SIRDO (Integral system for recycling organic waste)

Final report

Lecturer: Josefina Mena Abraham, Arq.

Tutors:

• Ute Schneiderat
• Ana Isabel Zubiet
• Veronica Corella-Barud

Students:

• Verena Brand
• Yadira Cordero
• Stanislava Kocianova
• Catherine Wakesho

Objectives

• Install, demonstrate, monitor and analyze the compost and composting process in SIRDO from Suderburg.
• Analyze and compare samples between SIRDO and similar toilets visited during the excursions.
• Learn about the experience of GTA (Alternative Tecnology Group) from Mexico.
• Survey the social acceptability of composting toilets in Suderburg.

Abstract

• The lack of inadequate sanitation in the world which cause diseases and pollution, can be avoided with an approach to the problem from the root level.
• New integrated sanitation and waste management systems will have to consider the different qualities of outputs from human settlements: blackwater, biowaste, greywater and stormwater.
• Pollution prevention, sewage reduction and water conservation should be maximized.

Introduction

• The Paradoxes - Nearly half a billion people around the world face shortages of freshwater.
• In the year 2000 -1,615, 590 954 000 gallons of H₂O will be flushed away daily in the U.S    [Porto & Steinfeld (1999)]
• 1000g feces flushed away leads to 50000g polluted water.
• 1000g feces decomposed gives 50 g humus to cure the mother earth.
• Most of the domestic waste water generated is not treated - e.g. 56% of the developing countries have no access to proper sanition [UNDP (2000)]

Health and sanitation

• An estimated 3 billion people lack a sanitary toilet.(Hinrichsen, D., B. Robey, and U.D. Upadhyay.1998. Solutions for a Water-Short World. Population Reports, Series M, No.14, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Baltimore, Maryland)
• Approximately 4 billion cases of diarrheal disease occur every year, causing 3-4 million deaths, mostly among children. (See references cited in: Hinrichsen, D., B. Robey, and U.D. Upadhyay.1998. Solutions for a Water-Short World. Population Reports, Series M, No.14, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Baltimore, Maryland)
• Over 1.2 billion people are at risk because they lack access to clean water. (See references cited in: Hinrichsen, D., B. Robey, and U.D. Upadhyay.1998. Solutions for a Water-Short World. Population Reports, Series M, No.14, Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health, Population Information Program, Baltimore, Maryland)

Conventional Sanitary concepts to be considered.

I Use of clean water (40%) to flush away toilet wastes produces a break down by a process that utilises oxygen.

II Mixing of industrial and domestic effluents.

III Lost of nutrients which are contained in urine and feces.

INTRODUCTION 2

• To remedy these problems we need to
  • conserve water
  • separate constituents in waste waters
  • recycle and reuse the water
  • prevent pollution
• Dry and Wet SIRDO ( as examples) offer possibilities to attaining the mentioned goals
• So what does SIRDO offers?

SIRDO

• Is a conservative technology that use the principles of:

  • Preserve
  • Conserve
  • Protect

  
  
  • Waterless Sanitation (Dry SIRDO)
  • Reuse of water (Wet SIRDO)
  • Recycling of organic waste (Dry and Wet SIRDO)

SIRDO principles

WET SIRDO

• The use of conventional toilets
• Aerobic decomposition of organic and fecal matter
• Recycling black and grey water (in 2 separated networks)

DRY SIRDO Aerobic decomposition of human excreta (animal). Produce a biofertilizer free of pathogens. No use of water for sewage

Activities

SIRDO Concepts and experience	Principles of dry and wet SIRDO	Experiences about the use of wet Sirdo. Microcredits	Community action programs.	Case study. Data comparison and analysis in Mexico.
	Installation and use of SIRDO in Suderburg.	Dosis of bacteria and nutrients. Main. Monitoring.	Samples and analysis in laboratory.	C o n c l u s i o n s
Excursions	To ecological settlements (Bielefeld, Lübeck), To a composting plant	Samples and analysis for comparison of process.
Our Research	Discussions about waste water treatment systems.	Analysis of present sewage and septic systems. Research of compost process.	Benefits of natural waste treatment systems

EXCURSIONS

• Bielefeld – Ecological settlement
• Wienhausen (Decentralized systems)
• Hannover Hägewiesen
• Hannover Villa Kunterbunt
• Lübeck Flintenbreite - Ecological settlement
• Composting plant – Ganderkesee
• Composting plant – Bork

Composting toilet - Bielefeld

Bielefeld - Ecological settlement

Click here for the full picture gallery of the Bielefeld excursion.

