Title

Korea: Resource Circulation Sanitation Showcase to Provide Sustainable Sanitation in Remote Areas
Country
Republic of Korea (the)
Summary

In this showcase project, an innovative sanitation system is developed to be promoted as a nature-based solution for problems of adequate access to sustainable sanitation in remote areas. The source-separated urine and feces undergo an onsite treatment process to be recycled and utilized as fertilizer and soil conditioner. The efficiency and sustainability of this system have been proved through scientific studies and field experiments at farming centers located in suburban areas of Seoul. A trained management committee sustained the operation and maintenance of the system. The system performed to be economically beneficial by using locally available resources and recycling sanitary wastes.
Related IWRM Tools
  • Human Rights Based Approach (
    A2.05
    )
  • Public sector water utilities (
    B2.01
    )
  • Recycle and Reuse (
    C3.03
    )
  • Nature Based Solutions (
    C3.04
    )
Keywords
Sustainable Development Goals - SDGs Sustainability Water and Sanitation Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Community-based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM)
Lessons Learned

The presented nitrifying microorganism-assisted resource circulation sanitation system is replicable throughout the world because it is technologically designed to be profitably operated by producing fertilizer from source-separated urine, which can be especially useful for remote areas with food shortages and/or agriculture-based communities.

The system is affordable and sustainable due to the use of local resources, making it possible for local users to construct and operate it. It saves a remarkable amount of water and energy, which is especially applicable in remote areas facing water shortages and beneficial to local governments by reducing the demand for the provision and use of freshwater.

The system is designed to be sustainable and easy to maintain while overcoming problems such as odor. It meets the definition and criteria of the WHO for a “safe sanitation system”, does not need complicated infrastructure, and provides nature-based solutions for water and sanitation challenges; making it suitable for implementation in remote and rural areas.

The system provides a notable contribution to overcoming the challenges of achieving SDGs 1, 2, and 6. Therefore, it would be welcomed and accepted by individuals, local governments, donor agencies, and United Nations-related organizations. Similar projects could be implemented in areas short of freshwater or in areas where regional cultural preferences might otherwise provide a barrier to use.
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