Managing Human Wastes in Alpine Zones in Japan

A Former Special Researcher of Nagano Environmental Conservation Research Institute

Tomio Suzuki

1

2

Ⅱ. Human waste treatment technologies in alpine zones 1.The SAT method

2.A Johkasou method (A secondary effluent circulation type)3.A transportation method (A feces transportation type)

4.A composting method (A moisture and temperature controlled type)5.Other methods

Ⅲ. Administrative supports1.A financial support program

2.An environmental technology verification program

The outline of the presentation

Ⅰ. Background1.The reason why human waste has been dumped

2.Worries derived from human waste dumping3.Voluntary and pioneering actions

4.An impact of objective research results5.Cooperation and networks

3

Human waste treating methods applied at most of areas in Japan

Sewerage Johkasou(Cleaning tank)

Transportation by vacuum cars

These methods could be scarcely applied in alpine zones except some lodges

Exclusive treating methods for alpine zones have been scarcely developed

Besides

Consequently

Period of the dumping exceeded 100 years at the most oldest lodge.

Ⅰ. Background1.The reason why human waste has been

dumped in alpine zones

Human wastes have been dumped in many lodges without treatment.

Because of the severe natural conditions of alpine zones

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1. Emission of bad smelling subjects

2. Damages to the beauty of alpine environment

3. Growth of harmful insects

4. Pollution of spring water for drinking by bacteria

6. Eutrofication of rivers and ponds

7. Damages to alpine plants

These worries had been free from a social problem before the first half of 1900’s

Ⅰ. Background2.Worries derived from human waste dumping

5. Excess of bacteria over the standards in river water

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Detection of coli forming bacteria exceeding the standards has caused the necessity for human

waste treatment Cooperation ｔｏ prevent human waste dumping has led to the creation of networks

Development of human waste treatment technologies has been conducted

including the SAT method

Voluntary and pioneering researches on rivers and springs in alpine zones had been conducted in

1970’s

Ⅰ. Background3.Voluntary and pioneering actions

4.An impact of objective research results5.Cooperation and networks

What is the SAT method?The abbreviated name for the Seeding-Aeration-Trench method

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Ⅱ. Human waste treatment technologies in alpine zones

1. The SAT method

Removal efficiency of pollutants in the SAT method Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD):99%Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD):80 ％Total Nitrogen (TN) ： 80 ％Total Phosphorus (TP):99 ％

Where is the SAT method applied?Applicable at lodges where a sewerage, a Johkasou or a

transportation method would be scarcely applied

Secondary effluent(Brown colored)

A Diffuser

Air

Human waste

A seeding material(Bacillus)

Ground surface

A trench

An aeration tankThe strength of aeration :8m3 /(m≦ 3 ・ h)The period of aeration :One monthRemoval : H.W vs. S.E.

A soil permeating water sampling device

A vent

The schema of the SAT method

Soil permeating waterRemoval : S.E. vs. S.P.W.

A water impermeable film

Rainwater

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The first treatment step (Aeration of raw human waste)

Aerate raw human waste with a seeding material mainly composed of a kind of bacteria, Bacillus .

A part of secondary effluent is available as a seeding material on and after second aeration treatment.

The second treatment step (Soil permeation of secondary

effluent) Permeate secondary effluent into

the ground using trenches and decompose pollutants utilizing natural purifying ability of soil.

The load of secondary effluent against a trench , 50L/(m ・month), is desirable.

Two treatment steps of the SAT method

Sampling

AV

A blower

The exterior of Yoko-o lodge

An aeration tank A blower

An aeration tank and blowers

An inner view of a trench A view of a trench buried area

A watering pipe

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The application of the SAT method

A soil permeating water sampling device

A ventA contact media

An aeration tank

Aeration tanks of Johnen lodge

RHW 2WS 4WS0

2000

4000

6000

8000

BOD(

mg/

L)

RHW 2WS 4WS0

2000

4000

6000

8000

COD(

mg/

L)

RHW 2WS 4WS0

1000

2000

3000

4000

Tota

l Nitr

ogen

(mg/

L)

RHW 2WS 4WS0

100

200

300

400

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus(

mg/

L)

RHW 2WS 4WS0

1000

2000

3000 Ch

lorid

e io

n(m

g/L)

RHW 2WS 4WS0E+00

1E+05

2E+05

3E+05

4E+05

Coli f

orm

ing

ba

cter

ia(c

fu/m

L)RHW : Raw human waste, 2WS: Aerated for 2 weeks, 4WS: Aerated for 4 weeks

95%

59%53%

99%<

17%29%

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Removal efficiency of pollutants accompanied with aeration of human waste in the SAT method

Removal efficiency

SE : Secondary effluent, SPW2 : Soil permeating water (after 2 weeks), SPW4： Soil permeating water (after 4 weeks)10

Observed removal efficiency of pollutants accompanied with soil permeation of secondary

effluent in the SAT method

SE SPW2 SPW40

100

200

300

400

BOD(

mg/

L)

