Application of GSAP Microflush toilets: a sustainable development approach to rural and peri-urban sanitation

Mecca, Stephen J.; Davis, Harriet; Davis, Allison R.

doi:10.2495/eco130101

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…While sanitation has been part of UN millennium goals [4,5] and while proven technologies such as the GSAP Microflush toilet offer promise from a sustainable technology perspective, there are challenges in bringing the technology to scale. Earlier work [1,2] analyzed two broad models: the central production model (CPM) and the on-site fabrication (OSF) model. GSAP has chosen the latter for two reasons.…”

Section: Going To Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

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Microfranchising rural sanitation: a sustainable development model for a scale-up of a sustainable technology

Mecca¹,

Davis²,

Davis³

2015

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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The GSAP Microflush toilet system, a locally sourced-locally fabricated toilet that features a macro-organism enhanced aerobic filter-digester and an innovative valve that flushes on just 150 cc of water has proven to be an effective sustainable sanitation solution for developing world tropical communities. This paper examines a sustainable model for bringing the technology to scale by bringing together the building and microfinance functions necessary for the neediest of households to own such a toilet. The plan developed by the non-profit Global Sustainable Aid Project and the SLab replaces outright grants with progressive performance based loans to the microfranchise with a model that has appeal for traditional philanthropic and humanitarian aid foundations. The goals and structure of the model and pro forma for alternative scenarios emphasizing the sustainable elements of the approach are described. Early results of the application are presented.

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Section: Going To Scalementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The technology from the prototype systems to the new locally sourced-locally fabricated model is more fully described in recent papers [1,2]. A photo of typical stalls is shown in Figure 1.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Microfranchising rural sanitation: a sustainable development model for a scale-up of a sustainable technology

Mecca¹,

Davis²,

Davis³

2015

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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“…Manuscript to be reviewed To this end, the S-Lab at Providence College and the Global Sustainable Aid Project (GSAP) developed a low cost, microflush toilet system that provides an effective sanitation solution for rural and peri-urban areas (Mecca et al, 2013a). The GSAP Microflush toilet is designed to use locally sourced materials so that a trained local artisan can fabricate the system.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Peer Review #1 of "Bacterial communities in the digester bed and liquid effluent of a microflush composting toilet system (v0.1)"

Murcott¹

2018

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Sustainable Aid Project developed a microflush composting toilet system to isolate and treat human waste. Solid waste is composted within a filter-digester bed via an aerobic process involving microbes and invertebrates. Liquid waste may be sanitized by solar disinfection (SODIS) or slow sand filtration (SSF). Here, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing of samples from a scaled-down test version of the system to better understand the bacterial component of the toilet system. Immediately after fecal matter was deposited in the test system, the bacterial community of the filter-digester bed at the site of deposition resembled that of the human gut at both the phylum and genus level, which was expected. Genus-level analysis of filter-digester bed samples collected over the next 30 days from the site of deposition showed reduced or undetectable levels of fecalassociated taxa, with the exception of Clostridium XI, which persisted at low abundance throughout the sampling period. Starting with the sample collected on day 4, the bacterial community of the filter-digester bed at the site of deposition was dominated by bacterial taxa commonly associated with environmental sources, reflecting a major shift in bacterial community composition. These data support the toilet system's capacity for processing solid human waste. We also analyzed how SODIS and SSF sanitization methods affected the bacterial community composition of liquid effluent collected on day 15 from the test system. Untreated and treated liquid effluent samples were dominated by Proteobacteria. At the genus level, the bacterial community of the untreated effluent included taxa commonly associated with environmental sources. In the SODIS-treated effluent, these genera increased in abundance, whereas in the SSF-treated effluent, they were greatly reduced or undetectable. By analyzing OTUs that were unclassified at the genus level, we observed that SSF appears to introduce new taxa into the treated effluent, likely from the biological film of microbes and small animals that constitutes the key element of slow sand

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“…Motivated by the ongoing success of the (Global Sustainable Aid Project) GSAP Microflush toilet [1] and GSAP's MAKER-LENDER models [2], the S-Lab undertook the project reported here to develop companion off-grid low cost effective WASH and Energy systems that together would add to the quality of life for rural households in developing communities. Under a Grand Challenges Explorations Award from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, GSAP (in Ghana known as the Ghana Sustainable Aid Project) successfully prototyped a marriage of two technologies: a filter-digester and the Microflush valve.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The S-Lab’s Wash+e System: Ten Sustainable Interventions for Vernacular Rural Households in Developing Communities

Mecca¹,

Reilly²,

Kleinschmidt³

et al. 2017

WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environment

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The GSAP Microflush toilet system, a locally sourced fabricated toilet that features a macro-organismenhanced aerobic filter-digester and an innovative valve that flushes on just 150 cc of water has proven to be an effective sustainable sanitation solution for developing world tropical communities. When coupled with 9 low-cost WASH and energy interventions, the resulting WASH+E system can add health, wellness and other value to a basic rural household. This paper describes each of the interventions including the components, options and costs. Lab prototypes are shown with early results from application deployments in Ghana, Haiti and Nicaragua. GSAP expects the technology to go to scale in multiple models including an extension of its toilet MAKER model, DIY contributions from recipient households and community cooperatives, especially coops involving women.

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Application of GSAP Microflush toilets: a sustainable development approach to rural and peri-urban sanitation

Cited by 10 publications

References 3 publications

Microfranchising rural sanitation: a sustainable development model for a scale-up of a sustainable technology

Microfranchising rural sanitation: a sustainable development model for a scale-up of a sustainable technology

Peer Review #1 of "Bacterial communities in the digester bed and liquid effluent of a microflush composting toilet system (v0.1)"

The S-Lab’s Wash+e System: Ten Sustainable Interventions for Vernacular Rural Households in Developing Communities

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