TECHNICAL PAPERS
Feb 1, 2005

Sustainable Disposal of Domestic Sanitary Waste

Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131, Issue 2

Abstract

The study presented is an example of the assessment of the relative sustainability of either option for disposal of domestic sanitary waste, either via the toilet or via the solid waste route. This required an evaluation of the total (social, economic, environmental, and technical) benefit/cost of implementing and adopting the alternative routes and an assessment of public responsiveness to encouragement to change sanitary waste disposal practices. It illustrates how, even for an apparently straightforward either/or question, the assessment of relative sustainability is complex and the amount of data needed to quantify sustainability indicators is prodigious. The study also provides an appraisal of the effectiveness of public campaigns to reduce waterborne disposal. Important information regarding public attitude and behavior in relation to wastewater systems has been acquired and lessons for ways of encouraging behavioral change to more sustainable ways of living have been gleaned.

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Information & Authors

Information

Published In

Go to Journal of Environmental Engineering
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 131Issue 2February 2005
Pages: 206 - 215

History

Received: Sep 4, 2002
Accepted: May 17, 2004
Published online: Feb 1, 2005
Published in print: Feb 2005

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Authors

Affiliations

Richard Ashley
Professor of Urban Water, Pennine Water Group, Univ. of Bradford, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD7 1HG, England.
David Blackwood
Senior Lecturer, Urban Water Technology Centre, Univ. of Abertay Dundee, Dundee DD1 1HG, Scotland.
Nicki Souter
Campaign Manager, Scottish Waste Awareness Group, 7 Melville Terrace, Stirling FK8 2ND, Scotland.
Sarah Hendry
Lecturer, Dundee Business School, Univ. of Abertay Dundee, Dundee DD1 1HG, Scotland.
Jim Moir
Lecturer, School of Social and Health Sciences, Univ. of Abertay Dundee, Dundee DD1 1HG, Scotland.
Judith Dunkerley
Senior Lecturer, School of Social and Health Sciences, Univ. of Abertay Dundee, Dundee DD1 1HG, Scotland.
John Davies
Senior Lecturer, School of Science and the Environment, Coventry Univ., Priory St., Coventry CV1 5FB, England.
David Butler
Professor of Water Engineering, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Imperial College London, Univ. of London, Exhibition Rd., London SW1 2BU, England.
Andrew Cook
Senior Research Fellow, Transport Studies Group, Univ. of Westminster, 35 Marylebone Rd., London NW1 5LS, England.
Jim Conlin
Quality and Regulation Manager (Waste Water), Scottish Water, Castle House, 6 Castle Dr., Carnegie Campus, Dunfermline KY11 8GC, Scotland.
Martin Squibbs
Head of Wastewater Treatment, Scottish Water, Bullion House, Dundee DD2 5BB, Scotland.
Andrew Britton
Visiting Research Fellow, Urban Water Technology Centre, Univ. of Abertay Dundee, Dundee, DD1 1HG, Scotland.
Peter Goldie
Principal Officer (Waste Management), Dept. of Consumer and Environmental Protection, Dundee City Council, 8 City Square, Dundee DD1 3BG, Scotland.

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