Recycling human waste still taboo in SA

Abstract

Ecological sanitation The report, Social/Cultural Acceptability of Using Human Excreta (Faeces and Urine) for Food Production in Rural Settlements in South Africa, follows years of research by the CSIR’s Built Environment Unit (BEU). The study was aimed at determining the acceptability of using human excreta as fertiliser for food production in rural settlements. The UD toilet, also known as a dry toilet, is a form of ecological sanitation (ecosan). Ecosan is not so much a technology than a sanitation philosophy. It can be viewed as a three-step process: containment, sanitation and recycling of human excreta. The ecosan approach to sanitation promotes a cycle or ‘closed loop’ system. Human excreta is treated as a resource and processed (usually dried and/or composted) until it is completely free of disease organisms. The nutrients contained in the excreta are then recycled by using them as fertiliser in agriculture.

Authors

Categories