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
