[[Image:closingUrban.png|thumb|right|200px| Part of the poster [http://www.ecosanres.org/images/Poster-ClosingTheLoop-Urban-large.jpg Closing the loop on Sanitation in Urban areas], produced by [http://www.ecosanres.org EcoSanRes].]]
Human faeces and urine contain a large amount of nutrients, which can be used in agriculture for crop irrigation, for fish aquaculture, or aquatic vegetable pond fertilization. In many cultures, for example the Chinese, the idea that 'waste is too valuable to waste' is well known, and best weight loss pills has been practiced for centuries. In many other cultures however, sanitation products are hardly used for productive use, although interest is growing.
The '''Ecological Sanitation (EcoSan)''' movement (also called 'sustainable sanitation') has led to more interest in this the sanitation field. When sanitation products are reused, great care has to be given to dealing with the potential health and environmental risks of human waste products. Large-scale sewerage-based systems have significant drawbacks. Enormous investments are needed, operating and maintenance costs are very high, the water consumption is very large, and a large volume of waste is produced which can be costly to treat. Especially in arid zones, the water use is a problem. A second problem is that in cities, all kinds of waste are disposed of in the sewer, leading to a very varied mixture which is difficult to process. Ecological sanitation can both be applied in cities (often in public toilet blocks), and in peri-urban and rural areas.
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===The Ecosan 5 Flow Streams===
[[Image:gtz chart.png|thumb|none|600px580px|Chart: [http://susana.org/lang-en/library/library?view=ccbktypeitem&type=2&id=1164 Technology components for sustainable sanitation]. GIZ]]]
===Field experiences===
<br>{| style="border: 2px solid #e0e0e0; width: 7080%; text-align: justify; background-color: #f5f5f5e9f5fd;" cellpadding="2"<!--rsr logo here-->|- style="vertical-align: top"|[[Image:rsr 1349akvorsr logo_lite.jpgpng|thumbcenter|none|200px|<font size="2"><center>Project 1349</center></font>60px|link=http://wandelenvoorwater2014.akvoappakvo.org/enproducts/project/1349rsr/]]|'''Akvo RSR Project[[Image:''' [akvorsr logo_lite.png|center|60px|link=http://wandelenvoorwater2014.akvoappakvo.org/enproducts/projectrsr/1349/ Safe water for Wajir]WASH promotion in Makaror a suburb of Wajir Town through technical education and demonstration of WASH. Wajir is constructed on top of an ancient aquifer. Wajir has 130.000 inhabitants by 2013 and has a growth rate of 10 percent per year. Most wells have ecoli pollution. Lining wells helps. Closure and pump installation is better. Combination with Ecosan is an adequate solution.]|} {| - style="width: 70%; textvertical-align: justify; background-color: #f5f5f5;bottom"|[[Image:rsr 644project 1349.jpg|thumb|nonecenter|200px140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo.org/project/1349/ RSR Project 6441349]<br>Safe water <br>for Wajir]</center></font>|link=http://wandelenvoorwater2014rsr.akvoappakvo.org/en/project/6441349/]]|'''Akvo RSR Project[[Image:''' project 644.jpg |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://wandelenvoorwater2014rsr.akvoappakvo.org/en/project/644/ RSR Project 644]<br>Rwenzori Integrated School WASH Project]HEWASA and JESE will jointly implement this 3-years school WASH program in Kabarole district in the West of Uganda. Not only 24 schools will be supplied with WASH facilities (Rainwater Harvesting Tanks, Ecosan Latrines and Handwashing facilities) but 72 surrounding communities will be included for household latrine construction through CLTS, hygiene and health education and promotion.</center></font>|} {| stylelink="widthhttp: 70%; text-align: justify; background-color: #f5f5f5;"//rsr.akvo.org/project/644/ ]] |[[Image:rsr project 397.jpg|thumb|nonecenter|200px140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo.org/project/397/ RSR Project 397]<br>Eau Hygiène et Assainissement</center></font>|link=http://rsr.akvo.org/project/397/]]|'''Akvo RSR Project[[Image:''' project 195.png |thumb|center|140px|<font size="2"><center>[http://rsr.akvo.org/project/397195/ Eau Hygiène et AssainissementRSR Project 195]The project is carried out with the construction of a row of six ecosan latrines, using manual drilling. It is located close to the market to serve Sirakorola fairground and the rural community. The latrine is equipped with a device that separates urine and feces to be collected to fertilize fields after a period of sterilization <br>Basic Sanitation <br>for 6 to 8 monthsLoja Province</center></font>|link=http://rsr. The water of canal cleaning is drained to irrigate a garden. Training courses are organizedakvo.org/project/195/ ]]
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|{{#ev:youtube|KpOShXVw0l0|200|auto|<center><font size="2">Promotion <br>de ECOSAN</font></center>}}
|{{#ev:youtube|bzCuwZPm6RA|200|auto|<center><font size="2">Ecosan Perspectives - <br>Krishi Mela 2010</font></center>}}
|{{#ev:youtube|IklVwJnZyDQ|200|auto|<center><font size="2">Ecological Sanitation - <br>Sri Lanka</font></center>}}
* Jackson, B. (2005). [http://www.susana.org/images/documents/07-cap-dev/a-material-topic-wg/wg07/jackson-2005-ecosan-experience-in-eastern-southern-africa-wsp.es.pdf Review of EcoSan Experience in Eastern and Southern Africa]. Water and Sanitation Program - The World Bank.
* [http://www.unesco-ihe.org/Education/Shortonline-courses/Onlinecourse-courses/Ecologicalecological-Sanitation sanitation UNESCO-IHE online course on Ecological Sanitation]
* [http://www.ecosan.nl/ Ecological Sanitation pages at WASTE]
* [http://www.ecosanservices.org/page.php?id=1 Ecosan Services Foundation] - non-profit Ecosan consultancy.* [http://www.reseaucrepaimaginationforpeople.org/pagefr/project/ecosan-en-afrique-de-louest/319 EcoSan information from Centre Régional pour l'Eau Potable etl'Assainissement à faible coût (CREPA)] (in french).