A presentation to the

World Toilet Summit

Durban, South Africa on 6 December 2012by

Abigail Brown, PHLUSHabby@phlush.org

Public Hygiene Lets Us Stay Human (PHLUSH)Portland, Oregon, USA

Advocating Sensible Sanitation in North

America: What Works

PublicHygieneLetsUsStayHuman

All-volunteer group founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon.

Sanitation advocacy and education in North American context.

Started with public toilet design and expanded to other toilet topics.

PHLUSH believes toilet availability is a human right and that well-designed sanitation systems restore health to our cities, waters, and soils.

1. Public Toilet Design

2. Emergency Toilets3. Ecological

Sanitation

PHLUSH GoalsGoals

Public Toilet Design ChallengeChallenge

Public toilets closed in Portland due to budget-cuts.

Public defecation on sidewalks downtown.

Lack of knowledge public toilet locations and some public toilets unsafe.

Re-design/design current and future toilets. P

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1. Cost Effectiveness

2. Max Function/Min Space 

3. Safety

4. Accessibility

5. Availability

6. Attractiveness

7. Ease of maintenance

Public Toilet Design ActionAction P

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Public Toilet Design ResultResult P

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Emergency Toilets ChallengeChallenge

Major subduction zone from Canada to California.

Earthquake of 8.5 overdue.

Risk managers say 6 months to 1+ years for repair of sewer.

Local emergency providers not giving detailed long-term sanitation information. P

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Emergency Toilets ActionAction

Adapted emergency toilet used in Christchurch, NZ.

Two buckets, lids, and seat organic fiber, hygiene kit.

Created outreach materials about simple solution called Twin Bucket Toilet.

Partner organization MDML created long-term composting guide.

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Emergency Toilets ResultResult P

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http://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/56765

http://www.portlandoregon.gov/pbem/article/394125

Ecological Sanitation ChallengeChallenge

Closed-loop sanitation systems poorly understood in US.

Appropriate for rural areas, earthquake risks, and water shortages.

Lack of research for efficiency of US eco-san systems.

Code barriers to sustainable sanitation. P

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Ecological Sanitation ActionAction

Bring together people working on US eco-san.

Make eco-san information available.

Have eco-san webpage and mobile library.

Refer people to SuSanA forum, SSWM Toolbox, EcoSanRes, and more.

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http://www.ecosanres.orghttp://www.susana.org

http://www.sswm.info

Ecological Sanitation ResultResult P

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http://sustainablep.asu.edu/prcn

http://recodeoregon.org

http://mdml.com

SummarySummary

PHLUSH challenges: public toilet design, emergency sanitation, ecological sanitation.

Talking toilets locally and globally in North America.

Cross-cultural info-sharing valuable for toilet design and awareness.

Questions moving forward: water, climate change, and sanitation.

Thank you for your attention. Let us join together for toilets and

sustainable sanitation for all!

Abby Brown @waterfortheages

PHLUSH@PortlandPHLUSH

www.phlush.org