A Perspective Evaluation of ‘Closed-Loop-Sanitation-System’ in a Country with Cold Climate:A Case from MongoliaSayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin, Zifu Li, Ibrahim B. Mahmood, Jean Lapegue, PierFrancesco Donati, Elisabeth Maria Huba, Heinz-Peter Mang, Jan FranklinAdamowski, Shikun Cheng

Professor Zifu Li

University of Science and Technology Beijing, China

Background

Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) is a globalconcern and a priority issue (UN, 2013).

Poor sanitation causes the death of a child every 20second (UN WATER, 2013).

WASH related deaths and disabilities occurredglobally among under 14 children by 25% and 22%respectively (WHO, 2008).

Water contaminated with infectious agents, toxicchemicals, and radiological hazards increase bothpublic health and environmental health hazards.

Introduction

WASH in Mongolia

There are 10,000 cases of diarrhea annually inMongolia which 60-70-% occurs in Ulaan baatar.The dysentery is the second most prevalent disease.Hepatitis A in Ulaanbaatar is seven times higher than

the international average.

Unimproved Sanitation Technologies

Over 80,000 pit latrines-unhygienic and users,surface and groundwater are vulnerable to risk ofpathogen.

KAP survey- 96.7% of respondents use domesticand sharing pit.

Problems encountered- filling the pit, odor, coldcondition, flies, safety.

Closed-Loop-Sanitation-System(CLSS) may be oneof the options to solve these global problems.

Closed-Loop-Sanitation-System (CLSS) orsustainable sanitation system is defined as a systemwhere human health and environment can beprotected and resources/nutrients can be recovered.It is a cycle of zero-discharge approach where

nutrients can be returned from excreta to soil insteadof discharging into environment.A range of projects provide success stories around

the world, while others faced numerous challengesLessons can be learnt from both success and failure

cases in the world.

What is CLSS?

CLSS Diagram

Methods and Materials

China

RussiaStudy AreaThe study area is the peri-urbanGer areas, informal andunplanned settlements,Ulaanbaatar City in Mongolia.

StudyMethods

FieldVisit/Transect

Walk

Semi-Structured

Key InformantInterview

TechnicalEvaluation of

CLSScomponents Household &

MarketSurvey

Focus GroupDiscussion

Materials and Methods (Cont..)

Experimental Setup

Eco-toilet investigation 120 Eco-Toilets were investigated. Both primary data (personal observation/visual

inspection and structured questionnaire survey) andsecondary data were collected.

Emptying services, collection and transportationwere also investigated.

Composting Human Feces Two technologies were designed and tested for

technical feasibility. They are-- Semi-centralized winter system- Greenhouse system

Recipes of Different Trials

Trial 1(F+SD+ST)Feces

SawdustStraw

Trial 2(F+WC+ST)Feces

Wood ChipsStraw

Trial 3(F+SD+WC)Feces

SawdustWood Chips

Trial 4(F+SD)Feces

Sawdust

Trial 5(F+SD+ST+FW)Feces

SawdustStraw

Food Waste

Semi-containedWinter System

GreenhouseSystem

GIZ introduced eco-toilet in 2008 in Mongolia, butfailed due to absence of whole CLSS systemconcept. Lessons learnt from them ACF introduced the whole

concept.CLSS toilets- UDDT, VIP, Bucket dry toilet, single

and double vault solar toilet etc.The toilets were accepted by the users.There were some advantages and shortcomings

found.

Results and DiscussionsExisting CLSS in Mongolia

Emptying Services, collection, transportation, andstorage

Emptying service addresses the existing eco-toilets.Dry feces are collected from the toilet cabins, a new

bucket is replaced.The service is carried out in every three months. Feces are transported to the composting site. Small truck is used to transport the collected feces. The staff are well trained and the job is done

manually.

2. Transportation

1. Emptying Eco-Toilets

3. S

tora

ge

GreenhouseComposting

4. Winter CompostingFacility

Flow scheme:from Toilet to Composting site

Composting inSemi-Contained Facility

Composting Facility

Mixing Feces withsubstrates

Inside Facility

Greenhouse Composting

Composting Greenhouse

Compost Maturation

Mixing

Summer, August 2013 Winter, November 2013

Composting slot in greenhouse

Mixing for GH Composting

Trial 1: Feceswith SD & ST

Trial 2: Feceswith WC & ST

Winter System: Temperature

Trial 3: Feceswith SD & WC

Trial 4: Feces withSD

Trial 5: Feces with SD, ST & FW

Greenhouse System:Temperature

Maturation in GreenhouseCompost Unit

1

2 3 4

SD+ST

WC+ST SD+WC SD

Social Acceptance

Reasons of usingthe CLSS toilets

Convenience ofusers during thewinter.

Technologies and the services of CLSS in the studyarea are socially accepted by all users of CLSStoilets due to some factors.However, the consumption of the products produced

by fecal matter still requires further researchResults from FGD suggested that a majority of the

participants accepted the CLSS and felt needs toimprove the health and environmental conditions ofthe Ger areasThe government officials were much strict or

reluctant to apply compost for consumable productsdue to no policy and suggested to have morediscussions and evidence to formulate policy.

Social Acceptance

The evaluation of present study showed that despitesome challenges the CLSS concept is well acceptedby users and replicable due to the positive responseof all users of technologies and services.There is the positive trend of scaling up technologies

and services.Every step of CLSS, the system proved to be

feasible, replicable and acceptable in the study areawhich can be replicable to other parts of the worldGreenhouse composting is more feasible than the

winter composting in terms of energy consumption.

Concluding Remarks

Acknowledgement

Action Contre La Faim (ACF) International, Francefor financial support,

ACF Mongolia for supporting in implementation,Mongolian

Colleagues from USTB, China for laboratory andacademic support.

Thank YouFor

Your Kind Attention