TREATMENT OF HUMAN EXCRETA (NIGHT SOIL)

Here BIOTECH presents an apt technology to overcome these problems.

There are regular waste disposal problems in almost all Institutions like hostels, hospitals, convents, old age-homes, etc where more peoples are staying together. The overflow and or leakage of septic tank or drainage systems create severe environmental problems and public nuisance, opposition and complaint from the neighbours also. The installation of a Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) in this type of Institutions is not affordable due to various reasons. In the same time the cooking fuel consumption of these Institutions is also very high. The monthly budgets for firewood or other cooking fuels are also increasing regularly for these institutions. Here BIOTECH presents an apt technology to overcome these two problems.

The treatment of human excreta through biomethanation is the remedy to overcome these two problems at a time. Like any other bio waste, human excreta can be treated with the help of anaerobic microbes (bacteria). These microbes are not harmful to human beings. When human excreta is treated with the help of biomethanation process, the biogas is generated from this waste, through microbial action. This gas can be used either for cooking or for electricity generation. When a night soil plant is installed, there is no need of a separate conventional septic tank. Treated slurry coming out from the plant can be utilized as liquid fertilizer. All other easily biodegradable waste can be treated together with human excreta in the same plant. If there is a sewage treatment plant (STP), the efficiency of the STP can be increased through pre treatment of human excreta by biomethanation.

Through the installation of night soil based biogas plants, the beneficiary can treat all other degradable waste like cooked food, fish, meat and vegetable waste in the same plant. The size of the plant may be different depending upon the availability of human excreta and other degradable waste. The treatment plant can be installed either as a single unit or more units in different locations. The installation of a night soil plant is more convenient during the building construction time. The conversion of existing septic tanks to night soil treatment digester, is a little expensive.