Ecological sanitation is a holistic approach to sanitation and water management based on the systematic closure of local material flow-cycles (Werner et al., 2003). According to the ecosan philosophy, sanitation problems could be solved more sustainably and efficiently if the resources contained in excreta and wastewater were recovered and used rather than discharged into the water bodies and the surrounding environment. The concept thus recognises human excreta and water from households not as waste but as resources that can be recovered, treated where necessary and safely used again
adapted from Esrey et al., 2001 |
The objective is to protect human health and the environment while reducing the use of water in sanitation systems and recycling nutrients to help reduce the need for artificial fertilizers in agriculture. |
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Ecosan does not deal with any specific technology, but is made up of a combination of specially designed technological components that are considered as ecologically sustainable when used as a combination. In general, ecosan projects are either carried out on-site (at the site of flowstream production) or off-site (away from the location where these flowstreams are produced). |
| Examples of Technology in India |
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| The advantages of ecological sanitation are the following |
-Conservation of water resources due to lower water consumption and minimal water pollution
-Improvement of health by properly sanitizing human excreta and prevention of disease spreading. -Provides more appropriate, cost-effective, hence more affordable treatment solutions due to modular, decentralized, partial-flow systems.
-Substitution of chemical fertilizers with higher heavy metal content possible.
-Preservation of soil fertility, improves agricultural productivity and contributes towards food security.
-Can help to reduce poverty by saving income and generating income by selling ecosan products like fertilizer, biogas.
-Can support small business and enterprises to develop, e.g. construction workshops for special toilets, maintenance services, market for fertilizer products and biogas.
-Safe, hygienic recycling of nutrients, trace elements, water and energy.
-They provide a safer, more convenient, private and hygienic option. |
References
-CPCB – Central Pollution Control Board of India (2001). Statistics of wastewater treatment in India. New Delhi, India.
-Esrey, S., Andersson, I., Hillers, A. and Sawyer, R. (2001). Closing the Loop, Ecological sanitation for food security. Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Publications on Water Resources No. 18. First Edition, Mexico. http://www.gwpforum.org/gwpef/wfmain.nsf/Publications -Früh, C. (2003). Ecological Sanitation – An Introduction to the Philippines. General Paper prepared within the DILG-GTZ Water Program towards an Integrated Water Resources Management for the Philippines. Manila, Philippines. www.gtz.de
-Kalbermatten, J., Middleton, R. and Schertenleib, R., (1999). Household-centred environmental Sanitation. Report of the Water and Sanitation in developing countries Program, for the Swiss Federal Institute for Environmental Science and Technology. Duebendorf, Switzerland.
-Panse, D. B (2006) Ecological sanitation – a need of today! Progress of ecosan in India. GTZ newsletter, Progress of sanitation in India. http://www.gtz.de/en/dokumente/en-innovative-ecosan-network-india-progress-text-2006.pdf |
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| Definition of ecological sanitation |
| What is sanitation? |
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Scavenging is the demeaning practice of manual cleaning of human excreta from service/dry latrines. |
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- Jawaharlal Nehru |
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Services Overview
Training Services Education on ecosan by ESF is to enable the people to develop, plan and implement eco-sanitation systems that are hygienically safe, socially acceptable, economically feasible, environmentally sound and technically appropriate.
Promotional Activities ESF partners different organizations in bringing sanitation to limelight, and thus giving true meaning to the word advocacy - “the process of managing information and knowledge strategically to change and/or influence policies and practices that affect the lives of people – particularly the disadvantaged”.
ProjectsThe concept behind ecological sanitation (ecosan) is that sanitation problems could be solved more sustainable and efficiently if the resources contained in excreta and wastewater were recovered and used rather than discharged into the water bodies and the surrounding environment.
Consulting ServicesThe Consulting unit has the mission of supporting individuals, industrial, commercial, residential, educational and governmental partners with the implementation of ecological sanitation systems to manage communal water in their premises.
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