Technology for Eco-friendly Disposal of
Human Waste
Dev Vrat Kamboj
Scientist
Defence Research & Development Organization (DRDO)
Defence Research & Development Establishment (DRDE)
Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh)
e-mail: kamboj_dev@drde.drdo.in
October 2, 2014 (Gandhi Jayanti): PM emphasized that his priority will be making toilets
Present Scenario
According to UNICEF / WHO estimates:
About 1/7thof world population still openly defecate
in the absence of any toilet/ latrine, of which 60%
live in India
According to Registrar General Census of India
(2011):
69% households in rural & 19% in urban sector
have no access to toilets which leads to open
defecation
This makes India the number one country in the
world where open defecation is practiced
Indonesia with 63 million is a far second !
<10% Gram Panchayats in India are ODF
Large number of toilets are still cleaned manually
(directly or indirectly by animals)
The Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of
Dry Latrines (Prohibition) Act, 1993
The Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and
their Rehabilitation Act, 2013
Sources of Pollution……
Houses without Toilets in India (10.5 % improvement in 10 years)
Open toilets
Discharge by railways
Untreated sewage system
Consequences……
Organic pollution
Aesthetic nuisance
Water borne diseases
Viral gastroenteritis, typhoid, cholera
Diarrhoea (annually kills 500,000 children)
Viral hepatitis (100 cases per 100,000 people)
Practices for Human Waste Management in
India
Dry pit toilets
Twin pit pour-flush toilets/ Leach pit toilets
Ecosan Toilet
Septic tank
Biogas Toilet
Source
Handbook on Technical Options for Onsite Sanitation.
Ministry of Drinking Water & Sanitation (May 2012)
Dry Pit Toilets
Most commonly used by NGOs in TSC
Ventilated Dry pit toilet Twin (Dry) pit toilet
Drawbacks:
Unhygienic
Risk of ground water contamination
Pit needs periodic evacuation leading to manual scavenging
Ecosan Toilets
Closed loop system where it treats
human excreta as resource
Urine is segregated from faecal matter
Urine is directly used in Agri for
nutrients
Faecal matter is stored for six months
before disposal
Limitations
Not useful where water is used for
cleaning
Not suitable for Indian Cultural
conditions
Cost is very high
Acceptability in Indian communities ???
Twin-Pit Pour-Flush Toilet (Leach Pit Toilets)
Pits are constructed in brick line (like a
honeycomb to facilitate the liquid to flow
out)
A wooden or concrete slab to prevent people
falling into them
Pits should be placed symmetrically at the
back of the latrine pan and have a minimal
distance of the pit depth to prevent cross-
contamination
Drawbacks:
Distance not
Risk of ground water contamination less than the
pit depth
Not suitable for high water table areas
Dislodging of toilet is required in every 3-5
years
Septic Tank
Consists of a water-tight settling tank
Contains one or two chambers/ compartments, to which waste is carried by
water flushing down a pipe connected to the toilet
Drawbacks:
Bigger volume
Requires larger space
Costly to build
Not efficient
Obnoxious smell
Sludge needs periodic evacuation
Maintenance intensive
Unhygienic disposal
Human Waste Treatment Challenges
Wide variation in temperature:
-50°C to 50°C
Variety Of Terrain:
High altitude, Hilly, Marshy, Plains, Desert,
Coastal Areas & Islands
Water Conditions:
Low / High Water Table
Dry / Flooded / Water Logged Areas
Economic Constraints, Awareness, Lack of
Concern
DRDO Biodigester Technology
BACTERIA
(INOCULUM) Anaerobic microbial consortium
developed by acclimatization/
enrichment of microbes at low
temperature and bio-augmentation
with critical group of bacteria
DRDO Biodigester Technology
Biodigester is made of mild
steel/ SS/ FRP/ bricks
Fermentation device for Dimensions and internal
