Talking about the unmentionable
The urgency of faecal sludge management
Globally, 2.4 billion people today do not have access to improved sanitation and 946 million still practise open defecation. It is estimated that only 26 percent of urban and 34 percent of rural sanitation and waste water services ensure hygienic separation of human excreta from human contact, and therefore can be considered safely managed (Hutton and Varughese, 2016).
Faecal sludge management (FSM), till today, remains a taboo issue, one that is hardly discussed or taken seriously. Why is it important though? A simple figure to start with will answer the question: Every year, Bangladesh wastes around Tk 300 billion due to inadequate FSM mechanisms. That is a huge sum, a sum that could otherwise be used for further development of the rapidly developing nation.
Every day, the global population produces 2.37 billion kilograms of faeces. In developed nations, it is treated efficiently and the treated products are reused to produce greater value for the environment and for the economy. However, in Bangladesh, inadequate and inappropriate treatment mechanisms continue to create more problems instead of opportunities.
To understand the situation in Bangladesh, let us take a look at the situation in Khulna as an example. In Khulna alone, 1.2 million kilograms of faeces are produced every day. Most people use latrines connected to septic tanks, a majority of which do not have soak pits. Many soak pits do not function properly.
Groundwater level in Khulna is high, which means that the untreated faeces stay in the water draining system. This exposes the environment to pollution, and puts our health in jeopardy. Untreated faeces in the open leave us vulnerable to an array of diseases that include anaemia, cholera, arsenicosis, dengue, diarrhoea, hepatitis, hookworm infection, malaria, trachoma, etc.
There are various ways by which this problem can be resolved. One way could be greater streamlining and well-regulated FSM system to empty, collect, transport and treat the faecal sludge. The uses are manifold, if properly managed and utilised, both for one's health and the environment at large.
Ever wondered how faecal sludge can be put to better use, how it can result in income generation and to bring in business? Consider this—a GIS system has a map of the entire city that can spot every household; when owners make a request for emptying, the system finds out ways/roads to approach that household. Then a van visits the site to empty the septic tanks at the owner's request, at a fixed rate. The van carries sludge to already existing treatment plants where it is treated to be used for various purposes such as to produce fertilisers that can then be used in agriculture and aquaculture; produce biogas for energy; or be burned in a power plant for energy. Not only is the solution simpler, but has almost zero health hazards. What is more, such systems are not only available, but are also being set up within the country.
The recent launch of the Institutional and Regulatory Framework for Faecal Sludge Management by the government is a building block of this system, which cannot go unmentioned. In the private sector, projects such as "Demonstration for Pro-poor Market-based Solutions for FSM," a project funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and United Kingdom Department for International Development (DFID), and implemented by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, are contributing to dramatically improve the situation. In this way, not only will the environment be benefitted, but it would also benefit the residents by lowering their vulnerability to various diseases. The economy would benefit by employment generation and more business-like solutions, thus creating a win-win situation for all involved in the sanitation value chain.
However, in order to ensure smooth execution of plans, there is a dire need for a proper framework and a set of guidelines to ensure that the whole process runs effectively. With collaboration between the private and public sectors and a greater understanding and contribution within relevant stakeholders, not only can we help protect the environment, but also ensure sustainable solutions at large.
Syeda Samara Mortada is Business Development, Advocacy and Communications Advisor at SNV Netherlands Development Organisation.