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Decentralized options for faecal sludge management in urban slum areas of Sub-Saharan Africa: A review of technologies, practices and end-uses

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  • Semiyaga, Swaib
  • Okure, Mackay A.E.
  • Niwagaba, Charles B.
  • Katukiza, Alex Y.
  • Kansiime, Frank

Abstract

Faecal sludge (FS), a product from on-site sanitation systems, poses a management challenge in densely populated urban slums of Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Currently, FS or its liquid fraction after dewatering is co-treated with sewage in conventional treatment plants. When dewatered, the solid stream is dried and stored further as the terminal treatment or is co-treated directly with organic solid wastes in composting or anaerobic digestion systems. To implement these, FS has to be collected and transported. Also, land is needed, but it is in most cases limited in slums or their vicinity. The collection and transport of FS from slums is costly due to lack of access, traffic congestion and long travel distances to treatment plants. Moreover, uncollected FS poses health risks and pollutes surface and/or ground water within slums. This review demonstrates that currently utilized technologies and practices fall short in various ways and discusses the possibility of minimizing FS management related costs, risks and pollution in urban slums by decentralized treatment and end-use. It also discusses the possible FS-derived end-products and their benefits to urban slum dwellers. Substitution of a part of natural materials (sand and clay) when building and/or biomass (firewood and charcoal) for cooking with FS derived end-products could multiply the benefits of improved sanitation to slum dwellers.

Suggested Citation

  • Semiyaga, Swaib & Okure, Mackay A.E. & Niwagaba, Charles B. & Katukiza, Alex Y. & Kansiime, Frank, 2015. "Decentralized options for faecal sludge management in urban slum areas of Sub-Saharan Africa: A review of technologies, practices and end-uses," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 104(PA), pages 109-119.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:recore:v:104:y:2015:i:pa:p:109-119
    DOI: 10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.09.001
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Günther, Isabel & Horst, Alexandra & Lüthi, Christoph & Mosler, Hans-Joachim & Niwagaba, Charles B. & Tumwebaze, Innocent K., 2011. "Where do Kampala’s poor “go”? - Urban sanitation conditions in Kampala’s low-income areas," MPRA Paper 45832, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Diener, Stefan & Semiyaga, Swaib & Niwagaba, Charles B. & Muspratt, Ashley Murray & Gning, Jean Birane & Mbéguéré, Mbaye & Ennin, Joseph Effah & Zurbrugg, Christian & Strande, Linda, 2014. "A value proposition: Resource recovery from faecal sludge—Can it be the driver for improved sanitation?," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 32-38.
    3. Tyagi, Vinay Kumar & Lo, Shang-Lien, 2013. "Sludge: A waste or renewable source for energy and resources recovery?," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 708-728.
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    1. Nataliya Loiko & Oleg Kanunnikov & Yuriy Litti, 2023. "Use of Alcaligenes faecalis to Reduce Coliforms and Enhance the Stabilization of Faecal Sludge," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Charles F. C. Chirwa & Ralph P. Hall & Leigh-Anne H. Krometis & Eric A. Vance & Adam Edwards & Ting Guan & Rochelle H. Holm, 2017. "Pit Latrine Fecal Sludge Resistance Using a Dynamic Cone Penetrometer in Low Income Areas in Mzuzu City, Malawi," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(2), pages 1-13, February.
    3. Mohammad Ghorbani & Petr Konvalina & Anna Walkiewicz & Reinhard W. Neugschwandtner & Marek Kopecký & Kazem Zamanian & Wei-Hsin Chen & Daniel Bucur, 2022. "Feasibility of Biochar Derived from Sewage Sludge to Promote Sustainable Agriculture and Mitigate GHG Emissions—A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-23, October.
    4. Noaga Inès Gwladys Ouedraogo & Yacouba Konaté & Boukary Sawadogo & Elfried Beré & Soumaila Sodré & Harouna Karambiri, 2023. "Characterization and Methanogenic Potential Evaluation of Faecal Sludge: Case of the Kossodo Biogas Plant in Ouagadougou," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-23, November.

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