BIODIGESTER accelerated microbial design vary with no. of
degradation of organic waste users, water availability &
geo-climatic conditions
Advantages
Eco-friendly & cost-effective
Wide applicability under different
climatic conditions
Customized & easily adaptable
Maintenance free
Minimizes water consumption
Recycling of effluent water
Reduction in organic waste by more
than 90%
More than 99% pathogens reduction
Generation of odourless and
inflammable biogas
Safety Studies
Oral toxicity of effluent
Acute toxicity
Chronic toxicity
No clinical signs such as excitability, CNS stimulation,
uncontrolled urination, bulging eyes, depression, etc
observed
No change in biochemical parameters
Conclusion:
No toxicity found in both rat and fish models
Genesis of the Problem & Solution
Strategic deployment of Forces
No natural decay of faecal matter (sub-zero
temperature)
Bacterial contamination of water/ ice
Organic pollution
Aesthetic nuisance
Contagious diseases
Sanitation at High Altitude/ Glaciers
Present Practices:
Open Defecation
Burying in the Ice
Deep Trench Latrine (DTL)
Ladakhi Toilet
Difficulties: Options:
Sub-zero temperature Transportation
Non-availability of conventional Incineration
energy sources Chemical treatment
Hilly terrain Biodegradation
Scarcity of water
Low Oxygen
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Biodegradation
Aerobic biodegradation Anaerobic biodegradation
Forced aeration/ agitation is essential which is energy No aeration is required
intensive
Incomplete/ partial aerobic condition leads to foul Complete anaerobic conditions
smell
Not effective in pathogen inactivation More than 99% Pathogens inactivation
Can not tolerate detergents/ phenyl Anaerobes can degrade detergents/
phenyl
Generates large amount of sludge Sludge generation is very less
Repeated addition of bacteria/ enzymes are required One time bacterial inoculation is enough
Maintenance & recurring cost is high Minimal maintenance & no recurring cost
Biodigester Development
Soil Glacier
Metal – 50-60 men Temp controlled: 20-25 men
FRP – 50-60 men : 7-10 men (Modular)
Variants of Biodigester
Biodigester
Biodigester for
Stationary mobile
Biodigester vehicles
For Civil For Indian
application Railways
For Armed
Forces
For Snow For Soil For coastal For cold
Bound Bound areas climates
Regions Regions (Lakshadweep) (Laddakh)
Modular Biodigesters for Glacier
Low Temperature Biodigesters for Soil
Bound High Altitude Areas
Temperature Controlled Hybrid Biodigester
Digester Solar Panel Grinder & Toilet Grinder
Working at North Pullu (16400ft) since July 2006
Kitchen waste and human waste degradation
Railway Biodigester
More than 15000 bio-toilets fitted in passenger coaches
50000 existing coaches to be retro-fitted with biodigesters by 2019
View of Draft Gear of Railway Coach
Fitted with four Biodigester tanks Fitted with conventional toilet
Biodigesters at Lakshadweep
FRP: 5-6 users
Size: 700 L
12000 biotoilets are being installed
Biodigesters Installed at Civil Locations
Aravali Vikas Sangathan, Gurgaon Vivekananda Needam, Gwalior
Games Village, New Delhi Model Town, New Delhi
Biotoilets Installed in Andhra Pradesh
APIIDC – Andhra Pradesh Industrial Infrasturcture
development corporation
Client: M/s Shapoorji Pallonji &
Co Ltd, Kajhaguda (A.P.)
Industrial Partner: M/s Banka Enterprises, Hyderabad
Biotoilets Installed at Dhamra, Odisha
Biotoilet Installed at RML Hospital, Delhi
Shelter Associates Pune
Mobile Biotoilets in Rishikesh
Mobile Biotoilets in Kumbh Mela
Design of Low Cost Biotoilet
FRP tank of 8 mm thickness.
Diagonal partition wall of 8 mm thickness (adequately
stiffened by ribs).
Tank is buried 600mm deep, and anchored by 300mm
long stainless steel (SS316) anchor bolts at corners.
Tank Internal Dimensions 1336x1036x900 (lxbxd).
Provision of water sealed outlet from the tank.
