Non-sewered sanitation systems have emerged as a popular method of managing the collection, treatment, and disposal of human excreta in areas where traditional sewer systems are not available or are prohibitively expensive to install and maintain. They are becoming more popular as they are more affordable than traditional sewer systems and provide better environmental outcomes.
In 2018, the International Organization for Standardization has released the ISO 30500 standard. The standard supports the development of stand-alone sanitation systems designed to address basic sanitation needs and promote economic, social, and environmental sustainability through strategies that include minimizing resource consumption and converting human excreta to safe output.
The standard outlines the requirements for the construction, design and operation of non-sewered sanitation systems and provides guidance on how to ensure that the systems meet safety and environmental requirements. Compliance with this standard is essential for any non-sewered sanitation system to be approved for use. Learn more about ISO 30500 here.
Recently, TÜVSÜD organized an Industry Experts Advisory Group Workshop for ISO 30500. The workshop involved stakeholders from NSSS industry, certification bodies, regulators, subject matters experts, researchers, and laboratory and testing personnel from different parts of the world. During the workshop, the participants identified key challenges and limitations in implementing the ISO 30500 standard and engaged in discussions to find possible solutions. They reached a consensus on measures to overcome the identified challenges in testing, certification, and regulatory compliance. The workshop provided a collaborative platform for stakeholders to share experiences and insights and to improve the implementation of the ISO 30500 standard in the future.
