How Microbial Replenishment Is An Effective Strategy For Fecal Sludge Management

Understanding Fecal Sludge Management

Fecal sludge constitutes solid waste, liquid and semi-liquid waste, human excreta, and other wastes like toilet paper, food waste, cleaning materials, trash, debris, etc.

It is more concentrated with suspended and dissolved solids when compared to wastewater.

According to an estimate from Energy Alternatives India – EAI, approximately 0.12 million tonnes of fecal sludge is generated in India per day.

In a developing country like India, the urban areas are now densely populated, and nearly 70% of households with toilets are connected to septic tanks or on-site sanitation systems.

The same is the case with hotels, restaurants, and other commercial spaces.

Challenges in Fecal Sludge Management

Often, the important components of FSM and best practices are overlooked, and this leads to drastic consequences like sludge buildup, foul odor, and septic tank overflows and backflows.

Furthermore, millions of people follow open defecation practices. The indiscriminate disposal of human waste and fecal sludge without treatment in the open field in dense areas is dangerous.

It causes an emission of foul odor and multiple health hazards. Inorganic chemicals get washed down the drains and reach water bodies.

The exposure to pathogens in the fecal sludge can cause diseases like cholera and diarrhea in humans. It can affect surface water and groundwater and contribute to its pollution.

As one of the largest users of groundwater in the world, water contamination poses a huge health risk for India.

In the on-site sanitation or OSS facilities, collection, transport, and treatment of fecal sludge is a major challenge. Improper municipal infrastructure and lack of adequate facilities in Indian towns and cities are a great concern, too.

There is an urgent need to address the fecal sludge management issue and achieve sanitation goals.

The Swachh Bharat Mission from the government aimed at improving urban sanitation is playing a major role in transforming the current sanitation scenario.

While lakhs of toilets are being built to achieve this objective, the solution for the treatment of fecal sludge has not gained much attention.

See Also: Shifting Gears From Infrastructure Building To Sustainability

In the absence of proper fecal sludge management techniques, people resort to manual scavenging and mechanical emptying.

Despite the ban on manual scavenging in India, many people die due to this practice of septic tank cleaning.

The mechanical emptying methods used when septic tank systems fail due to overloading is not a feasible option either.

There has to be a paradigm shift in the thought process. Along with the availability of toilets, effective treatment of the fecal matter is necessary.

This is where an innovative, cost-effective, and hassle-free solution of microbial replenishment helps immensely.

How Does Organica Biotech Help?

Organica Biotech is one of the leading companies providing sustainable and powerful solutions for sewage management.

The product Bioclean Septic consists of natural microbes with a special formulation of enzymes for septic tank treatment.

It aggressively acts on fecal matter and degrades it, thus minimizing sludge buildup and preventing septic tank issues like odor, overflow, and other failures. It also suppresses the propagation of disease-causing pathogens.

Bioclean Septic Plus is another effective septic tank treatment product from Organica Biotech that degrades fecal matter and food waste.

It is effective against fats, oils, and greases as well. It is a cost-effective and easy-to-use solution and negates the need for manual or mechanical emptying.

Effective fecal sludge management is very important to achieve safe sanitation practices in India. The use of Bioclean Septic and Bioclean Septic Plus will boost fecal sludge management and help to achieve sanitation objectives.