LadderLoo: A New Approach to Sanitation

Transcription

1 LadderLoo: A New Approach to Sanitation What is LadderLoo? The LadderLoo is an adaptation of simple, proven technologies that create demand-driven sustainability. It is designed to provide inexpensive and increasingly better sanitation one lowcost step at a time to impoverished people who are willing to pay to take the first step up the sanitation ladder but cannot afford it. The LadderLoo is a microbusiness-oriented solution to problems like health issues, odor, flies, mosquitoes, worms, high water tables, and high population density. The LadderLoo project is a new public access approach to sanitation that provides: An ultra-low cost latrine that is affordable to households living on less than $5/day An affordable way for households to climb the sanitation ladder (much of the benefit occurs with the first step of the sanitation ladder) A community-focused approach that is about the approach to sanitation as much as the technologies involved A business opportunity for entrepreneurs or self-funding for non-profits A flexible solution that fits a wide range of applications including high water, urban, or rural, home use, or public An easy add-on to safe water, hygiene, or other projects An elimination of pathogens A safe way to empower female participation and leadership at every level A video option for training The Sanitation Problem A 2015 UNICEF report shows that sanitation efforts in the world are mostly not working. Today 2.5 billion people have no access to improved sanitation; in 2008 the number was 2.6 billion. Despite almost no improved sanitation worldwide, numerous studies indicate that people are willing to pay for access to sanitation. Efforts to meet the UN Millennium goal of improving access to sanitation have failed miserably with no affordable, simple solutions in sight until now. Sanitation Studies Summary A study in India showed that people with $1/day of income are willing to pay up to 4% of their income for access to sanitation. A UN study showed over 92% of community members wanted sanitation for their homes A UN study showed it is essential for WASH programs to be holistic for the most effect. Failure to include sanitation can more than halve the effect on mortality reduction. A World Bank study showed that: The impoverished will never have sufficient funds for a latrine. Sustainability is less likely when households don t have financial ownership. Subsidies should go to technical support rather than households. Sanitation projects fail when the vast majority of the community does not adopt them. Pg 1

2 The Sanitation Ladder LadderLoo is best thought of as a sanitation ladder. Users climb the sanitation ladder to increasingly better health, conditions, & disposable income in affordable steps. LadderLoo is designed to be affordable for poor households and is flexible enough to be used in almost any environment. LadderLoo Collector Separator Open Defecation Pg 2

3 Separator The Separator is the lowest cost LadderLoo step up the sanitation ladder. Several slits are cut in the bottom of a used 5-gallon (20- liter) bucket. The bucket is placed in a hole in the ground lined with gravel. The slits allow the urine to drain into the gravel pit while collecting the feces. This reduces odor and allows the feces to be moved to a composting pile. Ash, soil, grass, leaves, or sawdust are added to the Separator after use to control odor and aid composting. It is expected that the LadderLoo Separator can be used times before it is necessary to dump sludge into a thermophilic compost pit. The cost of a Separator is very low and easily replicated by members of the community since it only requires a used 5-gallon (20-liter) bucket and local materials for privacy. Collector The Collector is the second LadderLoo step up the sanitation ladder. The Collector is a Separator sitting in a second 5-gallon (20-liter) bucket. The second bucket retains the urine and is drained separately, allowing the Collector to be used indoors or in areas where a gravel pit is impractical. As with the Separator, ash, soil, grass, leaves, or sawdust are added to the Collector after use to control odor and aid composting. It is expected that the LadderLoo Collector can be used times before it is necessary to dump sludge into a thermophilic compost pit. The cost of a Collector is very low and easily replicated by members of the community since it only requires a used 5-gallon (20-liter) bucket, some tubing, and a Separator. Pg 3

4 The LadderLoo in Practice Construction & Assembly Instructions The construction and assembly instructions detail LadderLoo construction, including materials lists, construction tips, and other useful information. Video instructions are planned. The following pictures shows the first two steps of the LadderLoo, the Separator and the Collector. Most households will likely stop at the Separator. A privacy structure of locally available materials as shown can be built at no cost. With proper use & maintenance, a LadderLoo Collector can be placed within a dwelling. Sample Privacy Structure Construction Pg 4

5 Safety, Operations, Maintenance Proper setup, operations, and maintenance of LadderLoo components are essential for safe use. Avoid contact with human waste by using protective clothing, mask, & gloves when emptying the Separator. Personal hygiene, including hand washing with soap, after handling waste is essential. The LadderLoo components should be kept clean to reduce flies. Foul odor is best controlled by adding composting agents like sawdust and ash following each use. Seal the container with a cover when not in use and use a sealing lid during transport. Separating the feces from urine is an important feature of the LadderLoo as most pathogens are in the feces but the urine causes most of the odor. After being separated, the effluent containing urine can be added back to a compost pile to help accelerate composting without any odor. Pathogens All pathogens should be killed if either the effluent is leached to a gravel pit and the sludge composted using a Separator or both the dry sludge and effluent are disposed in a thermophilic compost pile using a Collector. Delivering the sludge to composting pits controls bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and worms. Controlling worms (and their eggs) may be the biggest challenge and may have to occur in steps. Pests Flies & mosquitoes (a huge problem with pit latrines) are controlled by sealing the LadderLoo with a lid when not in use. Rodents are controlled by virtue of composting garbage (but not meat scraps or dairy) along with human waste. Thermophilic Composting Thermophilic composting is the practice of breaking down biological waste with heat-loving bacteria. Thermophilic composting is critical to the success of the LadderLoo. Communities must be willing to compost (and do it properly) for the LadderLoo to succeed. It is highly advisable to transport active waste with a cart to prevent spillage, mitigate contact with waste, and reduce the potential for long-term injury from carrying heavy loads. Composting can also be accelerated by turning over the compost for oxygen, heat, moisture optimization, adding earth worms, and solar heating. Even biodegradable diapers and sanitary napkins can be placed in the LadderLoo Separator and then composted. Business Opportunities Many job opportunities are also possible with LadderLoo. Franchises with purchasing power to reduce prices can effectively spread the concept. Pg 5

6 Promotion & Marketing Demand-driven enterprise is the best approach to sustainable sanitation projects. Entrepreneurs, NGOs, and missions groups should begin with motivated community households & leaders (especially women) who are willing to put effort into seeking sanitation benefits. Understanding what factors, like fewer flies and cleaner surroundings, help push community leaders into action is also important for a successful adoption of the LadderLoo. Copyright This material is developed by Engineering for Hope under the open content copyright provisions and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Noncommercial Share Alike 3.0 United States License. To view a copy of this license, visit or send a letter to Creative Commons, 171 Second Street, Suite 300, San Francisco, California 94105, USA. The terms of this license are Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike. This means that you are permitted to download, use, and redistribute this work non-commercially. Permission to build upon, remix, and translate can be provided by contacting Engineering for Hope. Any new creations and derivatives must credit Engineering for Hope, be non-commercial in nature and licensed under identical terms. Engineering for Hope and its directors, employees, contractors, and volunteers do not assume any responsibility for and make no warranty with respect to the results that may be obtained from the use of the information provided. This material is designed for use by organizations and/or persons intending to improve sanitary conditions in communities. To make the most of the information provided here, we recommend that you contact Engineering for Hope at Pg 6