Green toilets

BIO- DIGESTER (BIO TOILETS)

 

Go Green Solutions with support of technology developed and approved byDRDO – Ministry of Defence offers an innovative technology for disposal of human waste in eco friendly manner. These Bio toilets can function at any atmospheric temp between -55 to 60 degree C. The bacterial consortium degrades night soil at temp as low as -55 degree C and produces colourless, odourless and inflammable bio gas containing 50 – 70% methane.

The main constituents of Bio -Toilet are Pre fabricated above the ground shelter and Bio Digester tank. Bio digester tank is a cylindrical structure with the provision of inlet for human waste and out let for Bio gas. Temp in the bio – digester is maintained between 5-30 degree C. A person can use the toilet which is connected to the bio-digester. Night soil degradation occurs through microbial reaction which converts it into bio gas. The smell of night soil, the disease causing organisms in the night soil and the solid matter are eliminated totally. On dry weight basis 90% of the solid waste is reduced. The gaseous effluent (bio-gas) is continuously let off to the atmosphere. Bio Gas can be used for various energy incentive activities like cooking water and room heating. Liquid effluent can be drained to any surface or soak pit with out any environmental hazards.

TECHNOLOGY BEHIND BIO TOILET

Human waste disposal in high altitude and low temp areas, Moving Railway coaches, Buses, Big Cities, Mines, remote areas, Beaches, Rural areas, long distance buses is a burning problem. 
The problem has further aggravated in glaciers where ambient temperature drops to -40 degree C and lower. The low temp stops/ delays the natural bio-degradation of the waste leading to its preservation (accumulation) for long time resulting in environmental hazard. Local heating by direct sunlight exposes the waste buried in the ice causing nuisance and foul smell. The melting ice takes the waste to rivers disturbing the aquatic eco system. More over human waste is also responsible for spreading of water born diseases like typhoid, cholera, Shigellosis, Amebic Dysenteries, Diarrhea etc. 

This technology is suitable for any area/ application in India. The process under this technology culminates in to treated effluent which is free from Pathogens and is also environmentally acceptable. The technology has major two components:

o    a- Low temp active inoculums

o    b- Temp controlled Bio digester

A consortium of anaerobic bacteria has been formulated and adopted to work at temp as low as 5 degree C. This is the component which acts as inoculums (seed material) to the bio digester and converts the organic waste into methane and carbon-dioxide. The anaerobic process in- activates the pathogens responsible for water born diseases. Bio digester serves as reaction vessel for bio methanation and provides the anaerobic conditions and required temp for the bacteria. The optimum temp is maintained by microbial heat, insulation of the reactor and solar heating.

 

 

DIST DISTINCTIVE ADVANTAGES OF BIO-TOILETS

INCTIVE ADVANTAGES OF BIO-TOILETS

o    Disposes human waste in a 100 % ECO friendly manner.

o    Generates color less, odor less inflammable bio gas (can be used for cooking heating) and absolutely clear odor less water. Water is full of nutrients and minerals and is good for irrigation purpose of near by gardens, lawns etc.

o    Does not require any septic Tank, Sewage Tank connectivity.

 

SALIENT FEATURE SALIENT FEATURES

S

o    Suitable for sub zero temperature of Himalayan Region, Glaciers, Railway coaches, Buses, Highways, Remote areas, sea ports, Mining area, metro cities etc.

o    Suitable for Mobile Toilet applications

o    100% maintenance free, continuous biological process.

o    Complete elimination of pathogens.

o    Economically viable.

o    No dependence on the limited and costly conventional energy sources.

o    Can be installed and made operational in 12 hours only.

o    Inoculums charging is only once during the entire life of Bio Toilet.

o    No need of connectivity to the sewage line, septic tank. No disposal of sludge is required.

o    Routine cleaning chemicals like phenyl, soap, Kerosene etc. do not harm Bio Toilet or the inoculums.

 

To be installed in train coaches

This design of toilets will not only replace the stinking toilets but will also do away with manual scavenging and add to the life span of the railway tracks. Open discharge of the conventional toilets corrodes the tracks which sometimes leads to accidents,

The new toilets will have a collection tank fitted with anaerobic bacteria to decompose faecal matter completely and only a colourless, odourless benign liquid that does not pollute the environment will be released. The tank has seven chambers. By the time the excreta traverses through these chambers and reaches the exit, it is fully decomposed.

The problem of choking of toilets has also been taken care of in this design. The tank inlet is provided with a valve which can be manually operated to clear the choke.

National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy

The government cleared the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy that will bring 348 essential drugs under price control, leading to reduction in prices of around 20 percent.

“The National Pharmaceutical Pricing policy has been approved by the Cabinet with an objective to put in place a regulatory framework for pricing of drugs to ensure their availability at reasonable prices,” an official source said.

The Cabinet has imposed a cap on prices of 348 essential medicines at the arithmetic average of prices all drugs in a particular segment with more than one per cent market share, in line with GoM’s new recommendations.

At present, the government through the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA) controls prices of 74 bulk drugs and their formulations.

The source said the government has also considered providing sufficient opportunity for innovation and competition to support the growth of the Indian pharma industry.

Last month, the Supreme Court had set a deadline of 27 November for the government to finalise the policy while asking it not to alter the existing mechanism of cost-based drug pricing.

Representational Image. Getty Images

Earlier, a group of ministers, headed by Agriculture MinisterSharad Pawar proposed to fix prices based on weighted average of brands which have more than 1 percent market share.

The policy, that aims to bring 348 essential drugs(The existing essential drugs list has only 74 items) under price control, was earlier approved by the GoM on 27 September and was subsequently sent to the Cabinet.

After being unable to frame a policy for price control of essential drugs in its previous term, the UPA-II government had last year circulated a draft National Pharmaceutical Pricing Policy, 2011 through the Department of Pharmaceuticals.

The policy, however, took long to finalise due to differences between ministries of health and chemicals and fertilisers. Other stakeholders, industry and NGOs had also expressed their concerns on the pricing model which was suggested.

In 2010-11 the production turnover of the Indian pharma sector stood at Rs 1.05 lakh crore and the country is the third largest producer of medicines by volume in the world. It exports to over 200 countries.

 

Prices rose 40% in 10 years

At present, the government, through the National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority (NPPA), controls prices of 74 bulk drugs and their formulations. Drug prices have shot up phenomenally in India over the past decade and a half. There was a nearly 40% rise in all drug prices between 1996 and 2006. However, during the same period, the price of controlled drugs rose by 0.02%, while those in the Essential Drug List (EDL) increased by 15%. The price of drugs that were neither under price control nor under the EDL grew by 137%.

Price of costly drugs will definitely come down. But because the formula will put a cap on the MRP, the price of drugs for the same ailment, which are presently sold at a lower price, will go up," experts said. The concept of essential medicines, first introduced by the World Health Organization in 1977, has been adopted by many countries including India. The list is specific to India and addresses the disease burden of the nation besides being the commonly used medicines at primary, secondary and tertiary healthcare levels.

The latest NLEM 2011 has 348 medicines which cover 489 formulations, including 16 fixed dose combinations. These drugs are considered to be adequate to meet the common contemporary health needs of the general population of the country.

A Planning Commission panel had suggested that all drugs on the NLEM should be brought under price control since the cost of medicines constitutes over 60% of the total cost of healthcare of Indians. 

 

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