Rose George: Take toilets seriously talk at TED@London

A great video to watch while waiting to see the  recording of  Rose George when she spoke at Ted 2013

 

Profile from TED 2013:

Rose George thinks, researches, writes and talks about sanitation. Diarrhea is a weapon of mass destruction, says the UK-based journalist and author, and a lack of access to toilets is at the root of our biggest public health crisis. In 2012, two out of five of the world’s population had nowhere sanitary to go.

The key to turning around this problem is to “stop putting the toilet behind a locked door,” says George.  Let’s drop the pretense of “water-related diseases” and call out the cause of myriad afflictions around the world — “poop-related diseases” that are preventable with a basic toilet. Once we do, we can start using human waste for good.

George explores the problem in her book The Big Necessity: The Unmentionable World of Human Waste and Why It Matters and in a fabulous special issue of Colors magazine called “Shit: A Survival Guide.”

Related Links for Rose George

• Go home and talk s***: Rose George at TED2013
• Contact info , book info and a whole lot more on her web site….
• Animated homage to her Book: The Indoorfins present: The Big Necessity   :-)

Other powerful TED , TEDX,  TED-Ed links

• TEDxYYC – “David Damberger – Learning from Failure” -Wonderful Reflection on his WATSAN Experience
• TEDx HOW NEXTDROP IS USING CELL PHONES, CROWDSOURCING TO GET WATER TO THE THIRSTY.
• TEDxBerlin Noa Lerner:X-runner. Sanitation Social Business
• TEDxAmsterdamWomen Anjali Sarker – Toilet+ overcoming my childhood fear TEDX event
• Revolutionizing Sanitation in Developing Nations: Yu-Ling Cheng at TEDxYouth@Toronto
• Where we get our fresh water – Christiana Z. Peppard TED-Ed
• Turning recycled wastewater into a commoditized resource : Valérie Issumo at TEDxLausanne
• The Wello Water Wheel Story : Cynthia Koenig at TEDxGateway

1st International IWA Conference on Holistic Sludge Management

An IWA specialist conference

6-8 May 2013
Västerås, Sweden

Websites: 
http://www.hsm2013.se/
  and
http://www.iwahq.org/1qh/events/iwa-events/2013/4.html

The purpose of this conference is to provide a forum for researchers and practitioners to exchange the latest developments in sludge management.It will give possibilities to examine and discuss the different challenges connected to resource recovery through treatment and disposal of wastewater sludge.

The conference covers sludge management and anaerobic digestion with a broad holistic system perspective. It includes the recycling of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen by focusing on upstream treatment to reduce harmful substances in wastewater, as well as on the production of biogas as a fuel for vehicles. The certification of treated sludge is another important condition for the possibilities to recycle sludge to farmland areas.

Conference  also want to share knowledge, practices and ideas for the future directions of process development. The sludge treatment is one of the key issues to be solved. The aim of the conference is to take a major step forward to where all aspects of sludge management are addressed.

Proposed Themes:

• Production and utilization of biogas
• Nutrient recovery processes
• Processes for hygienization of sludge
• The need for a holistic approach including i.e. environmental effects from sludge handling/management in the total performance efficiency of wastewater treatment
• Use of sludge for energy generation including combustion and supercritical gasification
• Emerging contaminants in sludge – upstream separation and optimization to decrease negative effects by detoxification
• Physical and chemical pre-treatment processes, including chemical conditioning, thickening, dewatering, drying
• Modelling of anaerobic processes
• Methane emission from sludge treatment

Contact:
Erik Dahlquist at erik.dahlquist@mdh.se and Tel. +46-21-151768
Conference Programme Committee Chairman
Monica Odlare at monica.odlare@mdh.se and Tel. +46-21-101611
Conference Programme Committee Secretary

IWA- the global network for water professionals

The International Water Association is a global reference point for water professionals, spanning the continuum between research and practice and covering all facets of the water cycle. Through its network of members and experts in research, practice, regulation, industry, consulting and manufacturing, IWA is in a better position than any other organisation to help water professionals create innovative, pragmatic and sustainable solutions to challenging global needs.

The strength of IWA lies in the professional and geographic diversity of its membership — a global mosaic of national, corporate and individual member communities. Our members are leaders in their field and represent:

• Researchers – where solutions begin
• Utilities – managing water services worldwide
• Consultants – connecting problem owners with solution providers
• Industry – creating sustainable water solutions
• Regulators – safeguarding public health
• Equipment manufacturers – translating ideas into products

The IWA network is structured to promote multi-level collaboration among its diverse membership groups, and to share the benefit of knowledge on water science and management worldwide. The Association helps make the right connections at the right time, thereby sharing cutting-edge research and practice that allows the water sector shape its future.

