Eco_sanitation (non Animated)

Ecological Sanitation By Prof. S. G. Bhate, B. K. P. S. College of Architecture, PUNE

Introduction

1

Why Eco-Sanitation? • Improves Environmental qualities. • Improves health of the people. • Improves immunity to the diseases caused due to pathogens in excreta. • Waste generated by people goes back to the nature and the loop is closed. • Excreta is considered not as waste and harmful substance to the health but as a very useful resource for recycling in to good manure/Bio-Gas to Electricity.

Present scenario •

It is a well known fact that average rural women has to travel long distances for defecation and this results in ill health and other related problems.

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Government has recognized the plight of rural women who do not have any toilet facilities near their house.

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Government has launched various schemes of health and sanitation in rural areas with the help of NGO’s etc.

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There is now greater awareness among the people about good health.

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However basic planning and sufficient follow-up action is required to make the programme a success.

Present scenario of our cities •

Filth and unhygienic conditions prevail everywhere in our cities and villages.

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Bad habits such as spitting, throwing waste and defecating in open add to the pollution of our environment.

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This pollutes our water resources such as rivers, streams, nullhas, wells etc.

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It is estimated that huge number of infants die due to diarrhea which is mainly caused by polluted water due to infiltration of sewage.

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Social cost that our country has to bear due to infant mortality and increase on health expenditure runs in multi corers due to inadequate sanitation facilities and impure drinking water

Present sewage treatment practices in urban areas •

Water flush system where water is available in sufficient quantity and the excreta is conveyed to sewage treatment plant(STP) where it is treated and treated water is either let in to the rivers, or given to agricultural farms.

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Wherever water conveyance system is not available, the excreta is led to the septic tanks where it is treated for considerable time like one or two years which is considered sufficient time for the pathogens to become ineffective, and then the tank is emptied and reloaded with water for further use

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In slum areas and development in peripheral areas the sewage is directly let in the gutters without any treatment.

Social cost of conveyance system •

It is very essential to find out average cost per person/ family for treatment of sewage.

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Water conveyance system is possibly the costliest of all the treatments as it is totally dependent on water which is going to be in tremendously short supply in near future.

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It also hampers the natural cycle of waste generation, treatment and treated excreta going back to the soil as very rich manure and soil conditioner.

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All major cities are enjoying the benefits of water conveyance system at the cost of NO SANITATION FACILITIES in rural areas.

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This causes tremendous imbalance in the working of nature and results in pollution of all the underground water resources.

Some global sanitation facts •

People without access to safe drinking water in the year 2000:

– 1100 Million

( = 18 % of world population )

People without access to sanitation facilities in the year 2000:

2400 Million

( = 39 % of world population )

Polluted water is estimated to affect the health of 1.2 billion people worldwide, and contributes to the death of 15 million children each year. About 4 billion cases of diarrhoea occur each year: – leading to 2.2 million deaths, predominantly among children, –

representing 15% of child deaths in developing countries. For the latest data see the latest "The state of the world's children“ report from UNICEF, and UNDP‘s "Human Development Report“.

...some more sanitation facts Worldwide, 5.3% of all deaths and 6.8% of all disabilities are caused by poor sanitation hygiene, and water. Some diseases that are caused (or supported) by unhygienic sanitation & faecal contaminated drinking water: Cholera, Typhoid Fevers, Diarrhoea, Dysentery, Infectious Hepatitis, Malaria, Polio, Schistosomiasis Chlorine by-products, used to reduce the risk of infectious disease, are associated with a substantial portion of the cancer cases (bladder, rectal, colorectal and liver cancer) from drinking water supplies. 900 million rural Chinese people excrete about 450 million tons of organic fertilizer each year - worth 2.6 Billion US$! The global human waste output (excrements) in the year 2000, is estimated to be 8.5 million tons each day ~ 49 million US$.

Breaking the pathogen cycle To prevent illness pathogens must be blocked, so that humans are not exposed to them by inhalation and ingestion.

Sanitation is the first and most effective point for blocking pathogens from faeces - when faeces are sanitized at the place of defecation almost no pathogens will enter the environment.

The nutrient cycle

The fertilizing equivalent of excreta - nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K) each of us produces, is nearly sufficient for a person to grow his own food!

Nutrients in excrements The mineral plant nutrients per person and year (in kg) are: Total

Required to grow 250 kg of cereals

0.5

4.5

5.6

0.4

0.2

0.6

0.7

0.9

0.3

1.2

1.2

urine

faeces

(500 ltr. / year)

(50 ltr. / year)

Nitrogen (N)

4.0

Phosphorus(P) Potassium (K)

Nutrient

Urine: • comprises 90% of the volume of human waste • it also contains about 80% all the mineral plant nutirents (N, P, K) Faeces: • contain most of the carbonaceous (C) organic matter in our excrements • carbon increases the water holding capacity and nurtures healthy soil • organic matter serves as a soil conditioner and humus replenisher , an asset not shared by chemical fertilizers!

