The SEEK (Sludge to Energy Enterprises) Project, implemented in Kampala, Uganda, explores faecal sludge (FS) as a resource for solid fuel production and electricity generation. With financial constraints limiting effective faecal sludge management (FSM), resource recovery from FS treatment end products offers a potential revenue stream to offset treatment costs. Through pelletising and gasification, FS can serve as an industrial fuel, contributing to sustainable waste management, energy security, and environmental protection. The project worked to optimize FS drying, reduce ash content, and develop business models for large-scale adoption.

REVAMP is an open-access decision-support tool for estimating the resource recovery potential from organic waste streams such as sewage sludge, faecal sludge, and organic solid waste. The tool evaluates recovery scenarios for products like biogas, compost, and black soldier fly larvae while quantifying energy, nutrient content, and potential revenue. REVAMP supports city planners, policymakers, and other stakeholders in exploring resource recovery opportunities and circular economy applications in urban contexts, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Mosan, an international social enterprise, offers a circular, off-grid, and waterless sanitation solution targeting low-income communities in developing countries. Their innovative system consists of the Mosan Toilet, waste collection and transport services, and the transformation of human excreta into biochar and struvite, valuable agricultural products. Active since 2010 and currently operational in Guatemala, Mosan's solutions address the sanitation crisis by integrating ecological sustainability with community engagement.

ADAdvisor is a web-based decision support tool that provides preliminary techno-economic feasibility assessments for anaerobic digestion projects. Designed for industries such as red meat processing, intensive livestock, and water utilities, it helps users evaluate biogas potential, energy recovery, and digestate management. The tool features a feedstock database that allows users to assess digestion options even without site-specific data. It supports circular economy initiatives by promoting organic waste conversion into renewable energy and biofertilizers. ADAdvisor is designed for users with varying levels of expertise, offering a user-friendly interface with automated recommendations and alerts.

The biogasoutcomesmalawi dataset offers a rich qualitative exploration of biogas systems in Malawi's Southern Region, derived from 61 semi-structured interviews conducted between June 2021 and October 2022. It examines the socio-technical and user perspectives on biogas adoption, with a focus on identifying the factors contributing to successes or failures. The dataset is tailored for researchers, practitioners, and policy analysts engaged in bioenergy and sustainable development initiatives. It includes transcripts, participatory insights, and a detailed socio-technical analysis, facilitating deeper understanding and fostering evidence-based interventions. The dataset has been used in peer-reviewed publications addressing biogas implementation challenges in Africa.

This dataset includes survey results and focus group transcripts exploring public perceptions and engagement strategies related to constructing experimental wetlands for wastewater treatment in Sewanee, Tennessee. The research aims to address public resistance to wastewater reuse by fostering informed community engagement and education. The dataset consists of survey data from community members and transcripts of discussions with K-12 teachers and community leaders. These provide valuable insights into public understanding, educational needs, and effective communication strategies for implementing constructed wetlands.

This dataset offers a global compilation of typical treatment trains used in water reuse and reclamation. Each treatment train is categorized by reuse purpose, including drinking water (blue), agricultural/environmental use (green), industrial use (orange), and urban use (brown). The dataset encompasses 37 unit processes, supplementing them with alternatives or omitting as necessary, to document practical configurations for resource recovery. This tool supports planning, design, and implementation of water reclamation solutions across diverse settings, providing detailed benchmarks and case studies for practitioners, policy makers, and researchers in the sanitation sector.

This resource provides technical highlights and capacity-building exercises for planning and designing faecal sludge management (FSM) systems with a focus on resource recovery technologies. Chapter 5 specifically explores the design and operation of resource recovery solutions, such as anaerobic digestion, solid fuel production, vermicomposting, black soldier fly larvae treatment, lime stabilization, and ammonia treatment. It is designed for practitioners, trainers, and educators to build skills and knowledge on innovative FSM approaches through practical exercises and technical insights.

This fact sheet is a guide that provides a technical overview of renewable natural gas (RNG) process technologies, specifically targeting Water Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF) utility managers and consultants. It highlights methods for upgrading biogas derived from anaerobic digestion into RNG suitable for pipeline injection, emphasizing the economic and environmental benefits of reducing flaring, generating revenues, and supporting decarbonization. Detailed descriptions of methane purification technologies, including pressure swing adsorption, water wash, amine scrubbing, and membrane separation, are provided alongside guidelines for pretreatment and utility coordination.

The RECLAIM game is a strategy-focused analogue board game designed to support sanitation planning with an emphasis on resource recovery. It introduces players to the interconnected challenges of managing sanitation systems while showcasing the potential for resource recovery. Through role-playing, the game fosters collaboration, understanding, and strategic thinking among planners, stakeholders, and decision-makers. Players assume key roles such as housing, treatment, and farming, simulating the creation of sanitation systems and exploring outcomes such as nutrient recovery, disease, and environmental impact. The game includes a digital add-on in Microsoft Excel for post-game visualization and reflection.

The 8Rs framework is a strategic tool designed to guide the application of circular economy principles in achieving inclusive, climate-resilient water and sanitation services. Built on eight interconnected strategies—Reduce, Reuse, Restore, Rethink, Recognise, Resilience, Redistribute, and Relational—the framework provides actionable guidance to integrate circular approaches into WASH systems. Developed within the CIRCLE WASH project, it is tailored for use by planners, policymakers, and service providers aiming to create sustainable WASH solutions that incorporate circular economy principles. The framework was piloted in Vietnam and Kiribati to explore diverse cultural, institutional, and environmental contexts.

The Treated Faecal Sludge Compost for Non-food Applications standard, developed by the Toilet Board Coalition in partnership with IAPMO India, provides interim guidelines for transforming faecal sludge into safe and high-quality compost for non-food agricultural use. The standards address the lack of formal guidelines for biosolids-derived products, enabling resource recovery and supporting climate resilience by reducing dependence on chemical fertilizers. This guide serves as a critical step towards sustainable sanitation, fostering business opportunities and promoting a circular economy in urban and peri-urban contexts.

BioWATT is a decision-support tool designed for preliminary assessments of wastewater-to-energy projects. It estimates biogas and electricity production potential, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, and operating expenses. The tool aids stakeholders like wastewater treatment operators, consultants, and policymakers to evaluate energy recovery from wastewater. Suitable for planning stages, BioWATT operates through a user-friendly Excel spreadsheet and supports diverse wastewater-to-energy technologies.