Links to other great IWA events

all content for this post  comes from the  IWA sites

DRY TOILET 2009 Conference proceedings and presentations

The proceedings from the DRY TOILET 2009 conference held by Global Dry Toilet Association of Finland are  available   They are  a great resource and available at 
http://huussi.net/tapahtumat/DT2009/full.html

The summary  is also avaliable in  – suomi (Finish) and Russian as a pdf

The Suomi version of the  home page is
http://www.huussi.net/

Session	Presentations & Country Focus
1 PROMOTING ECOLOGICAL SANITATION IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE MDG’S
“Composting Toilet – The Bangalore, India experience” Sustainable sanitation in Namibia’s lowest income urban areas: “The potential of composting toilets” “To dry or not to dry?-People matter in scaling up dry sanitation” “Dry Toilets in Tajikistan” “Sustainable sanitation beyond Taps & Toilet” “Prevalence of Ecological sanitation uptake and associated factors in Kabale municipality, Uganda”		India, Namibia, Finland, Tajikistan, Nepal, Uganda
2 HEALTH AND SAFETY ASPECTS RELATED TO DRY SANITATION
“Toilets and health throughout history” “The public health safety of using human excreta from urine diverting toilets for agriculture: The Philippine experience” “Dry Toilet – A boon to rural community” “Ecological sanitation: inactivation of pathogens in faeces from dry toilet – grey water disposal” “From pit latrine to a safe and sustainable toilet.” “Possible public health implication of excreta re-use in poorly sanitated rural farming communities of Ebonyi state, South-East Nigeria”		Philippines, India, Argentina, Belarus, Nigeria
3 IMPLEMENTING ECOLOGICAL SANITATION IN EMERGENCIES
“Sanitation in the disaster cycle – immediate response, preparedness and risk reduction” “Provision of Dry Toilets in earthquake hit areas of Pakistan – learning from first hand experience” “Eco-toilet for disaster preparedness” “Introducing ecological sanitation in emergency: Some lessons learned from a pilot project Bangladesh” “Sanitation in IDP and refugee camps in Chad: the current and future challenges”		Pakistan, Bangladesh, Chad
4a PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN RE-USE OF EXCRETA
“Pathogens of concern for developing countries and risk of reusing ecosan sludge in agriculture” “Urine from separating toilets for non-edible plants” “From pit latrine to nutrient conservation” “Re-use of human’s urine in market-gardening in South-Benin: financial returns analysis” “Biogas generation – a multi-dimensional development approach”		Mexico, Benin, Ethiopia
4b PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES IN RE-USE OF EXCRETA continues
“Dry toilet compost and separated urine as fertilisers for cabbage and potato – a case study from Finland “ “Prospects and Challenges in the reuse of human excreta in Nakuru Municipality, Kenya” “Use of Faecal Sludge for Agriculture in Tamale Metropolis: perception of Farmers, Consumers and Relevant Agencies” “Positive spin offs using mobile urinals and UD toilets in Burkina Faso” “Study on the compost produced by compost bins and ecosan latrines and survey on knowledge attitudes and practices in usage of compost bins and ecosan latrines”		Finland, Kenya, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Sri Lanka
5 CHALLENGES IN IMPLEMENTING ECOLOGICAL SANITATION
“Evaluation of social and cultural acceptance of the biotoilet system” “Social representattions of hygiene and excretes disposal - The case of ecological dry toilets introduction in Quibdo and Tumaco-Columbia” “Towards a common goal. The challenges of the sanitation sector in Zambia” “Living with the marginalised: Addressing the socio-economic and cultural aspects in implementing Oka-Dry Toilets in Madimba; case of Lusaka” Sari Huuhtanen*, Finland; Michelo Katambo, Zambia: “The challenge of social change; experiences from Zambia dry-sanitation project (ZASP, 2006-2008)”		Mexico, Columbia, Zambia
6 GENDER ASPECTS RELATED TO DRY SANITATION
“Gender aspects of ecological sanitation with urine diverting dry toilets” “Female local latrine builders: Contributing towards objectives of International Year of Sanitation, 2008″ “Women and ecological sanitation” “Promotion of dry toilets for reducing vulnerability for the poor women having Islamic and cultural values in urban slums of Bangladesh”		Nepal, Uganda, Bangladesh
7a TECHNICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DRY TOILETS
“Is the Agricultural utilisation of Treated Urine and Faces recommendable?” “Developing low cost composting toilet for developing countries” “Solar thermal sanitation of human faeces – an affordable solution for ensuring sustainability of EcoSan activities” “Feasibility assessment of application of onsite volume reduction system (OVRS) for source-separated urine” “Urban slum dwellers in Kenya and Bangladesh benefit from using Peepoo bags which are self-sanitising and biodegradable”		Kenya and Bangladesh and others
7b TECHICAL DEVELOPMENT OF DRY TOILETS continues
“From the outhouse to indoor dry toilets in Finland” “Estimation of water evaporation rate from composting toilet” “Implementation of urine-diverting dry toilets in multi-storey apartment buildings in Ethiopia” Dry sanitation in multi-story apartment buildings: “The case of Dongsheng, Inner Mongolia, China” “The humanure toilet”		Finland, Ethiopia, Inner Mongolia, China
8 CAPACITY BUILDING
“Going to scale with urine diversion in Sweden – From individual households to municipal systems in 15 years” “The processes of adaption during the introducing urine diverting toilets in Kyrgyzstan” “Influence of social, cultural, economic and gender aspects in dry toilet as eco-sanitation tool. Case study of Sukuma-nomadic community in Malinyi, Tanzania.” “Experiences with ecosan systems to provide sustainable sanitation for schools in Kenya and India” “Gold Factory – An experimental art project with dry toilets”		Sweden, Kyrgyzstan, Tanzania,Kenya, India
Side event SUSTAINABLE SANITATION FOR TOURISM AND RECREATION
“Toilet provision in the Cairngorms national park, Scotland, UK” “Experience of biotoilet installations on Kizhi island, Republic of Karelia, Russia” “Promotion of sustainable development of rural communities around especially protected natural areas in Kazakhstan” “Public toilets and care practices in nature parks in Finland, current situation and recommendations for improvement”		Scotland, Republic of Karelia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Finland

