New Non-Sewered Sanitation Systems Standard ISO 30500 Helps Support Safety and Global Sustainability

A newly published standard will revolutionize the development of "next generation toilets," also known as "non-sewered sanitation systems," and will encourage cleaner safer sanitation systems for populations in communities across the planet. The International Organization for Standardization's ISO 30500, "Non-sewered sanitation systems — Prefabricated integrated treatment units — General safety and performance requirements for design and testing," released in October and available on the American National Standards Institute webstore, will support better and safer toilets in areas where infrastructure such as sewers, plumbing and electricity are not available.

While safe and clean toilet sanitation is linked to better health, safety, and livelihood of humanity, global health statistics reflect that in reality, billions of lives across the planet are at risk of disease and death due to underdeveloped sanitation systems. The World Health Organization, for example, reports that an estimated 2.5 billion people—35 percent of the world's population—live without access to "improved sanitation." Toxins related to poor sanitation can lead to widespread disease epidemics and a surge in crime: people without access to private and clean toilets are more susceptible to violent attacks, especially women and children.

The International Organization for Standardization  Project Committee 305 developed the new standard to establish a common set of goals that manufacturers can use as they reinvent toilet technology. It does not address specific devices, rather the standard seeks to spur innovation by providing general safety and performance requirements for product design and performance testing of non-sewered sanitation systems for prefabricated integrated treatment units. It will apply to any integrated sanitation system that is not attached to a sewer. ANSI is the U.S. member body to ISO.

"Non-sewered sanitation systems" can be used in numerous regions around the world, including rural communities that do not have access to sewer systems and urban communities that are pursuing sanitation solutions.