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Towards “Sustainable” Sanitation: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Areas

Author

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  • Kim Andersson

    (Stockholm Environment Institute, Linnégatan 87D, 115 23 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Sarah Dickin

    (Stockholm Environment Institute, Linnégatan 87D, 115 23 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Arno Rosemarin

    (Stockholm Environment Institute, Linnégatan 87D, 115 23 Stockholm, Sweden)

Abstract

While sanitation is fundamental for health and wellbeing, cities of all sizes face growing challenges in providing safe, affordable and functional sanitation systems that are also sustainable. Factors such as limited political will, inadequate technical, financial and institutional capacities and failure to integrate safe sanitation systems into broader urban development have led to a persistence of unsustainable systems and missed opportunities to tackle overlapping and interacting urban challenges. This paper reviews challenges associated with providing sanitation systems in urban areas and explores ways to promote sustainable sanitation in cities. It focuses on opportunities to stimulate sustainable sanitation approaches from a resource recovery perspective, generating added value to society while protecting human and ecosystem health. We show how, if integrated within urban development, sustainable sanitation has great potential to catalyse action and contribute to multiple sustainable development goals.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim Andersson & Sarah Dickin & Arno Rosemarin, 2016. "Towards “Sustainable” Sanitation: Challenges and Opportunities in Urban Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-14, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:8:y:2016:i:12:p:1289-:d:84700
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kesztenbaum, Lionel & Rosenthal, Jean-Laurent, 2017. "Sewers’ diffusion and the decline of mortality: The case of Paris, 1880–1914," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 174-186.
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    3. Drechsel, Pay & Graefe, S. & Sonou, M. & Cofie, Olufunke, 2006. "Informal irrigation in urban West Africa: An overview," IWMI Research Reports H039249, International Water Management Institute.
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    Cited by:

    1. Denise Silveti & Kim Andersson, 2019. "Challenges of Governing Off-Grid “Productive” Sanitation in Peri-Urban Areas: Comparison of Case Studies in Bolivia and South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-9, June.
    2. Cherunya, Pauline C. & Ahlborg, Helene & Truffer, Bernhard, 2020. "Anchoring innovations in oscillating domestic spaces: Why sanitation service offerings fail in informal settlements," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    3. Rebecca Scott & Pippa Scott & Peter Hawkins & Isabel Blackett & Andrew Cotton & Alix Lerebours, 2019. "Integrating Basic Urban Services for Better Sanitation Outcomes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-17, November.
    4. Semwanga, Jordan Paul & Sseruyange, John & Niringiye, Aggrey, 2024. "The Impact of Sludge Manure Adoption on Crop Yields: Evidence from a Propensity Score Matching Approach," African Journal of Economic Review, African Journal of Economic Review, vol. 12(2), June.
    5. Büscher, Chris, 2023. "Turning poo into profit? The troubled politics of a biogas-based sanitation business model in Mozambique," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    6. Berta Moya & Ruben Sakrabani & Alison Parker, 2019. "Realizing the Circular Economy for Sanitation: Assessing Enabling Conditions and Barriers to the Commercialization of Human Excreta Derived Fertilizer in Haiti and Kenya," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-15, June.
    7. Ismaila Rimi Abubakar, 2017. "Access to Sanitation Facilities among Nigerian Households: Determinants and Sustainability Implications," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Gunilla Öberg & Geneviève S. Metson & Yusuke Kuwayama & Steven A. Conrad, 2020. "Conventional Sewer Systems Are Too Time-Consuming, Costly and Inflexible to Meet the Challenges of the 21st Century," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-17, August.
    9. Joanna Williams, 2019. "Circular Cities: Challenges to Implementing Looping Actions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-22, January.
    10. Licciardello, F. & Milani, M. & Consoli, S. & Pappalardo, N. & Barbagallo, S. & Cirelli, G., 2018. "Wastewater tertiary treatment options to match reuse standards in agriculture," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 210(C), pages 232-242.

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