Francis de los Reyes: Sanitation is a basic human right

Summary

This talk by an engineering professor delves into the critical issue of global sanitation, highlighting the 2.5 billion people lacking adequate facilities and the 1.1 billion practicing open defecation. The speaker discusses the cultural aspects of waste disposal, the risks of inadequate sanitation, and the challenges of scaling traditional toilet infrastructure. They advocate for a systems approach, emphasizing the need for innovative, context-sensitive sanitation solutions that consider the entire waste management chain, from collection to reuse. The talk concludes with a call for governments to prioritize sanitation infrastructure, similar to roads and schools, and presents a student-designed solution for safer pit latrine emptying.

Takeaways

• 👨‍🏫 The speaker is an engineering professor with a focus on wastewater treatment and sanitation, emphasizing the importance of protecting surface water.
• 🚽 They've developed an obsession with toilets and the cultural aspects of sanitation, including the differences between 'washers' and 'wipers'.
• 🌍 There's a significant global sanitation crisis, with 2.5 billion people lacking adequate sanitation and 1.1 billion practicing open defecation.
• 🏥 Poor sanitation leads to severe health issues, contributing to 1.5 million child deaths annually due to diseases spread through contaminated environments.
• 🏭 Traditional sanitation infrastructure like pit latrines has limitations, especially when it comes to emptying and maintaining them.
• 💡 The speaker advocates for a systems-thinking approach to sanitation, considering the entire chain from waste collection to reuse.
• 🌱 Innovative solutions like urine-diverting toilets can separate waste for treatment and resource recovery, turning it into valuable products like fertilizers.
• 💧 Reusing treated water in on-site sanitation systems, such as planter boxes or constructed wetlands, is a sustainable approach to managing waste.
• 💼 Governments should invest in sanitation infrastructure as they do with roads and schools, as it yields significant economic and health benefits.
• 🔧 Engineering students have developed a simple screw auger system to safely empty pit latrines, improving working conditions and creating business opportunities.

Q & A

What has the engineering professor been teaching about for the past 14 years?

The engineering professor has been teaching about human waste, its conveyance through wastewater treatment plants, and the engineering and design of these treatment plants to protect surface water like rivers.

What is the professor's scientific career focused on?

The professor's scientific career is based on using leading-edge molecular techniques, such as DNA- and RNA-based methods, to study microbial populations in biological reactors and optimize these systems.

Why has the professor developed an obsession with toilets?

The professor has developed an obsession with toilets as part of their research into sanitation and the culture of crap, which includes understanding different toilet practices around the world.

What is the significance of the terms 'washers' and 'wipers' in the context of the script?

In the script, 'washers' refer to people who use water for anal cleansing, while 'wipers' use toilet paper or other materials like newspaper, rags, or corncobs depending on regional availability.

How many people worldwide lack access to adequate sanitation according to the script?

According to the script, 2.5 billion people in the world do not have access to adequate sanitation.

What is the term used to describe the practice of defecating in public spaces?

The term used to describe the practice of defecating in public spaces is 'open defecation'.

What is the estimated number of child deaths per year due to inadequate sanitation as mentioned in the script?

The United Nations estimates that there are 1.5 million child deaths per year due to inadequate sanitation.

What is the issue with scaling up pit latrines as a sanitation solution?

The issue with scaling up pit latrines is what happens when the pits are full, leading to defecation around the toilet and the need for manual emptying, which is dangerous and often done without proper protective equipment.

Why is it not feasible to build Western-style flush toilets for the 2.5 billion people lacking adequate sanitation?

It is not feasible due to lack of water and energy, the high cost of laying sewer lines and building facilities, and the risk of improper construction leading to direct discharge into rivers.

What is the professor's argument for rethinking sanitation infrastructure?

The professor argues for systems thinking, looking at the whole sanitation chain from human interface to reuse, and employing locally adoptable and context-sensitive solutions.

What is an example of an alternative sanitation technology mentioned in the script?

An example of an alternative sanitation technology is the urine-diverting toilet, which separates urine and fecal material for different treatments and potential reuse.