biosolids -in the US

washlink notes:

While reuse  of human biowaste/ biosolids (along the lines urine feces) for fertilizing is generating great excitement in the developing world, the United States is cautious in its embrace.

bio-solids

The following excerpt  is  from great story that explores this.
It is by SANDY LONG of the River Reporter addressing some of the concerns  as she explores an honest mans adventure in making a lively-hood collecting the content of septic systems, processing it and them applying to the growing fields.

“Biosolids big bucks  A ‘resource’ in more ways than one”

By SANDY LONG

“NARROWSBURG, NY — Some used to call it nightsoil, hearkening to the

see map

practice of applying raw human excrement to farm fields to increase soil fertility under cover of darkness. Back then, local waste hauler Ned Lang’s father applied septage to his own farm at the top of Peggy Runway, now Steep Hill Road in Pennsylvania. “My father utilized this resource, and we had the best crops around,” said Lang, who today provides biosolids, or treated sewage sludge, to 34 sites in Wayne County and two in Pike County, PA.”

“The name of Lang’s product is OrganaGrow, and it is the end result of a process that begins with everything we flush away or pour down a drain. His company, EnviroVentures, Inc., based in Narrowsburg, processes the wastewater it collects from residential septic systems, municipal wastewater treatment plants and food processors throughout the four-county region of Pike and Wayne in Pennsylvania and Sullivan and Orange in New York. “We bring it in, mix it, kill it, and send it out,” Lang said.”

To  meet “…regulations, Lang draws on the services provided by Diane Garvey, president of Garvey Resources, a consulting firm specializing in biosolids for wastewater treatment plants, processors and research organizations”

Lang uses lime to elevate the pH to “…above 12, which kills the pathogens [bacteria, protozoa, enteric viruses and helminth worms].” It is we worth reading the full article on the process an application.

Ms Long also presents the concerns starting  with :

“Whether it comes from cows, chickens, pigs or humans, all manure has an odor. But increasing concerns about the antibiotics and growth hormones fed to animals are now being extended to human waste products, which contain the residues of countless pharmaceuticals in addition to the largely unidentified substances contained in many household cleaning products.”

She does a great job presenting the facts that extend from this.   She  presenting the viewpoints of knowledgeable people including Lang’s and others  like biologist Dr. Sandra Steingraber, “a distinguished visiting scholar at Ithaca College.”

She concludes with the financial potential for this product which is amazing:

“One thing is certain—there is no end to the source material. And there is a potential gold mine available to those positioned to manage the product. According to Harkinson, the Carlyle Group paid $772 million for the sludge-residuals company Synagro.”

the full article can be found “here” at riverreporter.com

further info

• January 29, 07   The Carlyle Group to Acquire Synagro for $5.76 Per Share
• enviroventures.com
• Google scholar -
  • bio-solids and fertilizer
  • biosolids contaminants