The Covid-19 pandemic shows a deeper insight into a toilet waste treatment system that has existed for more than 100 years, causing many unpredictable consequences.
Last spring, while consumers were concerned about how to clean themselves after defecating, scientists discovered that people infected with the Covid-19 virus shed the virus’s genetic material in their feces. surname. The waste treatment system for more than 100 years is too old In fact, toilet systems play a part in maintaining public health. However, the core technology in the toilet system has existed for more than 100 years, when humanity has not faced the current challenges. On top of that, many parts and equipment in the ground are reaching their lifespan and starting to fail due to lack of investment in maintenance. This year, the American Association of Civil Engineers scored D + for the country’s wastewater treatment infrastructure. Accordingly, there is too much waste around, this creates a potential danger to public health and the environment. The waste treatment system for more than 100 years is too old. Illustration. According to the Wired , evidence of the deteriorating waste disposal system existing around human habitats. While considered a flawed design, combined sewer systems are still prevalent in many older cities. Sewage water overflows when it rains, releasing potential pathogens into the waterways; Waste, nutrients, chemicals and pharmaceuticals get into the sewer system. Degraded septic tanks pollute the soil and groundwater. Wet wipes and other types of waste have tended to increase sharply since the outbreak of a pandemic, causing heavy congestion that keeps wastewater from flowing. Natural disasters caused by climate change overwhelm drainage systems. During the past year, massive floods from Tennessee to Australia left people inundated with polluted wastewater. In August, a series of power outages during a massive heatwave in California caused a wastewater treatment plant to dump nearly 189,270 liters of raw and partially treated wastewater into the mouth of the Oakland River. In February 2021, Texas weather continued to be cold, people could not bathe and heat for many days; a hospital truck dumped water just to flush the toilet. Prisoners endured the filthy days of prisons in Texas. Serious health effects Conventional wastewater treatment systems are not only degraded, but are also in short supply. More than half of the world’s population is not equipped with safe toilets to dispose of waste. According to the statistics of US Water Alliance It is estimated that 2 million Americans do not have complete plumbing, directly affecting health causing skin diseases such as rashes, intestinal diseases such as diarrhea, hookworm … and many difficulties. another towel. Ms. Pamela Rush, an activist from the Alabama countryside, shared her story about daily living next to the raw wastewater dumps, like many other poor people in America, mostly leather. black. These people are sometimes fined and criminally prosecuted for not being able to pay the costs of a septic tank or maintenance. Not being equipped with complete plumbing can directly cause skin diseases such as a rash. Illustration. More tragic, Ms. Pamela also became one of the victims of the Covid-19 pandemic. “The main cause of death was the corona virus, but the underlying causes she suffered were poverty, habitat inequality, climate change, racism and disparity. about health, “said Catherine Coleman Flowers, environmental equity activist. Catherine is also a friend of Ms. Pamela. For people who don’t have their own toilets, closing orders make public toilets harder to find than usual. This problem affects homeless people, people with intestinal disorders and other diseases. In some slums in developing cities, shared toilets are often open, but the order of social exclusion unintentionally makes matters more difficult than ever. Not only is wastewater treatment infrastructure deteriorating or facing many risks, so is the workforce. In the US, this sector is facing a wave of retirement, even seen as the “silver tsunami”. When the pandemic first started, some wastewater treatment industries feared losing old workers that were difficult to replace and important because of illness or worse. They have closed facilities with workers working week-long shifts so that the virus cannot enter. In India, sewer cleaners petitioned the government for simple personal protective equipment so they could keep working. Solution According to the Wired , to solve the problem of waste, the rebuilding of infrastructure is not enough, but it is necessary to apply many new innovations, encouraging the application of new methods. This helps the toilet system work better, ensures safety for human health, is more durable and reasonable. In order to do this, the state and local governments need to have enough funds and new public works policies to create incentives for improvement. Then, in places with stable centralized infrastructure, cities can use both new and established tools to mine wastewater for heat, water, nutrients, chemicals, and metals. valuable, as well as biogas and other fuels. Digital sensors help smarter sewage treatment systems using pipes and reduce spills. The new setup can push used toilet paper out of the wastewater stream before being processed and recycled into cellulose. This substance is a raw material that can be widely used, even used for industrial chemicals. With the right tools, even large chunks of trash that clog drains can turn into biofuel thanks to the greasy layers inside. Besides, there are many new and more radical inventions for the pipeline. Scattered distribution systems for toilet waste and water reuse in buildings or communities are rapidly developing. Businesses, cleaning services by container trucks provide regular cleaning services. A row of public toilets in South Africa. Photo: Alamy Stock Photo. “Urine divert” toilets help separate high-nutrient, low-pathogens from feces and water. They function more like recycling bins than trash cans. These innovations are more relevant in harsh contexts and are better resilient to serious consequences. They minimize the impact on the climate, cause less pollution and produce resources such as clean water, compost, fuel, even insect protein. They can generate revenue streams and provide safe, well-paid, and well-paid jobs that attract young people who are environmentally conscious and work diverse. Many of the above ideas are in beta. To turn these ideas into practice on a larger scale, more investment and supportive policies from the state are needed, attracting people who are willing to overcome difficulties to apply innovative technologies early. toilet system. In addition, there are other innovations such as treatment of the genetic waste corona virus in human feces. Scientists around the world have been analyzing wastewater and providing feedback to public health professionals and policymakers on outbreaks, new trends and the impact of regulations. rules and restrictions. The innovators are also experimenting with new ideas for public toilets, making them more popular with everyone. In Pune, India, the idea of building a reusable bus women’s public toilets, plus a boutique and small coffee shop, helps to reduce the cost of using a toilet. Some cities have implemented or are considering paying a small fee for cafes, restaurants and businesses to provide public toilets. Instead, businesses are advertised for free and are seen as implementing a public service. The Covid-19 pandemic showed a deeper insight into the toilet waste treatment system: This is not only technology but also a human prerogative. According to the Wired Investing in a drainage system not only helps to upgrade old systems and expand the quality of sanitation and safety for everyone, but also avoids further damage caused by disease outbreaks and environmental disasters. Future.
You must log in to post a comment.