Sludge Watch ==> Swiss - High Public Acceptance of Urine Separating 'NoMix' Toilet

[Maureen Reilly]

A Positive Report On NoMix Toilets


ScienceDaily (Aug. 28, 2006) — People in Switzerland have positive attitudes 
toward a new environmentally friendly toilet that could substantially reduce 
pollution problems and conserve water and energy, scientists report in a 
study scheduled for the Aug. 15 issue of ACS' Environmental Science & 
Technology.


Environmental engineering

Called the NoMix toilet, the device collects urine separately. Although 
urine represents only 1 per cent of domestic wastewater, it typically 
contains 80 percent of the nitrogen and 50 percent of the phosphorous in 
sewage.

Separating urine, the researchers explain, will allow changes to make 
wastewater treatment more environmentally friendly.

Judit Lienert and Tove A. Larsen checked public attitudes toward NoMix 
toilets in surveys done at a Swiss school and a Swiss research institute. 
They found high acceptance of the toilet, with large majorities of people 
expressing favorable attitudes toward the toilet. That was true even though 
one version of the device requires men to sit to urinate.

The researchers cite the importance of involving users in the introduction 
of new environmental technology, especially technology that requires the 
kind of behavioral changes essential with NoMix toilets.

Adapted from materials provided by American Chemical Society.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060826215126.htm