Disaster Risk Management, Ventilated Improved Pit Latrines, and Sanitation Challenges in South Africa

Phindile Madikizela, Shafick Hoossein, Richard K. Laubscher, Kevin Whittington-Jones, Mushtaque Ahmed, Nhamo Mutingwende, Jozef Ristvej and Roman Tandlich
Additional contact information
Phindile Madikizela: Disaster Management and Ethics Research Group (DMERG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
Shafick Hoossein: Disaster Management and Ethics Research Group (DMERG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
Richard K. Laubscher: Institute for Environmental Biotechnology (EBRU), Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
Kevin Whittington-Jones: Department of Environmental Science, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
Mushtaque Ahmed: Department of Soils, Water and Agricultural Engineering, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P.O. Box 34, Muscat 123, Sultanate of Oman
Nhamo Mutingwende: Disaster Management and Ethics Research Group (DMERG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa
Jozef Ristvej: Department of Crisis Management, Faculty of Security Engineering, University of Žilina, Univerzitná 8215/1, 01026 Žilina, Slovakia
Roman Tandlich: Disaster Management and Ethics Research Group (DMERG), Faculty of Pharmacy, Rhodes University, P.O. Box 94, Makhanda 6140, South Africa

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 11, 1-33

Abstract: The current paper provides a review and meta-analysis of the practical implications of disaster risk management related to the ventilated improved latrines in South Africa. This technology is evaluated through its legacy and novel challenges of disaster risk reduction. In the current article, the methodology adopted was a literature review and meta-analyses. The results indicate that the in-situ treatment and breakdown of faecal sludge in the ventilated improved pit latrines is not always taking place and that anaerobic digestion might not always be feasible. New strategies are proposed to manage the sanitation-related risks in South Africa by specifying more exact dimensions for the newly built ventilated improved pit latrines by suggesting the use of novel sanitation additives such as fly ash to enhance on-site and in situ treatment, as well as ex situ treatment of the pit latrine faecal sludge. Regular maintenance can lead to prevention of the dysfunctional character of the ventilated improved pit latrines as a functional sanitation technology and a user-friendly hygiene barrier to the spread of sanitation/WASH-related epidemics or infectious diseases. The implementation of the novel strategies should be enhanced by the application of the (Environmental) Technology Assessment in sanitation service delivery in South Africa.

Keywords: faecal sludge; mechanisms of stabilisation; risk equation; health-related impacts of disasters; pit latrines; WASH (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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