Heinz-Peter Mang

Toilet revolution in China.

The wide-spread prevalence of unimproved sanitation technologies has been a major cause of concern for the environment and public health, and China is no exception to this. Towards the sanitation issue, toilet revolution has become a buzzword in China recently. This paper elaborates the backgrounds, connotations, and actions of the toilet revolution in China. The toilet revolution aims to create sanitation infrastructure and public services that work for everyone and that turn waste into value. Opportunities for implementing the toilet revolution include: fulfilling Millennium Development Goals and new Sustainable Development Goals; government support at all levels for popularizing sanitary toilet; environmental protection to alleviate wastewater pollution; resource recovery from human waste and disease prevention for health and wellbeing improvement. Meanwhile, the challenges faced are: insufficient funding and policy support, regional imbalance and lagging approval processes, weak sanitary awareness and low acceptance of new toilets, lack of R&D and service system. The toilet revolution requires a concerted effort from many governmental departments. It needs to address not only technology implementation, but also social acceptance, economic affordability, maintenance issues and, increasingly, gender considerations. Aligned with the ecological sanitation principles, it calls for understanding issues across the entire sanitation service chain. Public-private partnership is also recommended to absorb private capital to make up the lack of funds, as well as arouse the enthusiasm of the public.

Exploring alternative sources of funding for deploying sustainable sanitation technologies and services in Mongolia

Abstract One of the major challenges for deploying sustainable sanitation technologies and services around the world is financing. The present study applied both qualitative (key informant interviews) and quantitative (household survey) methods to explore sources of alternative financing in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, towards deploying sustainable sanitation technologies and services. Microfinance organizations, government subsidies and mining industries may represent potential sources of financing for the implementation of sustainable sanitation technologies and services in Mongolia. Moreover, building social capital among Ger residents and reinventing the idea of ‘corporate WASH responsibility’ could constitute new directions for the future.

Development and application of biogas project for domestic sewage treatment in rural China: opportunities and challenges

The biogas project for domestic sewage treatment (BPDST) is considered a promising facility for wastewater management in rural areas of China. This paper explores previous experimental works, cost analysis, and BPDST structure and design based on Chinese literature. Opportunities for developing decentralized or neighborhood-based BPDSTs include fulfilling Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the water pollution situation and deficiency of wastewater treatment facilities, the advantages of BPDSTs compared with centralized sewage plant, government support and policy drive for rural wastewater treatment, and reuse demand for resources. Meanwhile, challenges faced are emphasized as follows: uncertain responsibility for BPDSTs under different governmental departments restricts BPDST development and should be specified; uncertain effluent quality due to low efficiency of nutrient removal requires aerobic post-treatment to some extent; rural environmental awareness is still low and should be heightened; more funds should be invested in R&D for improvement of technology innovation; more reuse and resource recovery elements should be considered during implementation; follow-up services are lacking and should be improved; and BPDST maintenance should be trained. This paper could provide valuable reference for other developing countries.

Evaluation of a closed-loop sanitation system in a cold climate: a case from peri-urban areas of Mongolia

This study examines a closed-loop sanitation system (CLSS) in the ger areas (informal peri-urban settlements) of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia in order to evaluate system feasibility and to identify the future prospects of CLSS as an alternative to conventional sanitation and drainage options. Results show that the CLSS concept is well understood and accepted by users and that services are being scaled up. Over 50 per cent of respondents used CLSS technologies during both winter and summer, testifying to the potential for scaling up these technologies and services. Moreover, all users responded positively in their evaluation of the emptying services. Despite some problems and challenges, the system proved to be feasible, replicable and acceptable in the study area. It is recommended that the entire CLSS approach be tested through scientific validation to convince more communities, government and other stakeholders about scaling up the system beyond the study area for better health, environmental conservation and resource recovery.

Assessment of metals in dry-toilet collected matters from suburban areas of Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, using biosolids quality guidelines and potential ecological risk index

Dry-toilet collected matter (DCM) from traditional dry-toilet pits are a potential health and ecological risk in suburban areas. In this study, the characteristics of metals in DCMs from suburban areas of Ulaanbaatar were surveyed. The results indicate that DCMs contain a high percentage of organic matter and nutrients, while heavy metals are at low levels, which shows good agricultural potential. The concentration ranges of Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn were 11±5, 46±9, 0.08±0.05, 9±3, 17±9, and 338±86 mg·kg−1, respectively. The concentration of Cd was below 0.5 mg·kg−1, and a high positive relation was shown between chromium and nickel concentrations. The heavy metals in DCMs were safe for land application but Zn in DCMs was close to the effects range median (ERM), which is toxic in some cases, such as amphipod bioassays. Because it is mandatory to treat DCMs to reduce pathogens, in the case of heavy metal enrichment and agricultural reuse, composting or pyrolysis are better choices than incineration. Compared with global soil background values, the heavy metals in DCMs showed a low level of ecological risk, but a medium level when compared with Mongolian soil background values. The ecological risk of six heavy metals was in the descending order Hg>Cu>Zn>Pb> Ni>Cr and the contribution rate of Hg exceeded 60%.