Closing the nutrient cycle •

Urine: • • •

•

is a good natural mineral (N, P, K) fertilizer contains only few pathogens and heavy metals – thus urine is a clean fertilizer mixed with water (5–10 litre water / 1 litre urine) it can be used for crop irrigation

Faeces: • • • • • •

contain less minerals (N, P, K) than urine contain the most carbon (C) in our excrements contain a lot of pathogens they must be sanitized prior to usage sanitized faeces can be safely composted together with other garden & kitchen organic wastes applying the resulting compost to the soil restores the soil’s humus layer

Sanitizing urine •

Sanitizing urine is not necessarily required, since urine from healthy people is also healthy:

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In a healthy individual the urine is sterile in the bladder.

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Some people drink their morning urine as a preemptive health care measure (to be more resistant against diseases).

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However, in areas where diseases like bilharzia, typhus, cholera, hepatitis A & B, tuberculosis or HIV/AIDS are endemic, urine should be sanitized prior to usage!

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Sanitizing urine by storing it in tanks:

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nitrogen in stored urine converts to ammonia, and the pH rises to about 9

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a low dilution with water should be sought – this will help to kill pathogens

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temperatures should tend toward a warmer environment (20°C or more)

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Necessary storage time (at 20°C):

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6 months, when cross-contaminated with faeces

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1 month for clean urine (no faecal contaminations)

Sanitizing faeces Here are 4 approaches to sanitizing faeces: •

Dehydration (desiccation):

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Dehydration to below 5 % of solids - in dry warm climate achievable within 4 months - will lead to complete inactivation of all worm eggs.

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Also Ascaris eggs, which are the most resistant pathogens.

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Pasteurisation:

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70°C for one hour will kill as good as all pathogens.

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Aerobic composting:

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When composting the digesting aerobe bacteria will create high temperatures. 50-55°C kills pathogens within days. Temperatures around 55-65°C kill all types of pathogens (except bacterial spores) within hours.

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Anaerobic digestion:

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Takes longer than composting and produces unpleasant smells (SOH4).

Composting The 6 composting essentials are: 1. Organic matter:

( carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) )

• Carbon is energy food for microorganisms. • Nitrogen provides protein needed by the microorganisms to break down carbon. 2. Microorganisms: • The microorganisms produce heat and transform organic matter into compost. • Good sources of microorganisms are soil and finished compost. 3. Air: • Composting bacteria are aerobic, which means they need air and cannot live in water, so air is necessary because they need a lot of oxygen (O2) to do their job. 4. Water: • Water is needed in a compost pile to keep the pile moist, but not wet. 5. Temperature: • When the ground is frozen the bacteria are inactive – temperatures above 20°C are nice. 6. Time: • If the previous 5 are present, compost is generated - whether within a month or a year.

Composting The C-N ratio: Since most of the job of composting is done by microorganisms the compost pile has to offer them a balanced diet of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) to be attractive for them. Unfortunately the C-N ratio of our faeces and urine is not a good diet! Carbonaceous organic matter must be added to the compost pile, such as: wood shavings, grain husks, straw, ashes, soil, paper, … Earthworms: Vermiculture - adding earthworms for composting - is a very satisfactory method for obtaining a stable compost of high quality, with nutrients readily available for plant assimilation. Humus: During composting, the volume of the material is reduced by about 90% - the remaining 10% is humus, filled with the minerals that were withdrawn from the soil where the food was grown.

All composted biological material becomes humus.

Analysis of Eco-toilets

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Advantages of Eco Sanitation •

The flushing toilet system:

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The ecological toilet system:

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Breaks the pathogen cycle by flushing away excrements.

+

Breaks pathogen cycle by storing and sanitizing excrements.

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Needs a lot of water to flush away faeces and urine.

+

Conserves water: uses either minimal water or even better: no water at all!

–

Excrements, flushing water, household greywaters and indus-trial wastewaters are mixed.

+

Excrements are processed near to the point of ‚production‘ without industrial contaminants.

+

Sanitized and co-composted faeces enrich soil‘s humus layer and nutrients in urine are returned to the soil as fertilizer – nothing is contaminated.

–

The output of modern wastewater treatment plant cannot be safely used as agricultural fertilizer – their effluents even contaminate rivers and the sea

Designing an Eco friendly Toilet •

Using local materials and cost effective technologies.

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Use of bricks, stone, concrete blocks, ferrocrete slabs, soil stabilized mud blocks, fly ash bricks, bamboo and bamboo mats etc are the choices of materials.

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Use of minimum amount of water.

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Easy to construct, operate and maintain.