SAmpSONS is a freely available tool designed to visualize resource fluxes in sanitation systems, such as nutrients (N, P) and energy. The tool generates Sankey diagrams to illustrate flows and enables a simplified sustainability assessment of sanitation systems based on ecological, economic, and social criteria. Developed for pre-planning stages, it integrates methods like Material Flow Analysis (MFA), Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), and Life Cycle Costing (LCC). Planners, researchers, and policymakers can use the tool to evaluate alternative sanitation systems and support decision-making in urban sanitation contexts.

This report gives a practical guidance to the safe and effective use of urine as fertilizer in agriculture. It outlines urine nutrient content, application techniques, and health risk management in line with the WHO recommendations from 2006. The report also provides instructions on how to create guidelines adapted to local contexts and highlights case studies from multiple regions. Target groups include agricultural and sanitation professionals, policymakers, and extension workers.

These guidelines provide a framework for greywater reuse in Saudi Arabia, emphasizing water conservation, environmental protection, and cost-saving measures. The document outlines the quality specifications of treated greywater which can be reused in flush tanks and agriculture. One treatment system is given as a case-study including drawings and a cost-benefit analysis.

This handbook is designed for Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in Sub-Saharan Africa, providing practical training on safe wastewater use in urban and peri-urban horticulture. It covers contamination risks, health protection strategies, and monitoring techniques. The guide supports farmers, extension officers, and trainers by introducing low-cost, low-tech methods to reduce health risks associated with wastewater irrigation. It emphasizes participatory learning and farmer-to-farmer knowledge sharing, making it a valuable resource for both individual farmers and community-based agricultural projects.

This report captures 28 years of operational experience with a urine-diverting sanitation system implemented in the Understenshöjden eco-village, Stockholm. The report can support stakeholders in eco-villages, agriculture, and urban planning by offering insights into planning, design, maintenance, and stakeholder collaboration for similar projects.

The Accelerating Resource Recovery Tool (ARRT) is an Excel-based benchmarking tool designed to help water utilities evaluate and compare their resource recovery practices against other utilities of similar size. The tool focuses on assessing performance in recovering energy, nutrients, and water while promoting efficient and sustainable practices. ARRT supports utilities in identifying opportunities for improvement, benchmarking their progress, and fostering the adoption of innovative resource recovery strategies.

EquiServe is a digital platform designed to facilitate equitable, safe, and sustainable citywide sanitation services. It assists public sector leaders, utilities, and decision-makers in analyzing different service models, financial flows, and investment plans. The tool supports City-Wide Inclusive Sanitation (CWIS) principles by focusing on equity, safety, and sustainability across the entire sanitation chain, including both sewered and non-sewered systems. EquiServe enables scenario modelling for a 10-year period, helping stakeholders compare costs, tariffs, and outcomes of various interventions, including resource recovery aspects. It is user-friendly, adaptable to urban contexts, and supports evidence-based decision-making.

The ECAM Tool is a free, open-source web-based platform for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and energy performance in water and wastewater systems. Developed under the WaCCliM project by Catalan Institute for Water Research (ICRA), International Water Association (IWA), Cobalt Water Global and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, it provides utilities with a robust methodology based on IPCC guidelines to quantify emissions, identify energy-saving opportunities, and promote resource recovery, particularly from wastewater treatment processes. ECAM supports decision-making, scenario modelling, and performance monitoring, making it a valuable tool for achieving climate mitigation goals in the water sector. The tool is applicable globally and suitable for water and wastewater utilities, planners, and operators. Outputs include GHG emissions reports, Sankey diagrams for resource flows, and customized mitigation analyses.

WEST is a dynamic simulation and modelling software designed for wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and water quality systems. It allows users to simulate, analyze, and optimize physical, biological, and chemical processes in WWTPs, sewer systems, and rivers. WEST supports process optimization, design improvements, and real-time control to achieve better effluent quality, reduce energy consumption, improve cost-effectiveness and enable the transition from treatment plants to resource recovery facilities. It is ideal for a range of users, including researchers, design consultants, plant operators, and policy makers. By simulating scenarios under dynamic conditions, the tool supports decision-making and enhances treatment system efficiency.

The SWITCH Africa Green-supported project aimed to develop an alternative energy source for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Burkina Faso by utilizing cashew nut waste. The initiative, implemented in Bobo-Dioulasso and Ouagadougou, focused on producing fuel briquettes from cashew nut shells as a sustainable replacement for firewood and charcoal. This helped combat deforestation, improve energy access, and support green business practices. The project also trained MSMEs on waste-to-energy conversion and fostered networks among green businesses, further advancing sustainable consumption and production.

Safisana aims to improve health, hygiene, and environmental sustainability in low-income urban areas by addressing sanitation, waste management, energy, and food security challenges. The organization builds and operates circular recycling plants that transform faecal and organic waste from communities and industries into renewable energy and organic fertilizer. Since 2017, Safisana’s first waste-to-resource plant in Ashaiman, Ghana, has served over 80,000 people by providing a cleaner environment, green electricity, and high-quality organic fertilizer. The model has been successfully replicated in Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, with further expansion plans underway.

The Biogas Calculations Tool is a free online calculator designed to support feasibility assessments for anaerobic digestion projects. It provides estimates for biogas production, utilization, potential revenue, costs, mass balance, and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions. The tool is particularly suited for evaluating large-scale projects with a minimum input of 30,000 wet tons of organic waste per year. Targeted at developers, operators, and planners, it simplifies the decision-making process by delivering quick preliminary analyses of biogas projects.

The Biogas Plant Troubleshooting Guide assists operators in addressing operational issues that affect production and profitability. It provides guidance on monitoring critical factors like ammonia levels, alkalinity, temperature, mixing, and gas production to ensure stable anaerobic digestion. Detailed recommendations for resolving common issues such as foaming, pH imbalances, and reduced methane yield are included. Designed for operators and stakeholders in biogas facilities, the guide supports diagnostics and process optimization across various plant types and geographies.

The Decision Maker’s Guides were developed to help mayors and policymakers select appropriate solid waste management technologies tailored to local conditions. These guides offer objective, practical advice on environmentally sound treatment and disposal methods. Key features include: descriptions of major technologies; considerations for evaluating technology feasibility; financial implications and cost recovery strategies; real-world examples of success and failure cases.

The Digital tool for assessment and design of integrated wastewater treatment & resource recovery is a web-based decision support tool developed to help red meat processors design integrated wastewater treatment and resource recovery facilities. The tool assists in evaluating wastewater treatment options, energy recovery potential, and economic feasibility while advancing towards environmental compliance and net-zero carbon goals. It supports the shift from traditional wastewater disposal to a resource recovery approach by integrating wastewater treatment with biogas production and biofertilizer generation. The tool is accessible online and offers preliminary sizing and economic assessments based on user-provided inputs.