Lübeck Flintenbreite - Ecological settlement

Links to the websites of the project and the engineering company: www.flintenbreite.de www.otterwasser.de

Hannover Villa Kunterbunt

See Project 1 (still under construction).

Two concepts to deal with human manure as a resource

Technology	Composting	Digestion
Conditions	Aerob	Anaerob
Realisation	Good, long experience, safe	Possible, but unsafe, not enough data
Starting material	All biogen waste, preferable rich in structure, moisture content < 70 %	All biogen waste but not with lignin (wood), preferable with weak structure with a high water content
Place needed	High, dependent on turn over 0,4-1,9 m2/Mg (for compost)	Pure: low (0,1-1,2 m2/Mg) With final rotting: 0,3–1,6 m2/Mg
Emmissions	Low waste water, odour: high	Wet fermentation a lot of waste water, dry fermentation less, smell less than for aerob treatment
Using of Energy	Only gain of warmth possible	Electricity and warmth, Biogas production
End product	With appropiate quality to sell	Limiting condition for selling purposes aerob rotting afterwards, salinity contents in the compost lower

Phases of Composting

Phase	Mesophilic	Thermophilic	Maturation
Temperature	Moderate	High	Cool
°C	20°C - 40°C	40°C - 65°C / > 70°C	below 30°C
Organisms	Bacteria	Fungis, Bacteria (Actinomycetes)	Bacteria, Fungis, Macrofauna
Duration Time	Couple of days	Few days to several months	Several months
pH	a bit acid	> 7	constant > 7
Function	Initial decomposition and after thermophilic phase decomposition of wooden substances (lignin) (40 – 45°C) C/N ratio > 20 : 1 hydrocarbonates	Destroying human and plant pathogens (hygienisation within 3 weeks). High temperatures accelarate fat, complex carbohydrates and protein breakdown.	"Curing" or maturation of remaining organic matter C/N ratio 10 – 15: 1
Maturation grade	Preliminary rotted	Fresh compost	Mature compost

Microorganisms

Microorganisms	Bacteria Mesophilic	Bacteria Thermophilic	Bacteria Actinomycetes	Fungis Molds Yeast
T	0 – 40°C	> 40°C Bacillus >65°C (Endo)Spores	> 50°Cand in cooler curing phase	most
Found in / as conditions	topsoil	Hot springs (Thermus) >70°C	Soil (earthy smell) outer part (10-15cm) if hot, thread-like branched filaments	Strict aerob
Function in Composting	Easy degradable substances Later: lignin, lignoprotein	First easy degradable substances, mainly (hemi-) cellulose	Degrade complex organics: cellulose, lignin, chitin, protein Tough debris: bark, woody stems, newspaper	when cellulose exhausted too dry, acidic, low Nitrogen

Compost Process Analysis

• Compost Chemistry
• Compost Physics
• Compost Microbiology
• Monitoring the Compost Process

Compost Chemistry

• C/N Ratio
  - The ideal C/N ratio for compost is 30:1
• Carbon
  - is the energy source and a building block provides 50% of the mass of microbial cells
• Nitrogen
  - is necessary for cell growth and function
• pH
  - pH between 5.5 and 8.5 is optimal for compost microorgansims
• Nutrient Balance
• Oxygen
  - oxygen concentrations more than 10% are optimal for aerobic composting

Compost Chemistry Analysis

• Moisture Content and Dry Weight
• Organic Matter
• pH
• C/N Ratio
• Carbon Content / Carbonate
• Plant-Available Phosphorus and Potassium
• N min (NO₃ and NO₂)
• N min (NH₄)
• Nitrogen
• Exchangable Cations (Cation Exchange Capacity, CEC)

Compost Physics

• Temperature Curve
• Mechanisms of Heat Loss
• Particle Size
• Aeration
  - oxygen is essential for the metabolism and respiration of microorganisms and for oxidizing the various organic molecules
• Moisture
  - 50 - 60% is the optimum for composting

Compost Microbiology Methods

• Determination of total amount of Microorganisms
  - Are the human pathogens destroyed?
• Determination of Total Coliforms Bacteria
  - ENDO AGAR Plates Containing Lactose
• Determination of Fecal Coliforms Bacteria
  - m-FC AGAR Containing Aniline Blue

Monitoring the Composting Process

• Compost Moisture
• Compost Temperature
• Compost pH
• Compost Odours
  - ammonia odour-mix too rich in nitrogen
  - musty odour-mix is too moist
• Microbes

SIRDO en Colonia Nueva Galeana – Ciudad Juarez Chihuahua

END OF PHASE ONE

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