Socio-environmental consideration of phosphorus flows in the urban sanitation chain of contrasting cities.

ABSTRACT: Understanding how cities can transform organic waste into a valuable resource is critical to urban sustainability. The capture and recycling of phosphorus (P), and other essential nutrients, from human excreta is particularly important as an alternative organic fertilizer source for agriculture. However, the complex set of socio-environmental factors influencing urban human excreta management is not yet sufficiently integrated into sustainable P research. Here, we synthesize information about the pathways P can take through urban sanitation systems along with barriers and facilitators to P recycling across cities. We examine five case study cities by using a sanitation chains approach: Accra, Ghana; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Beijing, China; Baltimore, USA; and London, England. Our cross-cit

SUBMITTER: Metson GS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6448357 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature