Omniprocessor (OP) national standard landscaping
2016 - 2020 • American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
Purpose
Development of an International Workshop Agreement as a precursor to an international performance standard for the Omni-Processor sewage treatment technology
Activities
Part of the solution to the global sanitation crisis is to reinvent the toilet, and promote an international performance standard for the reinvented toilet, an effort well underway thanks to the joint efforts of our organizations. Another critical step will be to reinvent sewage treatment through the deployment of Omni-processor (OP) technology. The goal of the OP is to safely process human waste and recover valuable resources such as water, energy, and/or nutrients through economically sustainable technologies in an off-grid and non-sewered environment. A recent study by TUV SUD indicates the lack of a generally applicable standard for an OP-type system, necessary to enable large scale incentives for adoption.
Building off the experience of the Reinvented Toilet Standardization project, ANSI will lead two phases of work. The first phase will involve a landscaping initiative that will include stakeholders’ meetings to share expertise and gather technical input for a standard (or set of standards) to be developed for the OP. The initiative will complement related activities led by TUV SUD and pave the way for a future international standard for the OP. The second phase of work will involve development of an international standard for the OP in the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Current state of affairs (September 2018): The first phase of work was completed successfully in April 2018 with the publication of ISO IWA 28:2018 Faecal sludge treatment units — Energy independent, prefabricated, community-scale resource-recovery units — Safety and performance. Immediately following the IWA, ISO project committee 318 was established to develop an international standard for Community-scale resource-oriented sanitation treatment systems. The committee is active now, with 27 participating members and 16 observing members.
Countries of activity
Location of main activity
Objectives
Goals:
o Development of an ISO IWA (International Workshop Agreement) document by stakeholders representing many countries and backgrounds for use as an interim solution.
o Advancement of an ISO international standard for the OP, or "community scale resource oriented sanitation treatment systems”, utilizing the ISO consensus process and network of member bodies from around the globe.
Objectives: This work will result in internationally recognized standards for omni processors that will facilitate widespread deployment of safe and effective sewage treatment systems in areas of need worldwide
Further information
Research or implementation partners: TÜV SÜD, a global technical service organization active in testing, inspection and certification, headquartered in Germany and operating in many countries, including Singapore, completed a draft private standard in this area, also with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (see their project in project database).
The TÜV SÜD standard may be used for future certification of products in the market, and ANSI anticipates that the TÜV SÜD standard will form the basis of the IWA and subsequent ISO deliverables.
In addition, ASN, the national standards body of Senegal, will serve as ANSI's twinning partner for the secretariat of the ISO committee.
Size of grant in October 2016: $ 2,387,666
Contact information
Leslie McDermott
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Susanah Doucet
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Filter tags
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation East Asia & Pacific Faecal sludge treatment processes Global Government-owned entity (not university or research) North America Practitioners Product design and engineering Sub-Saharan Africa
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Elisabeth von Muench (Elisabeth)
