It has been said that most under developed countries like Nigeria and India for example practise open defecation due to reasons of not having a flush toilet, a pit latrine or any sort of fixture with waste collection and no or limited water supply, negative cultural perspectives or belief to toilet.
Recently Nigeria has been ranked second in the world on open defecation by the Federal Government. The consequences of open defecation are huge in terms of high prevalence of water borne disease as result to untreated human waste that contaminates waterways spreading diseases (Insects also spread pathogens and bacteria from human waste into food and water supplies) e.g Cholera and diarrhoea e.t.c which can be prevented by access to safe drinking water, sanitation and good hygiene behaviours (Including food hygiene) in 2012, over 120,000 cholera cases were reported worldwide. This practise leads to stunted growth in 39% of India's children. It has a detrimental effect on maternal and new born health. It lower life expectancy.
How can we stop open defecation?
These are the few practicable ways to stop open defecation:
1.Re-invented toilet: This toilet can disinfect household waste at source using minimal water and energy and it is designed to address the lack of effective sanitation and safe waste management. The use of re-invented toilet is clean, safe, durable and affordable for the poor without the need for connection to electricity or sewer. Re-invented toilet is a viable solution in wealthy nations as well in the developing world.
2. Reclaiming Waste
Some recent toilet innovations have focused on the separation of liquid and solid waste, which can each be reclaimed for different purposes.
Using treated, dried faecal matter for fuel is nothing new. But in the past few years, research has shown that urine can be processed and reused for various purposes, including generating low levels of electricity. In addition, the potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen content of human urine can be recycled into fertiliser.
Shrinking global phosphate reserves drive the need to find a sustainable source of phosphate and other plant-nourishing minerals. Urine certainly fits the bill as a sustainable, renewable resource.
Like urine, reclaimed solid waste can be used as fertiliser. Once treated and dried, it can also become fuel. This fuel can be used to produce electricity.
Recycling human waste for fuel solves several issues. Human waste can provide a renewable, eco-friendly power source, which decreases reliance on dirty fossil fuels or risky nuclear power.
In addition, treating and then recycling the waste means keeping it from contaminating India’s waterways. Since human waste is the single largest source of water-borne disease, recycling the waste will reduce disease.
3. Water supply: Water is very essential for sanitation and hygiene, even at the use of re-invented toilet that uses minimal water, it is very important that the toilet and environment are keep clean and neat for subsequent use. The homes using the existing toilet (WC) still needs water to flush theirs toilets. For places which have limited supply of water, they tends to practise open defecation. The installation of Solar powered bore hole at target places and accessible to these homes will stop this practice.
HIPPO WATER ROLLER PROJECT
In rural Africa, women spend 26% of their time collecting and transporting water to their homes. The arduous task is time-consuming and the taxing physical labor later leads to health problems. The Hippo Water Roller is a simple solution that alleviates the task of collecting water. Designed by two South Africans, the Hippo Water Roller can carry up to 90 liters, lasts seven years or more, and is also a clean way to store the collected water. To date, more than 44,000 Hippo rollers have been distributed in South Africa and 20 other African countries. This roller will be of great help for those communities that has rivers that does not run dry in seasons to store for dry season and facilitate the use toilet instead of defecating at river banks and on fields. As well as reducing vulnerable female from rape incidents.
This project is set to avoid one size fits all styles of implementation, in order to reach different communities and their different needs, we will need to develop specific targeted and tailored strategies for each group and develop strong partnership with Non governmental organisations e.g (water aid).
Improving sanitation in a nutshell means providing more support to local level sanitation plans and strategies, do more work on sludge monitoring and management, then communicate the benefits of investing in sanitation to communities.
Recently Nigeria has been ranked second in the world on open defecation by the Federal Government. The consequences of open defecation are huge in terms of high prevalence of water borne disease as result to untreated human waste that contaminates waterways spreading diseases (Insects also spread pathogens and bacteria from human waste into food and water supplies) e.g Cholera and diarrhoea e.t.c which can be prevented by access to safe drinking water, sanitation and good hygiene behaviours (Including food hygiene) in 2012, over 120,000 cholera cases were reported worldwide. This practise leads to stunted growth in 39% of India's children. It has a detrimental effect on maternal and new born health. It lower life expectancy.
How can we stop open defecation?
These are the few practicable ways to stop open defecation:
1.Re-invented toilet: This toilet can disinfect household waste at source using minimal water and energy and it is designed to address the lack of effective sanitation and safe waste management. The use of re-invented toilet is clean, safe, durable and affordable for the poor without the need for connection to electricity or sewer. Re-invented toilet is a viable solution in wealthy nations as well in the developing world.
2. Reclaiming Waste
Some recent toilet innovations have focused on the separation of liquid and solid waste, which can each be reclaimed for different purposes.
Using treated, dried faecal matter for fuel is nothing new. But in the past few years, research has shown that urine can be processed and reused for various purposes, including generating low levels of electricity. In addition, the potassium, phosphate, and nitrogen content of human urine can be recycled into fertiliser.
Shrinking global phosphate reserves drive the need to find a sustainable source of phosphate and other plant-nourishing minerals. Urine certainly fits the bill as a sustainable, renewable resource.
Like urine, reclaimed solid waste can be used as fertiliser. Once treated and dried, it can also become fuel. This fuel can be used to produce electricity.
Recycling human waste for fuel solves several issues. Human waste can provide a renewable, eco-friendly power source, which decreases reliance on dirty fossil fuels or risky nuclear power.
In addition, treating and then recycling the waste means keeping it from contaminating India’s waterways. Since human waste is the single largest source of water-borne disease, recycling the waste will reduce disease.
3. Water supply: Water is very essential for sanitation and hygiene, even at the use of re-invented toilet that uses minimal water, it is very important that the toilet and environment are keep clean and neat for subsequent use. The homes using the existing toilet (WC) still needs water to flush theirs toilets. For places which have limited supply of water, they tends to practise open defecation. The installation of Solar powered bore hole at target places and accessible to these homes will stop this practice.
HIPPO WATER ROLLER PROJECT
In rural Africa, women spend 26% of their time collecting and transporting water to their homes. The arduous task is time-consuming and the taxing physical labor later leads to health problems. The Hippo Water Roller is a simple solution that alleviates the task of collecting water. Designed by two South Africans, the Hippo Water Roller can carry up to 90 liters, lasts seven years or more, and is also a clean way to store the collected water. To date, more than 44,000 Hippo rollers have been distributed in South Africa and 20 other African countries. This roller will be of great help for those communities that has rivers that does not run dry in seasons to store for dry season and facilitate the use toilet instead of defecating at river banks and on fields. As well as reducing vulnerable female from rape incidents.
This project is set to avoid one size fits all styles of implementation, in order to reach different communities and their different needs, we will need to develop specific targeted and tailored strategies for each group and develop strong partnership with Non governmental organisations e.g (water aid).
Improving sanitation in a nutshell means providing more support to local level sanitation plans and strategies, do more work on sludge monitoring and management, then communicate the benefits of investing in sanitation to communities.
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Reviewed by Samuel Chibueze
on
January 05, 2019
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