SWOT analysis of dry toilets Judit Nagy1 assistant lecturer, PhD student Dr. habil. Anikó Zseni2 associate professor Széchenyi István University, Győr, Hungary 1: Department of Applied Mechanics, 2: Department of Environmental Engineering Environmental Impact 2016 – 3rd International Conference on Environmental and Economic Impact on Sustainable Development 8 – 10 June 2016, Valencia, Spain

1. Introducing the problem Flush toilets Have harmful environmental effects Cause water pollution Have high water consumption Their operation and maintenance need cost and energy Most important: With using of flush toilets  the nutrients in the human excreta are wasted

2. Solution Use human excreta for agricultural purposes Dry toilets: Different types: Composting toilets: Types collect and use human faeces and urine together (ECOSAN) Types which separate human faeces and urine (separating toilet) Incinerating toilets Microflush toilets

3. SWOT analysis SWOT analysis is an acronym for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Can be carried out for a company, product, place, industry of person as well. The technique is assigned to Albert Humprey in the 1960s and 1970s.

4. Dry toilets Composting toilets Incinerating toilets Types handle urine and faeces together Types which separate them Incinerating toilets Microflush toilets

5. Composting toilets - ECOSAN Types which handle urine and faeces together Excreta fall down  conveyor  a mechanism rotates the conveyor  the excreta slowly move along  fall into a collection bag. The waste will be dry and odourless. Through the ventilation pipe (5), airflow is provided for the dehydration, evaporation, deodorising process.

5. Composting toilet - ECOSAN We can manage the dry product in several ways: Agricultural purposes – make compost or natural fertilizer Use it as a source of fuel Create biogas

6. Composting toilet – Separating / No mix toilet / Urine diversion (UD) toilet Separate urine and faeces at source Urine contains the main part of nitrogen (88%), phosphorus (67%) and potassium (73%) of excreta. Urine can be used as a liquid plant fertilizer directly without further treatment. The storage period should be max. 6 months at 20°C or higher.

6. Composting toilet – Separating / No mix toilet / Urine diversion toilet (UD) UD technology have been used successfully in many developing and developed countries such as: Ethiopia, China, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Mexico, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam, Zimbabwe, Finland, Sweden and Germany.

7. Microflush toilet Stephen Mecca with the help of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation created the microflush toilet. The toilet is flushed with 150 cm3 grey water from the previous user’s handwash. The resulting compost is harvested every 2-3 years. Not regarded as a typical dry toilet, because it uses a small amount of water

8. Incinerating toilet Burns human excreta instead of flushing it away with water. Produce electricity. A small amount of sterile ash remains, so users have to empty the ash periodically. The toilet have a built in circuit board that monitors the operations.

9. SWOT analysis of dry toilets Composting toilet which handle faeces and urine together Strengths low odour levels no need for fuel no pumbling required no emission easy to install water free toilet system low-maintenance system environmental friendly produce compost can go 1-6 months without emptying the hormones and medicines will be degraded during composting easy to use in villages, in houses with garden Weaknesses some models need electricity for ventilation need to be „fed” continuously, otherwise the composting process will stop hard to apply in towns, densely populated areas and in public institutions Opportunities used both in developing and developed countries already can be installed places where hard to approach, like underground mines the product is manageable the product can be used as a natural fertilizer Threats spreading of flush toilets instead of it spreading of artificial fertilizers instead of composted excreta  

Composting toilet which separate faeces and urine (UD toilet) Strengths low odour levels no need for fuel no pumbling required no emission easy to install eliminate odours and disease-bearing flies water free toilet system chemical free low-maintenance system toilets can go 1-6 months without emptying Weaknesses some models need electricity for ventilation need to be „fed” continuously, otherwise the composting process will stop hard to apply in towns during storage and transportation of urine several spontaneous process storage period should be maximum 6 months at 20ºC or higher Opportunities used both in developing and developed countries already can be installed places where hard to approach, like underground mines the product (urine) can be used as a natural fertilizer substitution of artificial fertilizer with the urine Threats spreading of flush toilets instead of it spreading of artificial fertilizers instead of urine and faeces as a fertilizer

SWOT analysis for microflush toilet Strengths low odour levels no need for fuel no pumbling required no emission easy to install eliminate odours and disease-bearing flies reuse of greywater chemical free low-maintenance system harvested every 2-3 years Weaknesses some models need electricity for ventilation need to be „fed” continuously, otherwise the composting process will stop hard to apply in towns use a small amount of water Opportunities the product is manageable and can be processed in several ways the product can be used as a natural fertilizer substitution of artificial fertilizer with the composted product Threats spreading of flush toilets instead of it spreading of artificial fertilizers instead of composted human excreta

SWOT analysis for incinerating toilet Strengths low odour levels no plumbing required easy to install eliminate odours and disease-bearing flies produce electricity water free toilet system chemical free low-maintenance system Weaknesses need fuel (propane, natural gas, diesel) to operate cause a minimum emission ash from incinerating toilets should be disposed once per day the product – ash – is not reusable the organic matter and nutrient content of excreta are wasted Opportunities can be installed places where hard to approach, like underground mines produce electric power, it is essential mostly in developing countries Threats spreading of flush toilets instead of it should not be installed or operated in an area where there is a risk of accumulation of flammable vapours or dust

The goal is to find technological solutions in cities as well. 10. Conclusion We can realize that composting toilets are safe and environmental friendly solution for utilizing human excreta. A compost-like manageable product will be formed. Have to urge use of composting toilets which handle urine and faeces together  they have more strengths and opportunities like any other dry toilet type. In villages and in garden houses  easy to carry out In cities  difficult to carry out The goal is to find technological solutions in cities as well.

Thank you for your attention!