A comparative study of faecal sludge management in Malawi and Zambia: Status, challenges and opportunities in pit latrine emptying

Abstract

This review paper covers the issues of pit latrine emptying national policies and regulations with a focus on Malawi and Zambia. With 2.4 billion people worldwide still lacking improved sanitation facilities, developing countries need to look at policy, regulation and practice for household sanitation service provision with a new lens. What happens "next," when improved sanitation facilities eventually become full? An emphasis on faecal sludge management has multiplied this important issue in the past few years. The authors compare the pit latrine emptying situation in Malawi and Zambia with a focus on status, challenges and opportunities. To build this comparison, a desk review of national policies, local regulations and peer-reviewed journal papers was conducted. The paper concludes that existing national policies and regulations taking faecal sludge management into account are weak and have wide gaps in the two study countries. For the future, it is recommended, first, that household pit latrine emptying should be seen as an opportunity to address national sanitation gaps and, second, national policies and regulations need to be evaluated and updated.

Faecal sludge emptying in Sub-Saharan Africa, South and Southeast Asia: A systematic review of emptying technology choices, challenges, and improvement initiatives

“…This has also been confirmed by Semiyaga et al (2015) and Manga et al (2022b). One factor that contributes to this is inadequate implementation of urban planning which brings about construction of residential dwellings with low quality sanitation facilities (Holm et al, 2015).…”

“…The 14 studies (38%) which documented the health and safety of the FS emptiers mainly discussed exposure to pathogens, musculoskeletal disorders, physical injuries and inhalation of harmful gases. FS is a very hazardous material that contains large amounts of pathogens (bacteria, protozoa, virus and worms) which pose serious health risks (Holm et al, 2015). The common routes through which the pathogens get into the emptiers' bodies are via hand-to-mouth contacts (accidental ingestion), inhalation and open cuts in the body (Fracchia et al, 2006).…”

Implementing sanitation marketing as a form of social marketing: A case scheduled desludging service, Malang City

“…The Government of Malang City has complied with all aspects of the L2T2 guidelines set by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (Minister For Public Works and Human Settlements, 2014). This is supported by research by Roosmini and Rahmawati (Roosmini & Rahmawati, 2007) which recommends that the success of domestic wastewater management services is strongly influenced by government policies at both national and regional levels; research by Holm (Rochelle et al 2015) which states that it is necessary to manage sewage sludge management policies in the context of collection, transportation, sewage treatment, worker safety, which can be applied to local and communal septic tanks; Hadiyanto (Hadianto, 2019) and (IUWASH PLUS, 2019b) research which recommends the need to fulfill the basic criteria for starting L2T2.…”

“…Okwueze (Okwueze, 2020) states that sanitation marketing is an effort to apply social marketing and commercial marketing approaches to increase fulfillment of needs and demands for better sanitation facilities. Implementation of sanitation marketing according to research by Holm (Rochelle et al, 2015) which states that the government needs to promote affordable drainage costs and marketing innovations, encourage the grouping of septic tank dewatering businesses, research by Li (2017) which recommends that the government use marketing management concepts, methods and techniques to realize a real transformation of government management that service-oriented, Okwueze (Okwueze, 2020) research recommends sanitation marketing strategies through mass media, Serrat (Serrat, 2017) research related to public sector marketing strategies includes efforts to influence positive public behavior through social marketing. Tjiptono (2011) states that a successful social marketing strategy requires a good understanding of consumer behavior that all marketing strategies and tactics are based on explicit or implicit beliefs about consumer behavior.…”

Occurrence and survival of pathogens at different sludge depths in unlined pit latrines in Kampala slums

“…Less than 8% of Kampala residents are currently served by the public sewer system (African Water Facility, 2012) with the majority relying on various forms of on-site sanitation -that is 51.7% use septic tanks while 38.2% rely on pit latrines (Zziwa et al, 2014). The situation is compounded by weak national policies and regulatory frameworks regarding faecal sludge management, a common feature in most sub-Saharan African countries (Holm et al 2015).…”