How does the professor suggest governments should approach funding for sanitation infrastructure?

The professor suggests that governments should fund sanitation infrastructure in the same way they fund roads, schools, hospitals, and other infrastructure, as it is a basic human right and an investment that yields significant returns.

What is the innovative solution developed by students at North Carolina State University for pit emptying?

The students developed a modified screw auger that can move waste from the pit into a collecting drum, eliminating the need for workers to descend into the pits.

Outlines

00:00

🚽 The Culture and Crisis of Sanitation

The speaker, an engineering professor, humorously admits to teaching about 'crap' for 14 years, focusing on wastewater treatment and sanitation. They discuss their fascination with toilets and the cultural practices around human waste disposal, such as 'washers' and 'wipers.' The professor emphasizes the gravity of the global sanitation crisis, where 2.5 billion people lack adequate sanitation, leading to 1.5 million child deaths annually due to diseases spread by poor sanitation. They highlight the challenges of scaling up sanitation infrastructure, such as the issue of pit latrines filling up and the dangerous manual labor involved in emptying them. The speaker also touches on the social injustice faced by those tasked with this work, particularly in India, and calls for a rethinking of sanitation systems to address these issues.

05:02

🌿 Rethinking Sanitation: From Human Interface to Resource Reuse

The speaker advocates for a holistic approach to sanitation, starting with the human user interface and extending to the collection, storage, transportation, treatment, and reuse of waste. They argue for a user-friendly and clean interface, regardless of cultural practices, and stress the importance of considering the entire sanitation chain. The professor introduces innovative solutions like urine-diverting toilets, which separate urine and feces for different treatments, leading to valuable byproducts like fertilizers. They also mention the potential for water reuse in sanitation systems. The speaker calls for governments to fund sanitation infrastructure like they do for roads and schools, citing the high return on investment. They share a student project that aims to mechanize pit emptying, reducing risks for workers, and express a vision where sanitation is seen as a basic human right, not a burden for the lower castes.

Keywords

💡Sanitation

Sanitation refers to the systems and practices for the safe disposal of human waste and wastewater. In the video, sanitation is central to the discussion of global health and environmental challenges, particularly in areas lacking adequate facilities. The speaker highlights the importance of sanitation infrastructure and the need for innovation to address the 2.5 billion people without access to it.

💡Wastewater Treatment Plants

These are facilities designed to receive, treat, and discharge wastewater to minimize its impact on the environment. The speaker discusses their role in protecting surface water and the need for engineering and design to optimize their function, which is crucial for managing human waste and preventing disease.

💡Molecular Techniques

Molecular techniques, such as DNA- and RNA-based methods, are scientific tools used to study microbial populations. The speaker uses these techniques to optimize biological reactors in wastewater treatment, illustrating how advanced science can contribute to sanitation solutions.

💡Open Defecation

Open defecation refers to the practice of disposing of human waste in the open, such as streets, riverbanks, or open spaces. The video emphasizes the health risks associated with this practice, which affects 1.1 billion people, leading to contamination of drinking water and food, and contributing to diseases.

💡Pit Latrines

Pit latrines are simple sanitation structures that consist of a hole dug in the ground, covered by a squatting slab. The speaker discusses the challenges of scaling up these structures, particularly the problem of what happens when the pits are full, leading to defecation around the toilet and the need for manual emptying.

💡Fecal Sludge Management

Fecal sludge management is the process of safely handling and treating fecal matter. The video addresses the dangers and social issues associated with manual pit emptying, which is often done without protective equipment and can lead to health risks for workers.

💡Systems Thinking

Systems thinking is an approach that considers the whole sanitation chain, from human interface to reuse. The speaker argues for this approach to reinvent sanitation infrastructure, emphasizing the need to look beyond just the technical aspects and consider the entire process from waste production to disposal or reuse.

💡Urine-Diverting Toilet

A urine-diverting toilet is a type of toilet that separates urine and feces, allowing for different treatment methods. The video uses this as an example of innovative sanitation technology that can lead to resource recovery, such as producing fertilizer from the separated waste.

