the re-use concept
waste re-use as a solution
Safi Sana adopts a ‘waste re-use concept’, collecting and treating the waste from the Communal Service Blocks (CSB’s) in order to produce valuable end-products for the local market. By linking the business model of sanitation services with waste re-use, Safi Sana aims to sustainably ‘close the loop’. The use of waste as a valuable input into the production system, rather than a costly output, becomes a driver for new sanitation – helping to solve the problem of local nutrient shortage and an alternative for high-cost energy. The Safi Sana formula is designed to be commercially self-sufficient and operated by local partners.
what we do
- resourcing and treatment of waste. We collect and treat various streams of waste using local operators via anaerobic digestion.
- production of energy and fertilizer. After treatment of the waste, we process it to produce energy and an organic fertilizer.
- distribution and sale of the end-products. These are sold to the local market, either through wholesale channels or to end-users directly.
proof of principle
In 2010 we started our first pilot project in Accra (Ghana) to set the ground for a full market introduction in 2012. The pilot project consists of the construction of a treatment site in Ashaiman, testing the model in a local context. A ‘proof of principle’ is expected before the end of 2011, after which a new plant will be installed and operated on a full commercial basis.
