3 Takeaways from a Study on SOIL’s Circular Solution

  • Sieving compost at SOIL's Compost Site

As we work to expand access to sanitation in Haiti, SOIL is helping to revolutionize the global approach to sanitation by transparently sharing lessons learned from our work in Haiti through peer-reviewed publications and an active engagement in sector dialogues.

A journal, Sustainability, features a fascinating new study on SOIL’s circular economy model for container-based sanitation (CBS) services in under-resourced urban communities. Thanks to the hard work of Berta Moya, Ruben Sakrabani and Alison Parker, who studied both enabling and barrier factors to CBS solutions for safe treatment and transformation of human waste, we’re excited to share a few of the interesting findings in the paper today.

Three Takeaways from the Paper

  • There’s demand for compost in Haiti: The journal found that SOIL’s compost sales serve as evidence that there’s demand for organic compost in the country. Experiments have shown that SOIL compost, branded locally as Konpòs Lakay, can increase crop yields by up to 400% (though figures are even higher since this study was conducted) which leads to an increase in rural incomes as farmers take their harvests to market. SOIL has a range of committed customers that continue to buy compost, though a larger market with a more significant ability to pay would help support profitability.
  •  Safe composting requires rigorous monitoring like SOIL’s: Researchers found that in order to guarantee a safe end product, there must be a high level of attention given to both risk mitigation and safe testing. SOIL prides itself on the fact that each step of our circular economy model has been designed with safety as our primary goal and that our treatment systems exceed standards set by the World Health Organization (WHO). All of our compost is closely monitored by SOIL staff who follow rigorous safety protocols; containers are thoroughly sanitized after use, and all compost is tested in SOIL’s lab to ensure it’s pathogen free before being bagged and sold.
  • Collaboration is key: Due to the fact that waste treatment and compost production are intensive processes that requires a variety of skillsets and expertise, the journal highlights the importance of collaboration across the sector to support practitioners in best providing critically needed safely managed sanitation. We wholeheartedly agree and it is why we are so proud to be a founding member of the Container-Based Sanitation Alliance (CBSA) and partner closely with local stakeholders across Haiti.

Read the Paper

There’s a lot more to explore and learn about besides these three topics, too! If you’re interested in learning more about what the researchers had to say about enabling conditions and barriers to SOIL’s regenerative sanitation service, we hope you’ll read the new paper here.

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