This Kenyan company makes fuel from human poo | Pioneers for Our Planet

Summary

In East Africa, deforestation is rampant due to reliance on firewood and charcoal. A solution is presented by repurposing human waste into a sustainable biomass fuel. The company collects waste, treats it, and combines it with other waste materials to create a charcoal substitute that burns longer and emits less. This eco-friendly fuel not only reduces emissions but also saves trees, with each tonne produced saving approximately 88 trees in Kenya. The potential to meet half of Kenya's charcoal and firewood demand with this waste-based fuel could significantly reduce deforestation.

Takeaways

• 🌱 In East Africa, 90% of residents rely on solid biomass like firewood, charcoal, and pellets, leading to significant deforestation.
• 🚽 Human feces are a rich source of resources, including carbon, which can be harnessed instead of being flushed away.
• 🔥 The calorific value of human feces is comparable to dried firewood, suggesting it can be a sustainable energy source.
• 🏡 The company operates around 650 toilets, servicing them twice a week to collect waste for processing.
• 🔬 Waste is heat-treated and combined with other biomass waste like charcoal dust or sawdust to create a new product.
• 🌲 Their product, 'Mkaa kwa jamii' or 'charcoal for the family,' burns longer and emits less carbon monoxide and particulates than traditional charcoal.
• 💨 Each tonne of their briquettes sold saves approximately 88 trees in Kenya, contributing to the fight against deforestation.
• 🌍 The environmental impact is a selling point, with customers choosing their fuel for its eco-friendly benefits.
• 🔄 If all human and agricultural waste in Kenya were utilized, it could meet nearly 50% of the country's charcoal and firewood needs, significantly reducing deforestation.
• 🌟 The solution provided is a significant step towards addressing the urgent issue of deforestation in Kenya.

Q & A

What is the primary concern regarding the use of solid biomass in East Africa?

Deforestation has been a significant problem in Kenya and throughout East Africa due to the high percentage of residents, approximately 90%, who utilize solid biomass forms like firewood, charcoal, and pellets daily.

What alternative resource is being proposed to combat deforestation?

Human faeces is being considered as an alternative resource because it contains a significant amount of carbon that can be used as a direct substitute for firewood, thus potentially reducing deforestation.

How does the calorific value of human faeces compare to that of dried firewood?

The calorific value of human faeces is comparable to that of dried firewood, making it a viable alternative for energy production.

How many toilets are in operation as part of this initiative?

There are approximately 650 toilets in operation, with services provided twice a week to collect and treat the waste.

What is done with the collected human waste at the treatment facilities?

The collected human waste is heat treated and combined with other biomass waste like charcoal dust, sawdust, or rose waste. It is then mixed, pressed, and dried to create a sustainable product.

What is the name of the sustainable product created from treated human waste?

The sustainable product created is called 'Mkaa kwa jamii,' which means 'charcoal for the family' in Swahili.

How does the performance of 'Mkaa kwa jamii' compare to local charcoal?

Mkaa kwa jamii burns about twice as long as local charcoal and has about one-third of the emissions, specifically carbon monoxide and particulates.

What environmental impact does the sale of one tonne of the briquettes have?

For every tonne of the briquettes sold, approximately 88 trees are saved in Kenya, contributing to a significant reduction in deforestation.

What is the consumer response to the environmentally friendly fuel?

People are purchasing the fuel because of its environmental impact, with many expressing a desire to save trees and make a positive change.

What is the potential impact if all human and agricultural waste in Kenya were utilized?

Utilizing all the unused human and agricultural waste in Kenya could potentially supply almost 50% of the entire charcoal and firewood demand, leading to a substantial drop in deforestation rates.

How does the speaker view the solution provided by their initiative?

The speaker sees the solution as a key stepping stone to addressing the immediate needs of deforestation and is excited about the potential it holds for environmental conservation.

Outlines

00:00

🌳 Sustainable Charcoal Alternative from Human Waste

The script introduces an innovative solution to deforestation in East Africa by utilizing human waste as a resource. Despite initial skepticism, the product, which is indistinguishable from traditional firewood or charcoal in appearance and smell, is revealed to have a high calorific value comparable to dried firewood. The company operates around 650 toilets, collecting waste twice weekly for treatment. The waste is then combined with other biomass waste, such as charcoal dust or sawdust, to create a new sustainable product called 'Mkaa kwa jamii,' which burns longer and emits less carbon monoxide and particulates than local charcoal. The environmental impact is significant, with each tonne of their briquettes saving approximately 88 trees in Kenya. The potential to meet nearly 50% of Kenya's charcoal and firewood demand with this waste could greatly reduce deforestation rates, making this solution a crucial step towards addressing the immediate needs of deforestation.

Keywords

💡Faeces

Faeces, commonly known as feces or waste, are the solid by-products of the digestive system in humans and animals. In the context of the video, the creators have developed a product that utilizes human waste, challenging the conventional perception that it is unsightly and smelly. The script highlights that their product does not resemble or smell like typical faeces, indicating a transformation in its appearance and odor, which is crucial for its acceptance as a viable alternative to traditional biomass fuels.

💡Deforestation

Deforestation refers to the large-scale removal of trees and forests, often for agricultural or development purposes. The video emphasizes that the reliance on firewood, charcoal, and pellets in East Africa has led to significant deforestation, particularly in Kenya. The script suggests that by using human waste as a fuel source, the demand for wood-based biomass could be reduced, thus helping to mitigate deforestation.

💡Calorific Value

The calorific value is a measure of the energy content of a substance, typically expressed in terms of the amount of heat released during combustion. In the video, it is mentioned that human faeces have a calorific value comparable to that of dried firewood. This comparison is significant as it positions human waste as a potential energy source, highlighting its untapped potential for resource recovery.

