The Secret to Circular Sanitation Is Hidden in Your Commode | V. Srinivas Chary | TEDxPalasia

Problem Statement & Current Situation - Each person produces human waste daily, often flushed away and forgotten, initiating a cycle with significant environmental and health consequences [1][2] - Cities face water stress, yet 6-10 liters of fresh water are used per flush [3][4] - Every gram of feces contains approximately 100 billion bacteria, contributing to the spread of diseases like cholera, typhoid, and diarrhea [4][5] - In the country, about 70% of waste goes into the environment without treatment [6] - Only 30% of urban India is connected to sewer systems, and only 28% of the waste gets treated [13] - Septic tanks, while intended as a solution, often lead to untreated waste contaminating water bodies and land [14][15] Proposed Solutions & Innovations - The industry proposes a circular sanitation solution involving on-site treatment to eliminate pathogens, recycle water for agriculture, and use solid waste for soil conditioning [16][17] - Fecal sludge treatment parks utilize pyrolysis to treat waste in under an hour, producing pathogen-free biochar for agriculture and recycling liquid [18][19] - An alternative solution involves a commode-based treatment system using only 1 liter of water, recycling the water for flushing, and using urine to compensate for evaporation [22] - The industry is shifting from a network-based sanitation system to a non-network system, similar to the evolution of mobile phones [25][26] Call to Action & Future Vision - The industry advocates for abandoning the "flush and forget" model in favor of a "flush, treat, and reflush" approach [27] - Collaboration between parliamentarians, governments, and the public is crucial for adopting circular sanitation solutions [27][28] - The industry envisions a future with off-grid toilets, eliminating sewer pipelines, wastewater, and polluted rivers [29][30]