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Local participation of people and the end users is a must.

Handling of Excreta •

Contact with excreta is harmful because of pathogens etc.

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It requires large amount of water for its conveyance and treatment.

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As far as possible the excreta should be treated at the source to avoid contamination and reduce the water consumption.

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Excreta should be considered as a valuable resource and not as a substance polluting the environment which is the case at present in both urban and rural areas.

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We should also not overlook the fact that we use treated and purified water for excreta conveyance thereby increasing the cost of sewage treatment.

Toilets using minimum amount of water •

Toilet construction envisages local labour and materials.

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Easy to construct and maintain.

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Earthworms convert the excreta, kitchen and agricultural waste in to rich fertilizer thereby all the waste is recycled and goes back in to agricultural fields.

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It is possible to sell this rich manure to farmers and pay some incentives to all those who are engaged in wormi composting.

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By paying reasonable amount we hope that women self help groups can be roped in this giant programme of converting waste in to gold.

Bucket latrine •

The bucket holds excreta (faeces & urine) and added covering materials

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It must be emptied every 1–3 days, preferably every day.

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The bucket is made of rubber, enamel, galvanized metal, or lacquered wood

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It is placed under the slab, in the compartment created by the platform also more simple constructions are possible

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A laborer replaces the bucket with a clean one, empties the excreta into a larger container, and takes it to a composting site:

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Water must be available so the laborer can wash the containers and buckets.

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Composting can be done with no odour, flies or disease.

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The compost is then used to fertilize crops.

Arbor Loo - composting toilet The Arbor Loo is a simple composting toilet with a portable slab, pedestal and superstructure over a shallow pit: •

maximum 1 meter in depth

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pit can be unlined, or with a protective ring beam securing the pit head and raising the latrine slightly above ground level.

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Wood ash and soil are added after each use to reduce fly breeding and odour.

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Layers of organic matter, such as leaves, can be added as well to assist in the decomposition process. When the pit is about 70% full:

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the slab and superstructure are removed and mounted over a new shallow pit.

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The filled and topped pit is then watered down.

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On the following day a young tree is planted and again well watered.

Double vault composting toilet Both urine and faeces accumulate in the shallow pit together with wood ash, soil and organic plant matter, which is used cover excrements after defecation. When the first pit is nearly full: •

Slab and structure are moved to the second pit

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the contents of the used chamber are covered with topsoil between 15 and 30 cm deep and left to decompose

When the second pit is nearly full: •

the mature contents of the first pit are removed

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they can be easily removed, without any offensive smells – else decomposition is not totally finished

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they should look, feel and smell like rich compost

Alternative designs of Eco Toilets

Alternative designs of Eco Toilets

Alternative designs of Eco Toilets

Urine separator pans

Design Solutions

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Our proposal • Prefabricated steel/wooden bullies/ bamboo toilet units. • Easy assembly at site by any unskilled labour. • Use of toilet can be started immediately. • For covering and enclosing the toilet locally available materials can be used. • Participation of individual stake holder in constructing the toilet

Pre-Fabricated toilet design in steel

Pre-Fabricated toilet design in steel : 2

Pre-Fabricated toilet design in steel : 3

Eco San Toilet

Live from Workshop

Toilet using Bamboo

Advantages of our toilets • Toilets are constructed using locally available materials. • Different designs to suit individual requirements. • Urine is collected separately and can be applied directly to the fields. • Excreta is converted in to rich humus and soil conditioner with the help of earth worms. • Toilet positioning as per the local soil and water table condition. • No pollution of any underground water source. • Due to mass production the cost will become affordable to common man.

Community Toilets with Bio Gas Plant

Biogas generation •

Modern biogas technology constitutes a widely disseminated branch of technology with a history of over 30 years. The technology is efficient, well demonstrated and provides a cost-effective method of disposing organic wastes and producing fuel and fertilizers.

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Anaerobic bacteria degrade organic materials in the absence of oxygen. Methane and CO2 are produced. The methane component can be used as an alternative energy source.

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A reduction of total bio-solids volume of up to 50-80 % can be realized. The final waste sludge is biologically stable and can serve as a rich humus for agriculture.

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The excreta of 25 people produce an average of about 1 m³ of biogas per day (40 l per person and day), representing the approximate cooking energy demand of one household.

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In institutions with 500 or more attendants (schools, prisons, religious centres, public facilities like markets) the produced biogas may supply sufficient energy for a canteen.

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Anaerobic treatment processes are suitable in tropical conditions because anaerobic treatment functions well in temperatures exceeding 20ºC.

