EWB mini-series on Sustainable Sanitation Solutions

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This Friday, on 8th of April, Engineers Without Borders (EWB) is hosting its 1st seminar as a part of mini-series that focus on Sustainable Sanitation Solutions. Here, HÄkan Jönsson and Jennifer McConvile will talk about safe and sustainable ways to recover nutrients, water and energy from sanitation systems. The seminar will take place at SLU but can also be attended digitally.

If you are interested in finding out more about EWB and upcoming seminar(s), click here.

 

Study visit to Black Soldier Fly lab

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Last week the Black Soldier Fly lab hosted a study visit for 25 students from the SLU Youth institute with a mix of Swedish, Bulgarian, Slovenian and Spanish students. We discussed the worldwide issue of waste generation, its impact on the environment, the globally increasing need for protein and the possibility to produce protein from waste. Black soldier fly composting will continue to be a valuable option to both reduce organic wastes and produce protein. 

 

If you want to know more contact Viktoria Wiklicky and Cecilia Lalander

Study visit to Gebers and Understenshöjde

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Last week several members of the group had the pleasure of visiting two ecological housing collectives situated in Stockholm – Gebers and Understenshöjden. They invited us into their homes and gave us a glimpse of their lives and shared with us experiences on how it has been to live with urine-separating toilets for more than 25 years.

Visitors and the residents of both communities also had an opportunity to listen to a lecture by Tove Larsen, a renowned researcher from Eawag, where she shared what positive impacts urine diversion has and can have on the world and the future of nutrient recycling.

After the lecture, Jenna presented our version for future of urine recycling and talked about the benefits of drying urine onsite and how this can be done using Sanitation360’s solutions. The day was then concluded with interesting discussions, valuable exchange of information and a promise of future collaborations.

 

Can urine help save food production under crises?

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Field with crops. Two persons in the background.

Prithvi spoke with Agnes Bondesson, SLU Global’s International Scientific Communications Officer about the ongoing food and fertiliser price inflation. Check out the article here: https://internt.slu.se/en/news-originals/2022/3/can-urine-help-save-food-production-under-crises/ or read below –

With the current state in the world, seen to conflicts and climate change, the question about food production in case of short-term or long-term crises has been emphasised. Sweden has a solid food production, but it is a production vulnerable for disruptions of imported products such as fertilisers, diesel, pesticides, seeds and protein feed as well as electricity. One of the main components in conventional plant production is the use of imported fertilisers. When the climate crisis, higher prices and insecurity in import forces us to rethink our ways to use artificial fertilisers there is a need to see other solutions. 

Continue reading Can urine help save food production under crises?

Possibilities for changing to resource recovery in Kampala’s on-site sanitation regime

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We are proud to share a recently published study from the SPANS project related to opportunities for introducing resource recovery innovations in Uganda. In particular we look at the four source-separating on-site sanitation systems – niches. The study was performed in collaboration with Makerere University and RISE. It uses the multi-level perspectives of socio-technical systems to deepen our  understand the existing situation (regime). Through this in-depth analysis of current practices in the Ugandan sanitation sector, we have been able to highlight stress points that could be used to leverage a change to new systems and ways of doing things. Stakeholder specific suggestions for action based on results of this study include:

  • Utilities should pilot innovative solutions in order to demonstrate their advantages and build knowledge.
  • Universities should adapt curricula to break the dominance of sewage systems, including more on-site solutions and Best Available Technology (BAT) approach to selection of systems.
  • Researchers should disseminate knowledge regarding technical advantages of the niches.
  • Niches should focus on possibilities for simplifying organisational structures, streamlining and clarifying roles and responsibilities.
  • Policy makers should adapt policy environments to reflect actual and planned reality of sanitation services, including making public funding available for the on-site regime and its niches.

 

For more information contact Jennifer McConville.

Another interview about urine drying!

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Prithvi was interviewed by Shivangi Agarwal from DownToEarth, the fortnightly magazine focused on politics of environment and development, published in India by the Centre for Science and Environment. They wanted to know what are the benefits of urine recycling and how it can be applied in an Indian context. To find out more, click here.

Omogen, men med stor potential – LĂ€s vĂ„r review-artikel om BSF larver frass som organiskt gödningsmedel

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LÀgligt med EU:s beslut att anta en förordning som reglerar produktion och anvÀndning av insektsfrass pÄ EU-marknaden ((EU) 2021/1925) har vi publicerat en review-artikel  i Journal of Waste Management om kunskapslÀget för anvÀndning fluglarvsfrass som organiskt gödningsmedel. Vi har beskrivit fördelarna med att anvÀnda fluglarvsfrass som organiskt gödningsmedel som har stöd i vetenskapliga studier, diskuterat ytterligare möjliga fördelar som Ànnu inte har pÄvisats, pekat pÄ nÄgra av de utmaningar som kan mötas vid anvÀndning av detta gödningsmedel samt kartlagt kunskapsluckorna som för nÀrvarande finns. Vill du veta mer, lÀs hÀr.

Immature, but with great potential – Read our review on BSF larvae frass as an organic fertilizer

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Timely with the decision from the EU to adopt a regulation that governs the production and use of insect frass on the EU market ((EU) 2021/1925) we have compiled a review article published in the Journal of Waste Management on state of knowledge of using BSF larvae frass as an organic fertiliser. We have outlined the advantages of using BSF larvae frass as organic fertiliser that has been found so far, discussed possible additional benefits that have not yet been demonstrated, pointed to some of the challenges that could be faced using this fertiliser as well as elucidated the gaps in knowledge that currently exist. If you want to find out more, read here.