SE SPW2 SPW40

1000

2000

3000

COD(

mg/

L)SE SPW2 SPW4

0

500

1000

1500

2000

Tota

l Nitr

ogen

(mg/

L)

SE SPW2 SPW40

100

200

300

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus(

mg/

L)

SE SPW2 SPW40

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

Chlo

ride

ion(

mg/

L)

SE SPW2 SPW40

20

40

60

80

100

Coli f

orm

ing

bact

eria

(cfu

/mL)

99%< 99%< 99%<

93%99%<99%<

Observed removal

efficiency

Secondary Effluent

Soil

Soil permeating water

Rainwater

1m

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Amount of pollutants (Both Inflow and Outflow)

=Water quality ×Water quantity

Soil permeating water

Outline of the soil column device for the examination of actual removal efficiency of pollutants accompanied with soil

permeation of secondary effluent

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 240

2

4

6

8

10

12

Inflow(g) Outlfow(g)

BOD(

g)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 240

20

40

60

80

Inflow(g) Outlfow(g)

COD(

g)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 240

10

20

30

40

50

Inflow(g) Outlfow(g)

Tota

l Nitr

ogen

(g)

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 240

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Inflow(g) Outlfow(g)

Tota

l Pho

spho

rus(

g)

WeeksWeeks

WeeksWeeks

12

93%

64%

58%

98%

Cumulative amounts of pollutants of inflow and outflow accompanied with

soil permeation of secondary effluent

Removal efficiency

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Changes of the amounts of pollutants accompanied with two treatment steps of the SAT method

The amounts of pollutants were calculated about 12 m3 of human waste.

Raw human waste

After aeration After soil permeation

0

20

40

60

80

100

99%<

Raw human waste

After aeration After soil permeation

0

10

20

30

40

50

Raw human waste After aeration After soil permeation0

1

2

3

4

5

Raw human waste

After aeration After soil permeation

0

20

40

60

80

100

COD（k

g）

85%

TP（k

g）

99%

80%

TN（k

g）

BOD（k

g）

Removal efficiency

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Notes on natural purifying ability of soil The ability is used in the second step of the SAT method

1. Soil has three natural purifying abilities 1) Physical ability such as filtration of suspended subjects through soil particles 2) Chemical ability such as adsorption of phosphorus to Al, Fe and Ca in soil 3) Biological ability such as decomposition of pollutants by microbes living in soil

2. Use soil for wastewater treatment within the purifying capacity of soil

3. Purifying ability may be decreased in phosphorus according to the saturation of adsorption capacity of soil accompanied with the increase of cumulative wastewater loading

4. Some kinds of components such as chloride ion would be scarcely removed

5. Nitrate nitrogen may increase in soil permeating water by the oxidation of ammonia and nitrite nitrogen

Human waste

An anaerobic filter tank

A kind of a Johkasou, an anaerobic filter & contact aeration typeOther kinds of Johkasou have been also prevailing

A contact aeration tank

A disinfection tank

A settling tank

Separation of suspended subjects by contact media would be expected

Decomposition of pollutants by anaerobic microbes would be expected

Decomposition of pollutants by aerobic microbes attached to contact media under an aerobic condition would be expected

Separation of suspended subjects in secondary effluent by sedimentation would be expected

Secondary effluent

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Ⅱ. Human waste treatment technologies in alpine zones 2. A Johkasou （ A c ｌｅａｎｉｎｇ　ｔａｎｋ）

method

The picture was quoted from the home page of Johkasou System Association, Japan

Toilets

A JohkasouA reserve tank

A reserve tank

Discharge

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A Johkasou (A secondary effluent circulation type)

A bathA kitchen

Tap water

Secondary effluent

A part of secondary effluents from a Johkasou is reused as flush water of toilets by circulation.They may be colored accompanied with circulation.

A lodge

Effluents only from toilets are circulated at some public toilets

Flash water

Seco

ndar

y effl

uent

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Human wastes are separated by feces-urine separate toilet stoolsOnly feces are transported by helicoptersFeces are treated at human waste treating facilities in citiesUrine is treated by a Johkasou set near the lodgeSecondary effluents from the Johkasou are discharged near the lodge

Pictures were offered by Ministry of the Environment, the Government of Japan

Feces storage tanks in hangars

A feces-urine separate toilet stool

A Johkasou

Ⅱ. Human waste treatment technologies in alpine zones 3. A transportation method by helicopters

Publication has been permitted by Daio Densetsu Industrial Co. Ltd & Shimagare lodge18

An inside appearance of a composting vessel

An outward appearance of composting vessels

A weight sensor for the moisture controlling of the compost

A urine reserve tank

Ⅱ. Human waste treatment technologies in alpine zones 4. A composting method

A moisture and temperature controlled type

A feces –urine separate toilet stool

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Ⅱ. Human waste treatment technologies in alpine zones5. Other methods

An anaerobic digestion ・ soil permeating water circulation method An incineration method

• One method cannot be applied to a variety of locations or lodges in alpine zones.

• Application of various methods works best for various conditions of lodges.

• The development of various methods has accelerated the installation of treatment facilities in alpine zones.

