Life-cycle costs of a resource-oriented sanitation system and implications for advancing a circular economy approach to sanitation

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dc.creatorCarrard, N.
dc.creatorJayathilake, Nilanthi
dc.creatorWilletts, J.
dc.date2021-07
dc.date2021-05-28T06:16:35Z
dc.date2021-05-28T06:16:35Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T18:42:00Z
dc.descriptionImplementing a circular economy approach to sanitation requires knowledge of the costs to construct, operate and maintain resource-oriented systems. Yet the dearth of data on costs of urban sanitation in general, and resource-oriented systems in particular, limit opportunities to progress sustainable sanitation in low- and middle-income countries. This paper contributes empirical data on the life-cycle costs of a resource-oriented sanitation system in urban Sri Lanka, addressing a gap in evidence about how much it costs, and who pays, for a system that integrates fecal sludge management with nutrient capture and reuse. Costs across the system life-cycle were analyzed according to: (i) cost type; (ii) phases of the sanitation chain; and (iii) distribution between actors. Over a 25-year lifespan, the system had an annualized cost of USD 2.8/person or USD 11/m3 of septage treated. Revenue from co-compost sales covered reuse-related costs plus 8% of present value costs for other phases of the sanitation chain. Findings affirm both the potential for resource-oriented sanitation to generate revenue, and the need for substantial complementary investment in the overall system. The system was found to be reliant on household investment, yet financially viable from the service provider perspective with revenue from desludging services (89%) and co-compost sales (11%) that exceeded costs over the system lifespan and in most years. The analysis of total costs, financial perspectives, and reuse specifics contributes critical evidence to inform policy and planning that supports a purposeful and equitable transition towards circular economy approaches to sanitation.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/113817
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/163046
dc.languageen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceCarrard, N.; Jayathilake, Nilanthi; Willetts, J. 2021. Life-cycle costs of a resource-oriented sanitation system and implications for advancing a circular economy approach to sanitation. Journal of Cleaner Production, 307:127135. [doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127135]
dc.subjectwaste management
dc.subjectsanitation
dc.subjectcost analysis
dc.subjecteconomic aspects
dc.subjectfinancial viability
dc.subjectfaecal sludge
dc.subjectwaste treatment
dc.subjectresource recovery
dc.subjectreuse
dc.subjectdesludging
dc.subjectcomposting
dc.subjecturban areas
dc.subjecthouseholds
dc.subjectlocal government
dc.subjectinvestment
dc.subjectsustainable development goals
dc.titleLife-cycle costs of a resource-oriented sanitation system and implications for advancing a circular economy approach to sanitation
dc.typeJournal Article

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Instituto Internacional para el Manejo del Agua (IWMI)