💡Reinventing Sanitation

Reinventing sanitation refers to the process of rethinking and redesigning sanitation systems to be more effective, sustainable, and user-friendly. The speaker calls for a shift from traditional flush toilets and treatment plants to more context-sensitive and locally adoptable solutions.

💡Human User Interface

The human user interface in the context of sanitation refers to the physical point of interaction between a person and a sanitation system, such as a toilet. The speaker argues that this interface should be clean and easy to use, regardless of whether one is a 'washer' or a 'wiper,' to ensure a pleasurable and hygienic experience.

💡Struvite

Struvite is a phosphorus-rich fertilizer that can be produced from treated urine. The video mentions struvite as an example of how waste can be converted into valuable resources, highlighting the potential for sanitation systems to contribute to resource recovery and circular economies.

Highlights

The speaker is an engineering professor with 14 years of experience in studying human waste and wastewater treatment.

The professor's scientific career is based on molecular techniques to optimize microbial populations in biological reactors.

An obsession with toilets has led the professor to document them worldwide.

The 'culture of crap' includes different practices like washing or wiping after defecation.

2.5 billion people lack adequate sanitation, and 1.1 billion practice open defecation.

Inadequate sanitation leads to 1.5 million child deaths annually.

Pit latrines are a common sanitation solution, but they present challenges when they become full.

Manual pit emptying is dangerous and often falls to lower-caste individuals in societies.

Western-style flush toilets are not feasible in many areas due to water scarcity and high costs.

Sanitation infrastructure needs to be reinvented with systems thinking, considering the entire sanitation chain.

The human user interface for sanitation should be clean and easy to use.

Urine-diverting toilets can separate waste for treatment and reuse, such as creating high-value fertilizers.

On-site sanitation systems like planter boxes or constructed wetlands can reuse treated water.

Governments should fund sanitation infrastructure similarly to how they fund roads, schools, and hospitals.

An innovative solution for pit emptying involves a modified screw auger to move waste into a collecting drum.

The goal is to create a professionalized pit-emptying service to generate profits and jobs.

Access to adequate sanitation is considered a basic human right, and the speaker advocates for an end to the practice of lower-status individuals emptying pits.

Transcripts

I am an engineering professor,

and for the past 14 years

I've been teaching crap.

(Laughter)

Not that I'm a bad teacher,

but I've been studying and teaching

about human waste

and how waste is conveyed

through these wastewater treatment plants,

and how we engineer and design

these treatment plants so that we can protect

surface water like rivers.

I've based my scientific career

on using leading-edge molecular techniques,

DNA- and RNA-based methods

to look at microbial populations in biological reactors,

and again to optimize these systems.

And over the years,

I have developed an unhealthy obsession with toilets,

and I've been known to sneak into toilets

and take my camera phone

all over the world.

But along the way, I've learned

that it's not just the technical side,

but there's also this thing called the culture of crap.

So for example,

how many of you are washers

and how many of you are wipers?

(Laughter)

If, well, I guess you know what I mean.

If you're a washer, then you use water

for anal cleansing. That's the technical term.

And if you're a wiper,

then you use toilet paper

or, in some regions of the world

where it's not available, newspaper

or rags or corncobs.

And this is not just a piece of trivia,

but it's really important to understand

and solve the sanitation problem.

And it is a big problem:

There are 2.5 billion people in the world

who don't have access to adequate sanitation.

For them, there's no modern toilet.

And there are 1.1 billion people

whose toilets are the streets

or river banks or open spaces,

and again, the technical term for that is

open defecation,

but that is really simply

shitting in the open.

And if you're living in fecal material

and it's surrounding you, you're going to get sick.

It's going to get into your drinking water,

into your food, into your immediate surroundings.

So the United Nations estimates

that every year, there are 1.5 million child deaths

because of inadequate sanitation.

That's one preventable death every 20 seconds,

171 every hour,

4,100 every day.

And so, to avoid open defecation,

municipalities and cities

build infrastructure, for example, like pit latrines,

in peri-urban and rural areas.

For example, in KwaZulu-Natal province in South Africa,

they've built tens of thousands of these pit latrines.