EASETECH is an advanced life cycle assessment (LCA) software developed to evaluate environmental technologies and processes with a specific focus on material flows, resource recovery, and emissions. It is designed to model complex waste management and treatment systems while allowing flexibility and precision in analyzing environmental impacts. The tool supports decision-making for researchers, consultants, authorities, and technology developers by providing insights into optimal waste treatment options and environmental sustainability. EASETECH has been applied globally across sectors, including wastewater treatment, sludge management, and renewable energy technologies.

Egestabase is an online evidence platform designed to comprehensively map scientific research and implementation examples on the recovery and reuse of nutrients from human excreta and municipal wastewater. The platform enables users to navigate research literature and practical examples, providing insights into circular nutrient solutions and their applications in agriculture. Its goal is to simplify access to growing research, facilitate decision-making, and promote nutrient circularity in water, soil, and food systems.

The EVAS tool is a spreadsheet-based framework for assessing the sustainability of small wastewater treatment systems (WWTSs) in low and lower-middle-income countries. It uses 21 sustainability indicators across five dimensions: technical, environmental, social, economic, and institutional. Employing a traffic light scoring system, EVAS identifies strengths and weaknesses of operational WWTSs, guiding local managers in improving sustainability. It is user-friendly and accommodates data limitations, making it accessible to non-experts. Tested in Bolivia, the tool demonstrated its potential to enhance wastewater management by identifying actionable improvements.

FitWater is a decision support tool designed to evaluate alternative wastewater treatment trains and water reuse applications for their suitability, sustainability, and cost-effectiveness. It assesses options based on reclaimed water production, life cycle costs, health risks, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. FitWater employs multi-criteria decision analysis to rank treatment alternatives, considering factors such as microbial safety, economic viability, and environmental impact. Tested in Canada and the USA, FitWater is applicable to diverse urban water reuse scenarios like irrigation, industrial use, and groundwater recharge.

The EU Guidelines on Water Reuse support the application of Regulation (EU) 2020/741, which became enforceable in June 2023. These guidelines provide a structured framework for managing the safe reuse of treated urban wastewater for agricultural irrigation. They cover the general, administrative, and technical aspects of water reuse, including 11 Key Risk Management (KRM) elements. These KRMs focus on system description, risk assessment, monitoring, and management/communication, ensuring protection of public health, environmental integrity, and compliance with uniform EU standards.

MONITOR ECOTECH is an interactive digital game system designed to simulate the socio-ecological dynamics of nutrient and pollution management in the Baltic Sea region. Using data-driven scenarios, the game enables players to explore the impacts of various ecotechnologies on nutrient flows and stakeholder interests under conditions of uncertainty and potential disasters. This serious game offers a creative learning environment to support decision-making on sustainable and adaptive ecological solutions. The tool builds on empirical data and insights from the BONUS RETURN project and includes features for participatory monitoring and scenario analysis.

The SFD Graphic Generator is an online tool for creating Shit Flow Diagrams (SFDs) to visualize the flow of excreta through sanitation systems in urban areas. SFDs provide a clear, user-friendly graphic representation of how faecal sludge and wastewater are managed, highlighting service delivery gaps and key challenges. Designed for use in reports and advocacy, the tool simplifies the creation process through a three-step workflow: inputting data, configuring sanitation systems, and generating graphics. This tool is essential for urban planners, sanitation stakeholders, and decision-makers to support informed urban sanitation planning and programming.

SWOLFPY is a free, open-source decision-support tool designed to facilitate sustainable waste management. It supports life-cycle assessment (LCA), optimization, and uncertainty analysis for municipal solid waste (MSW) systems. With features like modeling waste flows, assessing environmental impacts, and Monte Carlo simulations, SWOLFPY helps waste management professionals, researchers, and policymakers to design efficient, environmentally friendly waste management strategies. It operates through Python-based scripting and offers a graphical user interface (GUI) for accessibility. Key applications include optimizing waste diversion strategies, supporting circular economy transitions, and assessing resource recovery initiatives.

The Waste Wise Cities Tool (WaCT) is a diagnostic tool developed by UN-Habitat to assist cities in assessing municipal solid waste management (MSWM) performance. It utilizes a seven-step methodology encompassing waste generation, recovery, and disposal. The tool quantifies MSW metrics, evaluates environmental performance, and provides data for monitoring relevant SDG indicators. Designed for cities globally, WaCT supports informed decision-making for sustainable waste management strategies, aligned with SDGs and the circular economy.

The Waste Reduction Model (WARM) is a decision-support tool developed by the U.S. EPA to assess the environmental impacts of various materials management practices. It enables users to compare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, energy savings, and economic impacts associated with source reduction, recycling, composting, anaerobic digestion, combustion, and landfilling. WARM is particularly useful for solid waste managers, policymakers, and environmental consultants to make data-driven decisions that align with sustainability goals. The tool is web-based and includes a database of lifecycle inputs and outputs for a wide range of materials, making it adaptable to various scenarios.

WASTE ATLAS is a free, interactive, crowdsourcing platform visualizing global municipal solid waste (MSW) management data. Designed using GIS technology, the tool allows users to explore MSW trends, compare waste management performance across regions, and analyze data related to waste generation, treatment, and disposal methods. It supports researchers, policymakers, and waste management professionals by offering insights into infrastructure, practices, and opportunities for improved waste recovery and diversion. Accessible worldwide, WASTE ATLAS promotes transparency, knowledge sharing, and informed decision-making for sustainable waste management.

This case study focuses on the strategies employed to recover resources from Amsterdam’s wastewater. The research project involves Waternet, the municipal water authority, along with Delft University of Technology. The study highlights the use of dynamic adaptive policy pathways to identify and implement resource recovery strategies in complex and uncertain systems. The main products recovered include alginic acid, bioplastic, cellulose, phosphorus, and biogas. These strategies contribute to Amsterdam’s transition towards a circular economy. This case study provides a model for other cities aiming to implement similar sustainable solutions.

This report provides a balanced perspective on waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies, focusing on thermal WtE in developing countries. It highlights trends, impacts, and key considerations for decision-makers considering WtE as a waste management option. Emphasizing the waste hierarchy, it advocates for reducing, reusing, and recycling before adopting thermal WtE. Challenges discussed include waste characteristics, economic feasibility, social acceptance, and environmental standards. Practical guidance and case studies, such as the Reppie plant in Ethiopia, are included to aid stakeholders in understanding WtE's role in integrated sustainable waste management.

