Ecological Sanitation initiative taking off in 2011.
At its final monthly meeting of 2010, PHLUSH and kindred groups will lay basic plans for a new initiative in ecological sanitation – or ecosan – to be rolled out throughout 2011. Everyone is invited to attend the gathering at 5:30 pm at Floyd’s Coffee Shop at 118 NW Couch Street, near the Skidmore Fountain MAX stop.
Ecosan, states Wikipedia, “offers a new philosophy of dealing with what is presently regarded as waste and wastewater. Ecosan is based on the systematic implementation of reuse and recycling of nutrients and water as a hygienically safe, closed-loop and holistic alternative to conventional sanitation solutions. Ecosan systems enable the recovery of nutrients from human feces and urine for the benefit of agriculture, thus helping to preserve soil fertility, assure food security for future generations, minimize water pollution and recover bioenergy. They ensure that water is used economically and is recycled in a safe way to the greatest possible extent for purposes such as irrigation or groundwater recharge.”
Nations such as Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands have led the way in ecosan practice. But the handful of ecosan specialists in the United States view Portland as a promising center for public advocacy and research into alternative and waterless sanitation technologies. Thanks to membership in the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance, which is based in Europe, PHLUSH has access to international expertise.
The first activity of the 2011 initiative will be development of a practical website with basic information on sanitation systems and technical documents on restorative approaches appropriate for Oregon’s cities and rural areas.
![613px-Ecological_sanitation_cycle-en.svg](https://www.phlush.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/613px-Ecological_sanitation_cycle-en.svg_.png" "613px-Ecological_sanitation_cycle-en.svg")
Ecosan, states Wikipedia, “offers a new philosophy of dealing with what is presently regarded as waste and wastewater. Ecosan is based on the systematic implementation of reuse and recycling of nutrients and water as a hygienically safe, closed-loop and holistic alternative to conventional sanitation solutions. Ecosan systems enable the recovery of nutrients from human feces and urine for the benefit of agriculture, thus helping to preserve soil fertility, assure food security for future generations, minimize water pollution and recover bioenergy. They ensure that water is used economically and is recycled in a safe way to the greatest possible extent for purposes such as irrigation or groundwater recharge.”
Nations such as Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands have led the way in ecosan practice. But the handful of ecosan specialists in the United States view Portland as a promising center for public advocacy and research into alternative and waterless sanitation technologies. Thanks to membership in the Sustainable Sanitation Alliance, which is based in Europe, PHLUSH has access to international expertise.
The first activity of the 2011 initiative will be development of a practical website with basic information on sanitation systems and technical documents on restorative approaches appropriate for Oregon’s cities and rural areas.