Engineering, Art & Tech

Guide to Sanitation Resource Recovery Products & Technologies

Published

6 years ago

January 4, 2021

Mark Wamai

An illustration on the cover page of the Guide to Sanitation Resource Recovery Products & Technologies - A supplement to the Compendium of Sanitation Systems and Technologies 1st Edition

The world is currently undergoing a paradigm shift towards a circular society in which resources are recovered and reused rather than discarded. The global population has surpassed seven billion people, and rapid urbanisation in many areas is putting a significant strain on our ability to provide basic services to all. The Sustainable Development Goals highlight the fact that millions still lack access to food, healthcare, water and sanitation. At the same time, it is increasingly evident that we are consuming the Earth’s resources and releasing waste into the environment in an unsustainable manner. The resulting effects on climate change, biodiversity loss and changing nutrient cycles threaten to over-step critical planetary boundaries. Crossing these boundaries has the potential to cause irreversible environmental change and to threaten the ability of humanity to develop and thrive. Sanitation systems manage carbon, nutrient and water flows, which are key resource flows that affect the planetary boundaries and thus should be recovered and recirculated instead of being released into the environment. Increasing resource recovery within our sanitation systems can play a critical role in shifting to a more sustainable society.

There are significant resources within excreta and wastewater fractions that can be recovered and turned into useful products. For example, the average person excretes 4.5 kg of nitrogen, 0.5 kg of phosphorus and 1.2 kg of potassium every year. These elements and other micronutrients found in excreta are critical for the fertilising and restoration of agricultural soils. The energy value of faeces is on average 4 115 kcal/kg of dry solids. This energy can be utilised as a renewable energy source. On top of this, there are large volumes of wastewater that can be captured, cleaned and reused. However, human excreta and wastewater contain pathogens and other undesired substances, risks that need to be managed in a reuse system. The growing demand for recycling needs to be complemented with a growing knowledge of how to do it safely.

The aim of this document is to provide an overview of the possibilities for resource recovery from sanitation and provide guidance on treatment processes to achieve safe products for reuse. The focus of this document is on resource recovery from the organic wastes managed in sanitation systems and, to a lesser extent, on the recovery of water and energy generation. Resource recovery sanitation systems are defined as systems that safely recycle excreta and organic waste while minimising the use of non-renewable resources such as water and chemicals. Safe recycling means that waste flows are managed so that physical, microbial and chemical risks are minimised. Thus, the recycled product should not pose any significant health threat or environmental impact when correctly used.

The specific objectives of this document are:

To expose the user to a broad range of recovered sanitation products and innovative treatment technologies.
To help the user to design functional solutions for resource recovery by illustrating the linkages between sanitation inputs, treatment technology and the recoverable products.
To provide an overview of basic information regarding design aspects, operational requirements and health, safety and social considerations related to resource recovery technologies and products.
Describe and fairly present technology-specific advantages and disadvantages.

Please see Downloads for full Text Book

McConvile-et-al.-2020-Guide-to-Sanitation-Resource-Recovery-Products-Technologies_1st_ed Download

Related Topics:circular publicaiton Research reuse sanitation treatment wastewater water

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Engineering, Art & Tech

Dr. Philip Nyenje Takes Over as Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department

Published

1 week ago

October 7, 2026

Alex Isemaghendera

Outgoing Head of Department, Assoc. Prof. Robinah Kulabako (left), hands over the office to the incoming Head of Department, Dr. Philip Nyenje, during a ceremony held at CEDAT on October 5, 2026. In the centre is the Dean, School of Engineering, Assoc. Prof. Eng. Dorothy Okello

The Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering in the School of Engineering at Makerere University’s College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) has a new Head of Department following the handover of office from Assoc. Prof. Robinah Kulabako to Dr. Philip Nyenje.

The handover ceremony, held at CEDAT on Monday, October 5, was attended by college leadership, staff, and members of the School of Engineering.

In her farewell remarks, Assoc. Prof. Kulabako appreciated staff and the management of the college and the department for the good working relationships she had over the past nine and a half years. She urged the incoming head to remain committed to doing what is right, even in difficult circumstances.

She noted that leadership does not require perfection, but rather competence, accountability, and a willingness to learn from mistakes. Reflecting on her nine-and-a-half-year tenure, she encouraged Dr. Nyenje to embrace selfless leadership and focus on building lasting institutional impact.

Assoc. Prof. Kulabako said that throughout her leadership journey, she continually reflected on three key questions: what she had accomplished, who had become more capable through her mentorship, and what would remain stronger after her term of office.

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Engineering, Art & Tech

CEDAT Holds Counselling Session to Support Architecture Students Following Loss of Colleague

Published

1 week ago

October 7, 2026

Alex Isemaghendera

https://cedat.mak.ac.ug/2026/10/07/cedat-holds-counselling-session-to-support-architecture-students-following-loss-of-colleague/

The College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT) at Makerere University organized a counselling and guidance session for Architecture students following the death of their colleague, the late Kevin Kabuye.

The session, held in the Year Four studio on Monday, October 5^th 2026, aimed to provide psychosocial support, guidance, and encouragement while fostering resilience and solidarity within the student community. It brought together students, lecturers, parents, professional leaders, and counsellors to offer comfort and practical support during a difficult period of grief and loss.

Speakers included parent representative Mugume Rina, Chairperson of the Architects Registration Board, Arch. Miriam Lawino, CEDAT Deputy Principal, Associate Prof. Kizito Maria Kasule, and Connie Kharono from the Makerere University Counselling and Guidance Centre, as well as the lecturers led by the Head of Department Architecture, Dr. Ssemwogerere Kenneth. The speakers shared messages of comfort, strength, hope, and resilience, encouraging students to support one another and remain focused on their personal wellbeing and academic aspirations.

Addressing the students, the speakers emphasized the importance of seeking help when overwhelmed, maintaining strong support networks, and embracing healthy coping mechanisms during periods of grief. They noted that loss can be challenging to navigate but that healing is strengthened through community, compassion, and mutual support.

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Engineering, Art & Tech

Makerere Calls for Stronger University-Industry Partnerships to Drive Market – Ready Innovation at NCC 2026

Published

2 weeks ago

September 30, 2026

Alex Isemaghendera

‘There is a need for stronger, more practical partnership between universities and industry in order to push ideas from the laboratories to society’.

This was a statement made by the Makerere University Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe who also noted that Ugandan research and innovation will only deliver national benefit if ideas are pushed to ensure they benefit the people.

Prof Nawangwe was represented by the Principal of the College of Engineering, Design, Art and Technology (CEDAT), Prof. Moses Musinguzi at the opening of the 10th National Conference on Communications Conference (NCC 2026), hosted at Makerere University under the theme “Accelerating Market-Driven Innovation for Uganda’s Development.” The conference brought together academia, government, regulators, industry players, students and innovators to discuss varied aspects of communication research and technology.

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