Gas plant proposals

Gas plant for single family Gas plant combo unit for single family and cattle

DOMESTIC GAS PLANTS

Bio-gas generator

Comparative Expression

Merits of Eco-sanitation

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Non-Eco Sanitation problems Failure to close the nutrient cycle has resulted in: •

reduction of the soil’s humus layer

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increased use of pesticides

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production and use of artificial fertilizers

(since World War I)

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nutrient and Chlor (Cl) overload in coastal and marine waters

(loss of biodiversity) (toxic algae blooms) (fish & coral dying)

(loss of soil fertility) (need for more watering) (increased risk of flooding!) (healthy soil has been destroyed)

Agricultural Benefits of Eco Sanitation

Increased Soil Fertility

Agricultural Benefits of Eco Sanitation

Increased yield of crops

Agricultural benefits of Eco Sanitation

Agricultural Benefits of Eco Sanitation

Eco Sanitation and Health EcoSan tries to do both: • Break the pathogen cycle •

Close the nutrient cycle

Therefore it has a double effect on people’s health by: 1. reducing disease 2. improving the nutrient intake

-> no contact with unsanitized faeces -> reuse urine & faeces as fertilizer & soil conditioner

Social benefits of Eco-Sanitation •

Healthy family contributes substantially to national income.

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Social recognition in the society for adopting better sanitation practice.

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Overall clean and green environment which is soothing, serene and spiritual in nature.

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Increased revenue generation due to more inflow of people, tourists etc.

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Overall improvement in rural scenario in the form of more greenery, water bodies, increase in agricultural production and more employment opportunities for the educated unemployed youths.

Tangible results of using Eco- San Toilets • Great boon and facility to women. • Improved health of all the family members. • Less expenditure on medicines. • Increase in agricultural produce thereby increase in income. • Improvement in soil fertility.

Epilogue

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How to covert waste in to GOLD? Two points plan of action: • Education of masses. • Creating self sufficient house

Education of masses •

In order to achieve success in this program, Education and Awareness of the people will have to be given top priority.

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This can be achieved by exhibiting the demonstration projects,

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Conducting awareness programmes etc.

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It is also essential to muster support of the local people in execution of the scheme in the form of labour and collecting locally available suitable materials for construction.

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Ideal way would be to target all the SELF HELP GROUPS which are active in the villages along with youth organizations, schools and concerned Government Officials, who can play a major role in cleaning up drive of the villages.

Self sufficient house •

Emphasis should be given to provide following facilities in each and every house to make it self sufficient.

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FIVE POINT PROGRAMME for achieving “self sufficient house” and “clean environment.”

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Eco friendly toilet.

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Drinking water Purification Filter.

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Drinking water tank of 3000 Liters to 5000 Liters capacity for rain water storage.

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Solar lantern.

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Individual/ Community Bio-Gas plant.

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If we can achieve in providing above mentioned bare minimum requirements of every family, it will go a long way in liberating the women from daily drudgery

How to correct the imbalance? •

We must respect the nature’s cycle and understand self sustaining mechanism the nature already has in its working.

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We are only to be blamed for our greediness and our constant quest for wanting more and more from the nature.

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Nature has miraculous ways of maintaining its balance if we just care to observe its working.

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What is required is to adopt eco friendly and self sustaining approach which will not disturb nature’s rhythm and balance.

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The nature has given us appropriate materials, technologies and resources to treat all the waste matter and recycle them in to very useful ingredients required for the growth of plants.

CLEAN AND GREEN INDIA MOVEMENT • Let us take an oath that, • Nature is GOD. • Cleanliness is Godliness. • We will constantly endeavor to give back to the mother earth what we received from her.

Conclusions •

There is huge scope for schemes of converting waste in to gold.

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Schemes have to be worked out keeping in mind the benefits it accrues to rural poor people.

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It will gain momentum as soon as it becomes economically viable and help rural people and rural economy in the form of increased food production using rich fertilizer and also improved quality of the top soil.

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Indirect gains such as improved environmental qualities and health will greatly contribute in saving in the medical expenses on each individual and more productivity per person.

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We strongly advocate that to reduce water and air pollution and to reduce load on urban sanitation schemes, more and more people should opt for eco sanitation practices.

LET US PRAY THAT NATURE GRANT US THE WISDOM TO LOVE, RESPECT AND NOURISH IT.

THANK YOU

Brief Bio-Data of Prof. S. G. Bhate Prof. Shrikant Bhate, age 58 years, is an architect and at presently working in B. K. P. S. College of Architecture, Pune as Assistant Professor and Principal In-charge. His areas of interest and research are, cost effective techniques, energy conservation, pre-casting and pre-fabrication techniques, eco saniation, primary school buildings, low cost eco friendly housing etc. As a social entrepreneur and Director of NGO, Parisar Niyojan Samiti, is very much involved in Healh and Sanitation programmes.

Contact: [email protected] Mobile: 98920440648 Presentation Compiled By Sachin Borkar, Final Yr., BKPSCOA