ANSI’s efforts to make a difference in developing nations

ANSI, the American National Standards Institute, has been taking on some ambitious projects to improve the lives of those in developing nations.  First was the leadership role ANSI played in the improvement of cookstoves back in 2011.  Now, with the help of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, it’s sustainable non-sewered sanitation systems.

The project was highlighted in the ANSI meetings during World Standards Week (WSW) last week.  It is intended to make a difference for a problem that results in approximately 1 million preventable deaths each year.  Unsanitary conditions from lack of sewage systems can be mitigated by the use of toilets that do not require traditional infrastructure, such as sewer, water connection, or electricity.   Additionally, they remove pathogens and cost less than 5 cents per use.

Why create standards for these non-sewered toilets?  First of all, standards will provide manufacturers with a common requirements for these “reinvented” toilets.  This in turn will allow purchasers to verify that minimal health and safety criteria are met.  And performance criteria can be compared from supplier to supplier.

What is ANSI’s role in the development of these toilets?  Like the ANSI leadership role in the development of clean cookstoves, the organization will be the secretariat for the project.  This means that ANSI will run the meetings and provide the logistics for the meetings and other work that’s involved in such standardization efforts.

What will ANSI get from this work?  In the case of the work with clean cookstoves, there’s a real benefit for much of the world’s populations (as well as the environment).  Open fires and traditional stoves are used by 40 % of the world’s population.  Net result?   4 million deaths a year, consumption of 500 million tons of non-renewable wood, and greenhouse gas emissions equal to that of 170 million passenger vehicles.  The new cookstove standards adopted by ISO provide a way to rate various options and to encourage the development of alternative fuels, etc.

Now with non-sewered toilets, the goals are much the same.  ANSI will provide leadership with the international standards community.  The deliverable will be standards for this emerging industry, promoting commerce and innovation so needed within the developing world.  And the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?  The organization has seen that there’s a need in developing countries for such technologies.  And that a standards-based approach can lead to long-term sustainable improvements world-wide.

It’s clear that ANSI is looking for ways to make a difference in this world.  The Institute is to be commended for the forward-looking leadership that makes these types of efforts possible.