Faecal sludge briquettes production as a viable business in Kampala: a case study of a partnership between Water for People and National Water and Sewerage Corporation

Production of faecal sludge (FS) briquettes is not a new technology and is often used in the sanitation value chain as part of resource recovery efforts. Water for People in its mandate to develop appropriate and sustainable sanitation technologies sought to optimize the process of faecal sludge based briquette production. This was done by testing the different compositions of faecal sludge (100%, 80%, 60%, 50% and 40%) with other materials such as wood charcoal dust, agricultural waste and market waste to come up with a briquette that could compete favorably with charcoal and traditional briquettes on the market. The testing phase indicated that such briquette was at a composition of 40% faecal sludge and 60% charcoal dust and adequately provided the fuel properties required as well being safe from any pathogens or emissions. A briquette production facility was set up in collaboration with National Water and Sewerage Corporation, Uganda at their treatment plant in Lubigi and has to-date produced more than 10 tonnes of briquettes and sold more than 3 tonnes since its inception. Further research is being carried out in production process efficiency and use of other raw materials such as agricultural waste and market waste to offset the wood charcoal.