The reason why various methods are prevailing in alpine zones

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

20

40

60

80

100

120

10

18

40

5257

67

7581

8794

102

Cum

ulat

ive

num

ber

of in

stal

led

equi

pmen

ts

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Change of cumulative number of human waste treatment facilities installed in alpine zones after the establishment of the financial support program.

Ⅲ. Administrative supports 1. A financial support program,

A program of Ministry of the Environment (1999 ～ )

A half cost for the installation of human waste treating facilities has been subsidized.

The installation of human waste treating facilities has rapidly increased after the establishment of the financial support program.

Managing human waste on Mt. Fuji

• All 42 lodges lying on Mt. Fuji have installed human waste treatment facilities prior to 2007 using the financial support program.

• 22 facilities installed on Mt. Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture are classified into 4 groups as follows.

1) A composting method (A bio-toilet) 2) A contact aeration method (A recycled water toilet) 3) An incineration method (An incinerator toilet) 4) An anaerobic digestion ・ soil permeating water

circulation method

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The data were quoted from “The research report of toilets on Mt. Fuji”, Shizuoka prefectural government (2007)

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Ⅲ. Administrative supports 2. Environmental technology verification

program,A program of Ministry of the Environment

(2003 ～ )

Purpose Verifying the performance of these on site

technologies installed in the alpine zones Offering the results for users

Achievements Seventeen facilities installed in alpine zones

have been verified prior to 2010.

Results are appearing in the home page of Ministry of the Environment shown

below.http://www.env.go.jp

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Objective research result such as the water pollution caused by coli forming bacteria has made most of people recognize the necessity of human waste treatment in alpine zones

Many organizations involved with conserving the alpine environment, have developed a common goal in addressing this issue by forming networks

New methods for human waste treatment applicable in alpine zones have been developed

---For example, the removal efficiency of BOD would be expected 99% in the SAT method---

The financial support program has accelerated the installation of treatment facilities

Managing human waste in alpine zones has been progressing without break especially during the last

40 years though it continues to develop.Main driving force of the progress is summarized as follows;

Summary

Voluntary and pioneering actions such as researches on water pollution have been proceeded by concerned individuals for the conservation of the alpine environment

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ReferencesSlide 9, 10, 12, 13鈴木富雄（ 2008 ）山岳地域におけるし尿処理問題と対策の経過 , 長野県環境保全研究所研究報告 , 4. （ Tomio Suzuki (2008) A progress and the countermeasures on human waste treatment in alpine zones, Bulletin of Nagano Environmental Conservation Research Institute , No. 4. ）Slide 21 静岡県環境森林部自然保護室（ 2007 ）富士山トイレ調査業務 . （ Shizuoka prefectural government (2007) The research report of toilets on Mt. Fuji. ）Slide 26長野県（ 1999 ）山岳地域におけるし尿等の適正処理に関する調査研究報告書 . （ Nagano prefectural government (1999) The research report on proper treatment of human waste in alpine zones. ）Slide 27, 28長野県（ 2005 ）環境技術実証モデル事業（山岳トイレし尿処理技術分野）委託業務完了報告書 . （ Nagano prefectural government (2005) The report on consigned research of environmental technology verification, the field of human waste treatment technologies for toilets in alpine zones. ）Slide 28鈴木富雄（ 2003 ） SAT 法による山岳地域のし尿処理と土壌を用いた脱窒素処理 , 信州大学山岳科学総合研究所年報 , 第 1 号 . （ Tomio Suzuki (2003) Treatment of human waste in alpine zones by SAT method and denitrification using soil, The annual report of Institute of Mountain Science, Vol 1, Shinshu University. ）

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Appendix

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Effect of seeding material addition on removal efficiency of BOD accompanied with aeration of

human waste

RHW 2WS 4WS0

2000

4000

6000

8000

Without seeding Addition of a seeding material

RHW: Raw Human Waste,2WS: Aerated for 2 weeks, 4WS: Aerated for 4 weeks

BOD(

mg/

L)

Beginning of aeration

After 1 week

After 2 weeks

After 3 weeks

After 4 weeks

NH3(ppm)Aeration tank(A) 50 1000 400 15 1

Vent(V) <1 1 <1 <1 <1

H2S(ppm)Aeration tank(A) 3500 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2

Vent(V) <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2 <0.2

AV

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Comparison of the concentration of NH3 and H2S in the air at the head space of aeration tank (A) with those at the vent (V)

Air

An aeration tank

A ventA blower

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The improvements of the SAT method

SS BOD COD TOC TN0

20

40

60

80

100

Suspended subjects mixtureclear layer at the top

0 2 4 7 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Days after mixing with organic substances

NO

3-N(m

g/L)

Nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) will be removed as N2 mixing with proper organic substances in

soil under an anaerobic condition

1.Denitrification of soil permeating water using soil

2.Elimination of suspended subjects (SS) in secondary effluent

Removal efficiency of pollutants will be increased by the elimination of suspended subjects in

secondary effluent

Treatment effect would be increased with such improvements shown below

Rem

oval

effi

cien

cy(%

)