💡Carbon

Carbon is an element found in all living organisms and is a key component of various organic compounds, including those found in human waste. The video script reveals that there is a significant amount of carbon in human faeces, which can be harnessed as an energy source. This is important because it suggests that waste can be transformed into a sustainable fuel, reducing the need for other carbon-intensive fuels.

💡Biomass Waste

Biomass waste refers to organic materials that are considered waste but can be used as a source of energy. The script mentions combining human waste with other biomass waste like charcoal dust or sawdust to create a sustainable product. This process exemplifies the concept of waste-to-energy, where materials that would otherwise be discarded are repurposed to generate energy in an environmentally friendly manner.

💡Mkaa kwa jamii

Mkaa kwa jamii is a Swahili phrase that translates to 'charcoal for the family.' In the video, it is used to name the sustainable product created from human waste and other biomass. This term is significant as it not only gives a local and cultural identity to the product but also emphasizes its intended use as a household fuel, which is a common energy source in the region.

💡Emissions

Emissions refer to the release of pollutants or greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, often as a result of human activities. The video highlights that the briquettes made from human waste have about one-third of the emissions, particularly carbon monoxide and particulates, compared to local charcoal. This reduction in emissions is a key environmental benefit of the product, contributing to cleaner air and a lower carbon footprint.

💡Sustainable Product

A sustainable product is one that is designed and produced with consideration for its environmental impact, aiming to minimize negative effects. In the video, the creators discuss how they have developed a sustainable product from human waste that burns longer and has lower emissions than traditional charcoal. This aligns with the broader theme of the video, which is about finding innovative solutions to environmental challenges.

💡Environmental Impact

Environmental impact refers to the effects that a product, service, or activity has on the environment. The video script emphasizes that people are purchasing the sustainable fuel not only for its practical benefits but also for its positive environmental impact, such as saving trees. This reflects a growing consumer trend towards eco-conscious choices and the importance of marketing products based on their sustainability.

💡Charcoal Briquettes

Charcoal briquettes are a type of fuel made from compressed charcoal dust or other organic materials. In the video, the creators discuss how they produce briquettes from human waste and other biomass, which can serve as a substitute for traditional charcoal. The briquettes are highlighted as a key innovation in the script, as they offer a more sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to conventional fuels.

💡Treatment Facilities

Treatment facilities are places where waste materials are processed to reduce their environmental impact or to recover valuable resources. The script mentions that the collected human waste is taken to treatment facilities where it is heat-treated and combined with other waste materials. This process is crucial for transforming waste into a usable and sustainable fuel, demonstrating the importance of infrastructure in waste management and resource recovery.

Highlights

People's initial skepticism about the product is overcome by its appearance and lack of faeces-like smell.

In East Africa, 90% of residents use solid biomass forms like firewood, charcoal, or pellets daily.

Deforestation is a significant problem in Kenya and East Africa due to the high usage of biomass fuels.

The company advocates for resourceful use of human waste instead of just flushing it away.

Human faeces contain valuable resources, including a high calorific value comparable to dried firewood.

The company has about 650 toilets in operation, serviced twice a week to collect waste.

Waste is treated and combined with other biomass waste to create a sustainable product.

The sustainable product is named 'Mkaa kwa jamii', meaning 'charcoal for the family'.

The briquettes burn twice as long as local charcoal with one-third the emissions.

Every tonne of briquettes sold saves approximately 88 trees in Kenya.

Many customers are purchasing the fuel for its positive environmental impact.

If all human and agricultural waste in Kenya were collected, it could meet almost 50% of the country's charcoal and firewood demand.

The solution provided could significantly reduce deforestation rates in Kenya.

The company's approach is seen as a key step towards addressing deforestation.

The potential of human waste as an alternative biomass fuel is both exciting and impactful.

Transcripts

People question at first

but as soon as they see our product

it doesn’t look like faeces

it doesn’t smell like faeces

you wouldn’t know it was unless we told you.

In East Africa the percentage is something like

90% of all residents

utilise some solid biomass form daily.

That’s firewood, that’s charcoal, that’s pellets

because of that

deforestation has been a huge problem in Kenya

and throughout East Africa.

The best thing that we can do is

not just flush it and forget it.

There’s actually a lot of resources in human faeces

that we could make use of.

Now people are starting to say

‘hey, what if, what else can we do?’

So we started looking at

the amount of carbon that’s in human faeces

and realised that

the calorific value of human faeces

is comparable to that of dried firewood.

There’s enough carbon in human faeces

to almost be a direct substitute.

We have probably

about 650 toilets in operations

and we have people that go and service them twice a week

and collect these full containers

and then take it to our treatment facilities.

We heat treat it

and then we combine it

with other biomass waste

like charcoal dust or saw dust

or rose waste like we get here in Naivasha

and we can mix those

and press that and dry it

and we’ve got a new sustainable product.

We call them Mkaa kwa jamii

which means charcoal for the family.

They burn about twice as long

as local charcoal.

They have about one third of the emissions

specifically carbon monoxide and particulates.

Beyond all that

for every tonne of charcoal

of our briquettes that we sell

we save about 88 trees here in Kenya

which is just mind-blowing

that a simple change

can have such a big difference.

What has been incredible to me

is how many people

actually are purchasing our fuel

because of the environmental impact.

People tell us they're like

‘Oh wow, saving trees.

That's great.

Yeah, I'll make the change.’

We’ve actually shown

that if we could collect

all the human waste in Kenya

all the agriculture waste

that’s not being used for anything else

then we could supply

almost 50% of the entire charcoal

and firewood demand in Kenya

then the deforestation rates

would drop substantially.

I think the solution we’re providing now

is a key stepping stone

to fixing some of the immediate needs

of deforestation.

It’s really exciting.