Year: 2006
Type: article
Abstract: This paper describes the potential of ecological sanitation (ecosan), and in particular of urine-diversion dehydrating\n(UDD) toilets, to provide sustainable excreta disposal in emergency situations in low-income countries. Three case studies\nof emergency sanitation were analysed: El Salvador (hurricane), Afghanistan (civil war) and Pakistan (earthquake).\nThe analysis of these case studies has shown that the systems implemented in the long-term phase of the emergency were\nsometimes more sustainable than what was in place before the emergency occurred. For UDD toilets to be viable during\nemergency situations, specific criteria have to be in place. The essential criteria include awareness and expertise among\naid agencies, ease of transportation and quick installation of standardised UDD units, stage and duration of emergency\nand the role of government in sanitation provision. For emergency situations in low-income countries, we propose the\nuse of UDD toilets (e.g. with pre-fabricated urine-diversion squatting pans) as a suitable excreta management option,\nparticularly in those instances where pit latrines are not sustainable in the longer term.
Language: English
Subfield: Waste Management and Disposal
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2928671441