Improvement of decomposition efficiency of human excreta from composting latrines - the initial results
Abstract
The safe reuse of human excreta and urine in agriculture gives multiple benefits, providing nutrients for soil, generating more incomes for living, savings money for purchase of chemical fertilizers and thus, providing more chances to access to health care and education services. In Vietnamese rural areas, addition of bulking materials to the latrines after each time of use contributes to quick filling up of pits. Besides, the needs in fertilizer for 2 to 3 crops per year lead farmers to take the excreta out from the pit and bring to the field sooner, not following adequate storage time indicated by guidance of the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization. The research objective is to find suitable approach to reduce decomposition time to ensure safe reuse of human excreta. The experimental results showed co-composting of excreta with domestic organic waste had high efficiency of pathogen die off. E. coli has reduced from 106 to 102CFU/g TS after 4 months of composting. This solution shows potential for application aiming at safe reuse of excrate in agricultute.
Keywords: Composting; excreta; latrine; pathogens.
Received: June 25th, 2014, revised: July 10th, 2014, accepted: September 10th, 2014
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