But there's a problem when you scale up

to tens of thousands, and the problem is,

what happens when the pits are full?

This is what happens.

People defecate around the toilet.

In schools, children defecate on the floors

and then leave a trail outside the building

and start defecating around the building,

and these pits have to be cleaned

and manually emptied.

And who does the emptying?

You've got these workers

who have to sometimes go down into the pits

and manually remove the contents.

It's a dirty and dangerous business.

As you can see, there's no protective equipment,

no protective clothing.

There's one worker down there.

I hope you can see him.

He's got a face mask on, but no shirt.

And in some countries, like India,

the lower castes are condemned

to empty the pits,

and they're further condemned by society.

So you ask yourself, how can we solve this

and why don't we just build Western-style flush toilets

for these two and a half billion?

And the answer is, it's just not possible.

In some of these areas, there's not enough water,

there's no energy,

it's going to cost tens of trillions of dollars

to lay out the sewer lines

and to build the facilities

and to operate and maintain these systems,

and if you don't build it right,

you're going to have flush toilets

that basically go straight into the river,

just like what's happening in many cities

in the developing world.

And is this really the solution?

Because essentially, what you're doing is

you're using clean water

and you're using it to flush your toilet,

convey it to a wastewater treatment plant

which then discharges to a river,

and that river, again, is a drinking water source.

So we've got to rethink sanitation,

and we've got to reinvent the sanitation infrastructure,

and I'm going to argue that to do this,

you have to employ systems thinking.

We have to look at the whole sanitation chain.

We start with a human interface,

and then we have to think about how feces

are collected and stored,

transported, treated and reused —

and not just disposal but reuse.

So let's start with the human user interface.

I say, it doesn't matter if you're a washer or a wiper,

a sitter or a squatter,

the human user interface should be clean

and easy to use, because after all,

taking a dump should be pleasurable.

(Laughter)

And when we open the possibilities

to understanding this sanitation chain,

then the back-end technology,

the collection to the reuse, should not really matter,

and then we can apply

locally adoptable and context-sensitive solutions.

So we can open ourselves to possibilities like,

for example, this urine-diverting toilet,

and there's two holes in this toilet.

There's the front and the back,

and the front collects the urine,

and the back collects the fecal material.

And so what you're doing is you're separating the urine,

which has 80 percent of the nitrogen

and 50 percent of the phosphorus,

and then that can then be treated

and precipitated to form things like struvite,

which is a high-value fertilizer,

and then the fecal material can then be disinfected

and again converted to high-value end products.

Or, for example, in some of our research,

you can reuse the water by treating it

in on-site sanitation systems

like planter boxes or constructed wetlands.

So we can open up all these possibilities

if we take away the old paradigm of flush toilets

and treatment plants.

So you might be asking, who's going to pay?

Well, I'm going to argue that governments

should fund sanitation infrastructure.

NGOs and donor organizations,

they can do their best, but it's not going to be enough.

Governments should fund sanitation

the same way they fund roads

and schools and hospitals

and other infrastructure like bridges,

because we know, and the WHO has done this study,

that for every dollar that we invest

in sanitation infrastructure,

we get something like three to 34 dollars back.

Let's go back to the problem of pit emptying.

So at North Carolina State University,

we challenged our students to come up with a simple solution,

and this is what they came up with:

a simple, modified screw auger

that can move the waste up

from the pit and into a collecting drum,

and now the pit worker

doesn't have to go down into the pit.

We tested it in South Africa, and it works.

We need to make it more robust,

and we're going to do more testing

in Malawi and South Africa this coming year.

And our idea is to make this

a professionalized pit-emptying service

so that we can create a small business out of it,

create profits and jobs,

and the hope is that,

as we are rethinking sanitation,

we are extending the life of these pits

so that we don't have to resort

to quick solutions

that don't really make sense.

I believe that access to adequate sanitation

is a basic human right.

We need to stop the practice

of lower castes and lower-status people

going down and being condemned to empty pits.

It is our moral, it is our social

and our environmental obligation.

Thank you.

(Applause)