Three case studies examine best practices for treated wastewater (TWW) reuse in Jordan, a country challenged by extreme water scarcity issues. Two cases are from centralized wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) of Wadi Musa (2004) and Aqaba (2002) implemented with support from USAID and local stakeholders. The third case is from a decentralized WWTP for the Public Security Directorate (PSD) compound in the peri urban area of Moqablane, Amman. These projects have demonstrated significant socio-economic and environmental benefits. The initiatives began with infrastructure development and capacity-building efforts and have resulted in increased resource recovery, reduced freshwater demand, and enhanced agricultural productivity.

WasteMAP is an innovative platform designed to measure, map, and mitigate methane emissions from the waste sector. It includes an online interactive map and a decision support tool, enabling users to visualize global methane emissions and model the impact of various waste management strategies. WasteMAP supports decision-making by highlighting mitigation opportunities and best practices for reducing methane emissions, emphasizing the importance of climate-friendly waste systems.

This case study highlights resource recovery from wastewater and organic waste in the Philippines. Key stakeholders, including local governments, private sector partners, and international organizations like PEMSEA and ARCOWA, support wastewater treatment, water reuse, and bio-energy production. The report summarizes efforts to reuse treated wastewater, recover bioenergy, and extract nutrients from wastewater, pig farms, and industries. Active for years, the initiative has improved sanitation, reduced pollution, and enhanced resource recovery. By integrating circular economy principles, it serves as a model for sustainable wastewater management in urban areas facing similar challenges.

The Rich Earth Institute's Farmer Guide to Urine Fertilizer is designed to help farmers understand and implement urine-derived fertilizers. It explains the regulatory framework, safety considerations, and practical application methods for using urine fertilizer on different crops. The guide is useful for farmers, regulators, and policymakers interested in sustainable agriculture and nutrient recycling. It supports planning, implementation, and monitoring of urine fertilizer applications.

This guide provides home gardeners with practical instructions for using urine as a fertilizer. It covers urine collection, storage, sanitization and application techniques while addressing common concerns such as odor management, nutrient content, and safety. The guide emphasizes the environmental benefits of urine diversion, including water conservation and pollution prevention. It is aimed at household gardeners, community garden groups, and sustainability advocates who seek to implement nutrient recycling at a small scale.

This volume of the WHO Guidelines focuses on policy, regulation, and institutional arrangements for wastewater, excreta, and greywater reuse. It is intended for policymakers and regulators, providing guidance on policy formulation, regulatory mechanisms, and cross-sectoral coordination. It also summarizes key issues from Volumes 2, 3, and 4 and includes an index and glossary. The volume offers an overview of risks and benefits without technical details, supporting national policy development for safe wastewater reuse. In depth technical aspects of health risk assessment, protection measures, and monitoring are covered in the other volumes.

This volume provides comprehensive guidelines for safely using wastewater in agriculture. It focuses on health risk management and sustainability, presenting measures to minimize public health risks while promoting the reuse of wastewater to enhance food production. It is designed for policymakers, engineers, researchers, and agricultural practitioners. The guidelines incorporate risk assessment frameworks, pathogen reduction strategies, and implementation of health-based targets, supporting the sustainable integration of wastewater reuse in agricultural systems globally.

This volume provides guidelines for using wastewater and excreta in aquaculture while mitigating public health risks. It integrates microbial and chemical risk assessments with environmental and economic considerations, offering a harmonized approach to safe aquaculture practices. Target audiences include policymakers, environmental scientists, aquaculture managers, and public health officials. It emphasizes health-based targets, safe use protocols, and risk management strategies for sustainable aquaculture.

This volume provides detailed guidelines for the safe use of excreta and greywater in agriculture. It emphasizes health risk management while promoting resource recovery for agricultural development, particularly in low-income and peri-urban areas. Using risk-based approaches like the Stockholm Framework, it offers strategies for reducing exposure, treating waste, and monitoring system performance. Target audience include public health officials, policymakers, agricultural workers, and sanitation engineers.

This document presents the concept of the Circular Sanitation Economy in agriculture, highlighting opportunities to transform sanitation from a cost burden into a valuable resource stream. It outlines the economic, environmental, and social benefits of sanitation resource recovery, such as nutrient recycling, energy production, and improved health outcomes. The guide introduces a toolbox for evaluating circular sanitation systems and includes a case study from the Hathikuli Tea Plantation in Assam, India. It targets agricultural businesses, policymakers, and sustainability practitioners interested in integrating sanitation into agricultural value chains.

This guide provides small towns in low- and middle-income countries with a structured process for selecting appropriate wastewater treatment and reuse technologies. It is designed for engineers, managers, and stakeholders involved in urban sanitation. The guide supports decision-making during the planning phase and outlines five steps for identifying viable solutions. It emphasizes sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental benefits. Examples are included to showcase successful applications of the methods outlined in the guide.

The Faecal Waste Flow Calculator is a rapid assessment tool designed to determine faecal waste volumes along the entire sanitation service chain. It calculates the proportions of waste safely or unsafely managed at each stage—capture, containment, emptying, transport, treatment, and disposal or reuse. The tool also incorporates qualitative assessments through scorecards, addressing governance and enabling factors such as planning, safety, and standards. It helps city planners, engineers, and decision-makers prioritize sanitation interventions, advocate for improved faecal waste management, and develop actionable plans. The tool has been applied in Asia and Africa to support sanitation strategies.

The WICER framework provides a structured approach to applying circular economy principles in urban water systems. It aims to enhance resilience, inclusiveness, and sustainability in water supply and sanitation services by focusing on three outcomes: delivering resilient and inclusive services, designing out waste and pollution, and preserving and regenerating natural systems. It offers actionable steps for planning, investments, and operational improvements and includes global case studies to illustrate its application.

This case study details resource recovery from Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) in the towns of Wai and Sinnar, Maharashtra, India. The municipal councils of these towns adopted Faecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) that not only manage sanitation waste but also enable water and nutrient recovery. Treated wastewater and dried sludge are reused for landscaping, urban forestry, and agricultural purposes. Notable outcomes include economic benefits, aesthetic enhancements, and sustainable water management in water-scarce regions. The initiative serves as a model for scaling reuse practices in urban sanitation systems across India.

The WICER Quick Assessment Tool evaluates whether a project, system, or city integrates Water in Circular Economy and Resilience (WICER) principles. By answering targeted questions, users can assess their level of circularity and resilience and receive resources and guidelines to enhance their practices. This tool is designed for urban water planners, policymakers, and organizations aiming to promote circular economy and resilience. It supports the planning and improvement stages of projects and is accessible online, with no specific skills required apart from basic knowledge of water systems. It has been applied globally to strengthen urban water systems against climate change and resource constraints.

