16 Facts About Fecal sludge

Together, the collection, transport, treatment and end use of fecal sludge constitute the "value chain" or "service chain" of fecal sludge management.

Fecal sludge that is removed from septic tanks is called septage.

In low-income countries, the majority of fecal sludge is discharged untreated into the urban environment, placing a huge burden on public and environmental health.

Fecal sludge is different to wastewater and cannot simply be co-treated at sewage treatment plants.

Small additions of fecal sludge are possible if plants are underutilized and able to take the additional load, and facilities to separate liquids and solids are available.

Fecal sludge management refers to the storage, collection, transport, treatment, and safe end use or disposal of fecal sludge.

Fecal sludge is defined very broadly as what accumulates in onsite sanitation technologies and specifically is not transported through a sewer.

Fecal sludge is stored onsite, and is periodically collected and transported to a fecal sludge treatment plant, followed by safe disposal or end use.

Fecal sludge contains pathogens, can generate odors and cause surface water pollution, as well as groundwater pollution.

Fecal sludge management requires safe and hygienic septic tank and pit latrine emptying services, along with the effective treatment of solids and liquids and the reuse of treated produce where possible.

Fecal sludge can be treated inside the tank or pit as well, by use of the "in-pit lime stabilization process", which treats the waste before it is removed from the tank or pit.

Result of the demographic, environmental, and technical factors that influence characteristics of fecal sludge is a high level of heterogeneity that complicates characterization.

The Fecal sludge can be dried by hot air that was heated by a solar thermal collector, by direct exposure to solar radiation, or by both modes .

However, the high strength of septage and fecal sludge means that relatively small volumes of both can have a large impact on the organic, suspended solids, and nitrogen loads on a wastewater treatment plant.

Resource recovery from fecal sludge can take many forms, including as a fuel, soil amendment, building material, protein, animal fodder, and water for irrigation.

When fecal sludge is mixed with materials that are rich in carbon, such as shredded crop wastes, the composting process can be maximized.