Low Cost Bio-Toilet for Rural Areas
Low Cost Biotoilets
In Assam M/s SuperFlow Industries, Gwalior
Biodigester
A Low cost Eco-friendly alternative of Septic Tank
Size: 1/4th to 1/10th
Less space requirement
Low material/ construction cost
Can treat bathroom/ kitchen
wastewater also
No foul smell
Maintenance free Biodigester
Biodigester cum Reed Bed
Biodigester Park in DRDO Residential Complex Delhi
Biodigester and its Components
Biodigester-Septic Tank Comparative Volume
S. No. of *Volume of Septic Volume of Biodigester
No. Users Tank (m3) (m3)
1 5 1.12 0.7
2 10 1.8 1.2
3 15 2.34 1.7
4 20 3.28 2.3
5 50 10 6
6 100 19.87 9
7 150 30 12
8 200 39.6 14
9 300 60 17
*IS:2470 (SIZES FOR ASSUMPTIONS WITH CLEANING IN ONE YEAR)
Biodigester cum Reed Bed System: Water Quality
Quality Parameters Septic Tank Biodigester Biodigester
with Reed bed
pH 6.7-7.5 7.0-7.2 7.0-7.5
Turbidity (NTU) 500-800 70-90 2-5
TSS (mg/L) 150-300 90-120 50-80
TDS (mg/L) 500-850 350-450 250-300
VS (mg/100ml) 50-60 20-30 5-12
COD (mg/L) 2000-2500 250-300 15-25
BOD5 (mg/L) ~500 70-120 2-4
Fecal Coliforms (MPN/ml) >3000 300-350 0-12
Biotoilets Orders
Memorandum of Understanding for Biodigester Technology
MoU signed between DRDO and Ministry of
Railways on March 9, 2010
MoU signed between DRDO and BMTPC
(Ministry of HUPA) on May 9, 2011
MoU signed between DRDO and MDWS
(Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation) on
July 26, 2012
MoU DRDO, FICCI and Ganga Action Parivar
(Parmarth Niketan) for Clean Ganga Action
Plan on November 3, 2012
Training on Biodigester to Govt Officials
& Industry
Participants: Meghalaya Govt & DUSIB Valedictory Function after Training
Hands on Training Session in Laboratory Participants: Indian Railways & Industry
Biodigester Locations/ Industrial Partners
Industrial Partners: 38
Current Status of Bio-toiltes/ Biodigesters
Installed so far
High Altitude Low Temperature Areas: 166
Indian Railways: ~15000
Plain areas: 58 + 1700 (Lakshadweep by M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
Silvassa (Dadra & Nagar Haveli): 85 (M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
People’s Group, Bhopal: 12 (M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
Eco Tourism, Forest Deptt, Nagpur: 20 (M/s Superflow, Gwalior)
Chandrapur Bird Sanctury, Nagpur: 15 (M/s Alfa Systems, NOIDA)
Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
RML hospital (M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
Curent/ Future Assignments
UT of Lakshadweep:12000 (M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council: 750 (M/s SuperFlow, Industries,
Gwalior)
Mata Vaishnodevi Shrine Board (M/s MRC, Kapurthala)
Allapalli Forest Department: 310 (M/s CAPARO International, Gurgaon)
Significant Highlights
Patents
Granted: 7 (4 foreign)
Filed: 8 (2 PCT)
Publications: 29 (18 foreign)
MoU: 4 (Indian Railways, BMTPC, MDWS, GAP-FICCI)
ToT: 70
Defence Technology Spin-off Award-2007
For Enquiry & Contact
Dr Lokendra Singh
Director
Defence R&D Establishment (DRDE), Jhansi road, Gwalior – 474 002
Phone: 0751-2341550, 2343972; Fax: 0751-2341148
Email- director@drde.drdo.in
Mr S Radhakrishnan
Director
Directorate of Industry Interface & Technology Management (DIITM), DRDO HQ,
Rajaji Marg, New Delhi – 110011
Phone: 011-23013209; Fax: 011-23793008
Email- radkrishnan100@gmail.com
Mr Nirankar Saxena
Director
Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI)
Federation House, Tansen Marg, New Delhi 110001.
Link for EOI for Biodigester Technology:
http://drdoficciatac.com/TechnologyDetails.aspx?TechID=T00004
…………. for better Health & Hygiene