The Guijuelo wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Biofactory in Salamanca, Spain, is a pioneering initiative in circular bioeconomy that converts wastewater and agri-food industry by-products into valuable resources. Managed by Aqualia, this biofactory integrates anaerobic co-digestion, biomethanisation, and biofuel production to generate biofertilizers, bioplastics, and biomethane (bio-CNG). The project optimizes WWTP operations, reduces the ecological footprint of the agri-food sector, and serves as an economic engine for the region. With innovations such as thermal hydrolysis, electrostimulated anaerobic bioreactors (ELSAR®), and ABAD Bioenergy®, the plant exemplifies sustainable resource recovery in wastewater treatment.

The Kaikōura District Council faced a challenge in managing approximately 1,500 tonnes of biosolids that had been left to weather under a 10-year resource consent. With the consent expiring in 2016, the council engaged the community to explore and develop acceptable reuse solutions. The Centre for Integrated Biowaste Research (CIBR) led a collaborative study that integrated biophysical, economic, and social science research. The participatory process helped develop biosolids management strategies that balanced environmental, economic, and cultural considerations. The key outcomes included community-supported biosolids reuse options such as exotic forest application, rehabilitation with native plants, and composting (open-air and vermicomposting).

The Market Driven Approach (MDA) is a spreadsheet-based tool designed to identify faecal sludge treatment products with the highest market potential. It incorporates fieldwork and local market analysis to evaluate resource recovery options, including substitute products that can be replaced by faecal sludge products. The methodology combines quantitative market volume and growth analysis with qualitative adjustment factors like social acceptability and product efficacy. Tested in cities across Africa and Southeast Asia, MDA provides actionable insights for designing sustainable faecal sludge management systems tailored to local market contexts.

The Asseiceira Water Treatment Plant (WTP) in Portugal aimed to achieve complete energy self-sufficiency through efficiency measures, renewable energy integration, and an optimized energy management system. The project emerged in response to increasing energy costs and the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the water sector. By implementing ISO 50001-certified energy management practices, process optimization, and mini-hydro power systems, the facility not only reduced its energy consumption by over 25% but also generated surplus energy, setting a benchmark for sustainable water treatment.

This case study highlights the decentralized wastewater treatment and reuse projects implemented in Cochabamba, Bolivia, by Fundación Aguatuya since 2014, in partnership with local municipalities and international cooperation agencies. The initiative aims to improve wastewater management and promote resource recovery through a circular economy approach. The project has established decentralized municipal treatment plants that ensure that treated effluent is reused for agricultural irrigation. This initiative addresses water scarcity, supports sustainable urban and peri-urban sanitation, and contributes to local agricultural productivity.

This guide provides a comprehensive overview of sanitation resource recovery options, focusing on the final products as well as technologies that transform excreta, wastewater and faecal sludge into valuable resources. It is structured into three sections: reuse products characteristics and use, treatment technologies, and cross-cutting issues such as policy and safety. The guide serves engineers, planners, researchers, NGOs, and entrepreneurs in designing functional solutions for resource recovery.

The Municipal Solid Waste Decision Support Tool (MSW-DST) is a computer-based software designed to help solid waste planners evaluate and optimize integrated municipal solid waste (MSW) management strategies. It allows users to analyze cost and environmental impacts associated with waste collection, processing, recycling, composting, energy recovery, and disposal. Developed using life cycle assessment (LCA) principles, it serves as a robust platform to make informed decisions regarding trade-offs in waste management systems. Designed primarily for local governments, it is also beneficial for consultants, industry stakeholders, and researchers working on sustainable solid waste systems, including resource recovery approaches.

ORWARE is a computer-based Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) model designed for environmental and economic assessment of waste management systems. It simulates material flows, environmental impacts, and costs across various waste management technologies, covering both organic and inorganic waste fractions. The tool provides detailed outputs on emissions, energy use, and financial performance, making it valuable for optimizing waste management strategies and evaluating scenarios for resource recovery. It supports decision-making in municipalities and industries, enabling the integration of waste treatment with energy and nutrient recovery.

The Pathogen flow & mapping tool is a decision support tool designed to evaluate pathogen emissions to surface waters and assess the potential impact of sanitation interventions. It allows users to model different scenarios by adjusting factors such as population growth, sanitation access, and faecal sludge and wastewater treatment. The tool enables users to identify high-emission areas and analyze the contributions of different sanitation facilities to pathogen loads. While not explicitly focused on resource recovery, it can be used to assess the effects of sanitation improvements that include resource recovery components such as wastewater reuse or biosolids treatment.

AgriProtein was the world’s first industrial-scale producer of Black Soldier Fly (BSF)-based feed and the largest BSF company globally. Based in South Africa and subsequently in the UK, the company pioneered BSF technology to process organic waste and create valuable products such as larvae meal, biofertilizers, and oil. AgriProtein demonstrated the viability of BSF technology for waste diversion, resource recovery, and sustainable feed production.

Enterra Feed Corporation pioneered industrial-scale Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology to convert preconsumer organic waste into sustainable products such as larvae meal, oil, and biofertilizers. The company operated facilities in Canada and aimed to address organic waste management challenges while providing eco-friendly agricultural inputs. Despite its innovative approach and significant contributions to waste diversion and sustainable feed production, Enterra Feed entered receivership in November 2022 due to financial challenges, halting its independent operations.

Ento-Prise is a research initiative under the EU-funded PROteINSECT project, aimed at developing a commercial Black Soldier Fly (BSF) bioconversion system for organic waste in Ghana. By establishing pilot and demonstration facilities, the project focused on transforming fruit and vegetable waste into valuable resources like animal feed and compost. The initiative supported smallholder farmers by creating locally produced, cost-effective farming inputs while addressing waste management challenges.

The From Organic Waste to Recycling for Development (FORWARD) project is a research and development initiative implemented in Indonesia. It focuses on valorizing municipal organic waste through Black Soldier Fly (BSF) larvae-based waste treatment technology. The project aims to transform market waste into valuable products like animal feed, compost, and starter kits. Funded initially by SECO, the project is now a proof-of-concept operation, integrating BSF technology for sustainable organic waste management in Sidoarjo, East Java.

TechSelect is a decision support tool (DST) designed to help decision-makers select the most appropriate wastewater treatment technology based on sustainability criteria and local context. The tool uses a multiple attribute decision-making (MADM) approach, specifically the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solutions (TOPSIS) method, to rank wastewater treatment alternatives. By integrating environmental, economic, and social considerations, the tool provides a structured approach to evaluating different technologies. Developed in Microsoft Excel with Visual Basic for Applications (VBA), TechSelect is accessible and easy to use for urban local bodies (ULBs), municipal authorities, and planning professionals.

The Toilet Resource Calculator is a browser-based tool developed by the Toilet Board Coalition to estimate the potential volumes of reusable products that can be generated from toilet systems. Designed as part of efforts to promote the Circular Sanitation Economy, the calculator provides businesses, governments, and organizations with insights into resource recovery opportunities from toilet waste. Users input community-specific parameters such as population size, timeframes, and sanitation practices (wipe or wash), and the tool outputs estimates for biogas, biochar, compost, nutrient recovery (NPK), and water. The tool supports decision-making for implementing circular sanitation approaches, encouraging sustainable and resource-efficient sanitation solutions for businesses, plantations, and urban settings.

SANITECH is a GIS-enabled decision support tool designed for integrated sanitation planning and investment. It assists urban local bodies in evaluating sanitation systems across the entire value chain—from capture to treatment—by considering environmental compliance, financial costs, and technical feasibility. The tool allows users to generate and compare sanitation scenarios, helping prioritize cost-effective and sustainable investments in urban sanitation infrastructure. SANITECH’s interface supports scenario creation, impact visualization, and decision-making for urban planners, policymakers, and sanitation experts.

SaniPlan is a decision support tool designed for urban sanitation planning, offering an integrated approach to service performance and financial assessment. It evaluates the entire sanitation chain—user interface, collection, conveyance, treatment, and safe disposal—and aligns with India’s service level benchmarks (SLBs). Through its performance, action planning, and finance modules, SaniPlan helps users assess current services, identify improvement actions, and create a sustainable financial plan. It has been widely used in India and beyond to develop city sanitation plans and support fecal sludge management strategies.

SIMBA# is a dynamic simulation tool for modeling and analyzing wastewater treatment plants, sewer networks, drinking water systems, rivers, and biogas plants. Originally developed as an extension of MATLAB/Simulink, SIMBA# evolved into a standalone software programmed in C# using the .NET framework. It integrates process engineering, energy analysis, automation solutions, and digital twins, making it valuable for research, teaching, and real-world applications. With modules covering activated sludge processes, aeration, sludge digestion, and control system design, the tool enables optimization of sanitation and resource recovery systems. Widely used in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and beyond, SIMBA# supports circular economy principles by facilitating water reuse, biogas generation, and nutrient recovery.

Poseidon is a pre-feasibility decision support tool designed to compare wastewater treatment options for water reuse. It assesses 37 unit processes and 70 treatment train combinations based on pollutant removal efficiency, lifecycle costs, and multi-criteria factors. Developed to promote water reuse, it is user-friendly and supports capacity-building for non-experts. Poseidon incorporates data on water quality standards and technologies, enabling users to identify suitable treatment options for diverse applications such as irrigation, industrial use, or potable reuse. The tool is open-access and implemented in Excel for accessibility and transparency.

The Treatment Plant Sketcher tool is an interactive software application designed to model wastewater and fecal sludge treatment systems with a focus on pathogen reduction. The tool allows users to create a visual "sketch" of a treatment system, define treatment units and operational parameters, and estimate the proportion of pathogens removed at each stage. By predicting pathogen fate in both liquid and solid treatment streams, the tool supports decision-making in sanitation system design, operation, and evaluation. Although primarily focused on pathogen reduction, it can also be applied to resource recovery planning, particularly for biosolids management and treated water reuse.

The Sustainable Sanitation Management Tool is a software-based decision support tool designed to aid in selecting technical and management solutions for sanitation services, particularly in isolated, rural, and peri-urban communities. It emphasizes a participatory approach, involving stakeholders throughout the decision-making process. The tool supports resource-oriented sanitation solutions, focusing on water reuse and nutrient recovery. Its decision tree helps users evaluate various technologies and develop customized sanitation systems, facilitating sustainable and inclusive sanitation planning.

The Water-Energy Sustainability Tool (WEST) is a decision support tool designed to assess the environmental impacts of different water supply options. It applies a life cycle assessment (LCA) approach to evaluate the energy and material inputs as well as environmental emissions associated with water supply alternatives. WEST enables water utilities, policy-makers, and planners to incorporate environmental considerations into water supply planning. By using a hybrid LCA method that combines process-based LCA and economic input-output LCA (EIO-LCA), the tool provides a comprehensive assessment of water supply systems, covering the supply, treatment, and distribution phases. It has been applied in case studies in California to compare imported water, desalination, and water recycling, revealing significant differences in energy use and emissions.

In the Negev desert, a novel wastewater treatment system (WWTS) has been developed and tested for small, off-grid settlements. This modular system integrates advanced technologies such as a recirculating vertical flow bioreactor (RVFB), ozonation, and ultrafiltration. Operating successfully for over two years, the WWTS produces high-quality effluent approved for unlimited irrigation by the Israeli Ministry of Health. It represents a sustainable solution for water reuse in arid environments, addressing water scarcity while meeting regulatory standards.

The Fayoum Governorate in Egypt, characterized by extreme water scarcity and a high poverty rate, relies heavily on agricultural drainage water for irrigation. The “SafeAgroMENA” project, funded by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aims to improve the safe reuse of nutrient-rich agricultural drainage water through agroecological interventions. This initiative combines decentralized, on-farm solutions with participatory stakeholder processes, focusing on addressing emerging contaminants, improving water quality, and strengthening food security for small-scale farmers.

Located in Billund, Denmark, the Billund Biorefinery exemplifies circular economy principles in wastewater management. Converted from a conventional wastewater treatment plant in 2017, it now processes household wastewater, organic solid waste, and agricultural waste to produce energy, clean water, and fertilizers. The facility's innovative approach integrates thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion to maximize energy recovery and nutrient recycling. As a net energy exporter and a model for resource recovery, the biorefinery has gained international recognition for its contributions to sustainable development.

In 2013, two decentralized wastewater treatment systems (DEWATS) were implemented at the CCBRT maternity hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, addressing wastewater management in a flood-prone area without sewer connections. These systems treat black and grey water while producing biogas and nutrient-rich treated water for irrigation. The DEWATS approach reduced operational costs compared to conventional systems and provided sustainable wastewater solutions with resource recovery, making it a scalable model for non-sewered areas.

The wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Hamburg, Germany, operated by Hamburg Wasser, treats wastewater from 2.5 million people and has transformed from a major energy consumer to a net energy producer. By harnessing biogas from sewage sludge, along with wind and solar power, the plant generates more energy than it consumes. This energy surplus supports public grids and district heating, while also enabling the plant to achieve carbon neutrality in energy supply for freshwater and wastewater services. The initiative exemplifies how wastewater can be a valuable energy source while advancing environmental and economic sustainability.

This case study examines the social barriers to urine recycling within decentralized sanitation systems. Conducted across multiple countries, it highlights perceptions and willingness among farmers, consumers, and other stakeholders to adopt innovations like urine-based fertilizers. Despite significant interest in recycling urine as a nutrient source, cultural and cognitive factors, along with social norms, influence acceptance levels. The study provides insights into the role of stakeholders, including toilet users, farmers, food producers, and decision-makers, in transitioning to circular sanitation systems.

In Burkina Faso, where sanitation access and soil fertility are critical challenges, productive sanitation initiatives have introduced technologies like urine-diverting dry toilets (UDDTs) to safely recover and reuse nutrients from human excreta. Over the past 15 years, more than 13,500 households have participated in 30 projects, improving rural sanitation while enabling the reuse of excreta as fertilizers. These efforts have demonstrated how ecological sanitation can simultaneously address public health, environmental, and agricultural challenges in resource-scarce settings.

In Ouardanine, Tunisia, the use of treated wastewater for irrigation has been critical due to water scarcity. Farmers’ acceptance of wastewater reuse, primarily driven by economic necessity, has met challenges from low consumer acceptance of crops irrigated this way and inconsistent effluent quality. In response, adaptive strategies, including crop diversification and improved agricultural practices, were introduced. These initiatives enhanced productivity, resilience to water shortages, and economic stability while addressing health and consumer concerns.

The anaerobic co-digestion: feedstock sampling and characterization factsheet provides guidelines for handling, sampling, and characterizing high-strength organic waste streams used in anaerobic co-digestion. It aids water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) in managing co-substrates like food waste, fats, oils, and grease (FOG) to optimize biogas production while minimizing process risks. This tool supports WRRF managers, operators, and engineers in making informed decisions on feedstock integration, process design, and risk mitigation.

The city of Windhoek in Namibia has been a global pioneer in the reuse of treated wastewater for drinking purposes through its direct potable reuse (DPR) facility. Operational since 1968, the DPR system was born out of necessity in a semi-arid region with severe water scarcity and no perennial rivers nearby. By utilizing advanced treatment technologies and a multi-barrier approach, the facility now provides 35% of the city’s drinking water. Windhoek’s innovative approach to water reclamation serves as a model for sustainable water supply solutions in resource-constrained regions.

The Biogas Plant Development Handbook is a comprehensive resource for guiding stakeholders through the planning, designing, permitting, and operating phases of biogas plant projects. It covers technical, economic, regulatory, and operational aspects while addressing challenges in feedstock management, anaerobic digestion technology, digestate utilization, and biogas safety. Designed for diverse audiences, including engineers, developers, and operators, the handbook ensures informed decision-making and efficient project execution.

The Biogas Plant Monitoring Guidelines provide operators with essential practices to ensure optimal performance and stability of biogas plants. The guidelines address key operational aspects, such as maintaining organic loading rates (OLR), monitoring contaminants, ensuring proper feedstock quality, and tracking parameters like pH, temperature, and volatile organic acids/total inorganic carbon (FOS/TAC) ratios. These recommendations are critical for minimizing risks, improving biogas production efficiency, and maintaining the health of the anaerobic digestion process.

This brief guideline in the form of a brochure provides a summary of the rationale and step-by-step approach to composting human faeces at a small scale. It summarizes key aspects for collection, compost set-up and management, including troubleshooting, quality control and hygiene considerations.

The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) Biowaste Processing practical knowhow is a comprehensive web-based guide that offers practical, step-by-step knowledge on operating BSF processing facilities. It covers topics such as rearing BSF larvae, converting organic waste, post-processing for product development, business models, greenhouse gas emissions and safety considerations. This tool supports sustainable waste management while promoting circular economy practices through nutrient recovery and animal feed production.

Amman, Jordan, generates over one million tonnes of waste annually, a number exacerbated by refugee influxes and urbanization. The city's waste management challenges include overburdened infrastructure, a lack of private sector involvement, and low public awareness. Efforts such as the National Municipal Solid Waste Management Strategy and international partnerships have driven pilot projects for biogas recovery, waste separation, and recycling. These initiatives aim to modernize the waste sector, mitigate environmental impacts, and promote sustainability through inclusive and innovative approaches.

This toolkit provides practical guidance for the safe containment, treatment and reuse of treated faecal sludge and wastewater in rural India at household and community level. It highlights on-site and decentralized sanitation technologies, best practices, related policies, and communication strategies, emphasizing sustainability and environmental safety. Technologies used for resource recovery in rural areas are illustrated through case studies from India and around the world. This tool can be used by sanitation practitioners, engineers, community organizations, local government officials and private sector implementers.

The manual provides comprehensive guidance on the safe production and application of fecal sludge (FS)-based compost. It covers best practices for health, environmental safety, and technical operations involved in FS treatment, composting, and product enhancement. Intended for plant managers, trainers, and compost facility operators, the manual outlines procedures for co-composting FS with organic waste, ensuring pathogen reduction and nutrient recovery for agricultural reuse. It is adaptable to different contexts and promotes sustainable waste management practices.

This website provides a practical guidance for the design and construction of a vermifiltration system to treat wastewater for surface irrigation of crops, pasture or trees. This system is a low-cost, sustainable wastewater treatment solution designed for households and communities. It uses earthworms and natural media to treat domestic wastewater, producing nutrient-rich water for surface irrigation and humus for soil conditioning. This off-grid system incorporates modular designs for primary, secondary, and tertiary treatment, making it adaptable to various wastewater volumes and site conditions. The website includes practical videos and a glossary. It can be used by sanitation practitioners, engineers, homeowners and local communities.

This guideline is intended to provide decision-makers and policy makers at the local level, a comprehensive knowledge of composting systems, to assess the feasibility of introducing composting as an alternative to enhance municipal solid waste management, based on lessons learned from projects in Asia. The document introduces different methods for composting at household and municipal levels, the technical and non-technical requirements for sustainable composting, its advantages and disadvantages, and suggests key evaluation criteria to evaluate its appropriateness in a city or country. The guideline concludes with cases studies from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Japan.

Bangkok, a city with over 10 million residents, faces significant challenges in managing the 3.65 million tonnes of solid waste it generates annually. With low recycling rates and heavy reliance on landfills, the city's waste management system struggles to meet demand. Efforts by the Thai government include introducing the National Solid Waste Management Master Plan, which emphasizes waste reduction, recycling, and the introduction of advanced waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies. Private sector initiatives, such as the SUEZ Plastic Recycling Plant, are critical to reducing waste and improving resource recovery.

The case study focuses on Buenos Aires, Argentina, where municipal solid waste management (SWM) is led by CEAMSE, a public-private partnership. The city generates over 7,500 tonnes of waste daily, with 90% ending up in landfills. CEAMSE employs innovative methods like mechanical biological treatment (MBT) to recover resources and reduce waste. Challenges include a lack of waste separation and public awareness. Initiatives like community education and integration of informal waste pickers into formal systems highlight the city’s efforts to create a more sustainable waste management ecosystem.

Jakarta, Indonesia's capital, faces significant challenges in waste management due to rapid urbanization and high waste generation. With a population of over 11 million, Jakarta produces approximately 8,369 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily. The city's waste management efforts focus on enhancing collection, segregation, recycling, and waste-to-energy (WTE) technologies. Stakeholders include government agencies, private enterprises like Waste4Change, and international organizations like the World Bank. Innovative initiatives such as Gringgo and Plastic Bank have improved waste collection and recycling processes while addressing social issues such as poverty and informal labor conditions.

The database and associated publication examine the potential for recovery and reuse of water, nutrients and energy from more than 15000 municipal wastewater treatment plants across the United States. In the study different technology scenarios including anaerobic digestion, hydrothermal liquefaction, and struvite recovery are assessed for impact on water, nutrient and energy recovery followed by a spatial analysis to assess demand for reclaimed resources and products at a regional level. The potential improvements of different technologies are available for each individual treatment plant in the database, while synthesized results are published in the report.

Casablanca, Morocco’s economic hub, generates 1.46 million tonnes of waste annually. With limited recycling and high landfill dependency, the city is taking steps to modernize its waste management system, focusing on resource recovery. Partnerships with private companies like Geocycle have introduced innovative approaches such as the production of solid recovered fuel (SRF) from waste, while public policies aim to integrate waste pickers into formal systems. These efforts align with national goals for improved recycling rates, green job creation, and sustainable urban development.

The case study focuses on Baku, Azerbaijan, where waste management has undergone significant transformation through the establishment of state-led and private sector partnerships. Baku produces 1.2 million tonnes of waste annually, with only 16% processed through sorting and recycling. Major initiatives include a Waste-to-Energy Plant, recycling facilities such as the Balakhani Recycling Park, and public awareness campaigns. Challenges include high illegal dumping rates and inadequate infrastructure.

Bogota, Colombia's capital and largest city, generates over 2.1 million tonnes of waste annually, with approximately 67.7% being organic waste. Through the Zero Waste Program, the city has prioritized reducing landfill dependency and enhancing recycling rates, particularly by integrating informal waste workers into the formal system. Despite challenges, including cultural resistance to recycling and insufficient infrastructure, the program has succeeded in recycling 357 tonnes of waste daily, with potential for much more. This case highlights the importance of inclusive waste management approaches, integrating marginalized groups, and leveraging community participation for sustainable urban development.

Austria has developed a decentralized composting model that integrates the agriculture sector into municipal organic waste management. The model leverages local farmers to process organic waste into high-quality compost using low-cost windrow technologies. This approach minimizes transportation costs, enhances soil fertility, and ensures compliance with strict Austrian compost quality standards. Funding is shared between farmers, municipalities, and regional/provincial governments, creating a successful cooperative financing model for waste recovery.

This case study showcases a large-scale composting project in Bangladesh, developed through a joint venture between Waste Concern and World Wide Recycling (WWR). The initiative processes organic market waste into compost, leveraging public-private partnerships, carbon credit revenues, and an extensive fertilizer distribution network. The project is a pioneering effort in Bangladesh’s composting industry, addressing organic waste management challenges while contributing to sustainable agriculture.

Ecocitrus, an organic citrus farmers’ cooperative in Montenegro, Brazil, integrates waste management and organic agriculture. Using a composting and biogas facility, the cooperative processes agro-industrial and organic waste into compost, biofertilizers, and biogas for use in farming and energy generation. Ecocitrus supports sustainable agriculture by offering cost-effective, high-quality compost products to its members and commercial markets, contributing to Brazil’s growing organic agriculture sector.

Bangalore employs two complementary approaches to municipal solid waste (MSW) composting: a long-standing state-owned model by the Karnataka Compost Development Corporation (KCDC) and a scalable private-sector solution by Terra Firma Biotechnologies. KCDC focuses on low-tech windrow composting, while Terra Firma operates a more diversified integrated solid waste management system, processing recyclables, organics, and landfill-bound residuals. Both models address Bangalore’s MSW challenges, showcasing complementary roles for public and private sector involvement in sustainable waste management.

The Pilisaru Project, launched in 2008 by the Sri Lankan government, aimed to develop municipal composting capacity across the country. With $40 million in funding, the project has constructed over 115 municipal composting facilities, successfully integrating organic waste treatment into urban waste management. By providing capital grants for construction and training, the project has improved waste diversion and created nutrient-rich compost, supporting sustainable agriculture and reducing reliance on landfills.

SOIL (Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods) is a non-profit organization in Haiti pioneering circular sanitation solutions to address the country’s severe sanitation crisis. Established in 2006, SOIL operates EkoLakay (household container-based toilets), EkoMache (public toilets), and EkoMobil (portable toilet rentals), ensuring 100% waste treatment through thermophilic composting. The initiative has provided over 19,500 people with in-home sanitation, treated 804+ metric tons of waste annually, and produced 250+ metric tons of compost for agriculture and reforestation. SOIL’s model integrates urban sanitation, resource recovery and climate resilience, and could be a replicable solution for growing urban areas where sewered sanitation systems are not a viable or affordable option.

This technical guide provides a comprehensive framework for the safe and efficient reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture. It includes best practices for evaluating water quality and wastewater treatment options for improving it, selecting suitable soil conditions and crops, mitigating health risks, and implementing irrigation strategies. The guide aligns with international guidelines (WHO) and national policies to support sustainable water management in regions facing water scarcity in Bolivia.

The tool is designed for agricultural planners, wastewater treatment operators, policymakers, and farmers, offering practical steps to integrate treated wastewater into irrigation schemes while ensuring environmental and public health safety.