Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects

Water, nutrient, and energy recovery from wastewater offers a sustainable solution to resource scarcity, but public acceptance remains a key barrier. While the use of treated wastewater for landscaping and irrigation is often accepted, applications involving direct human contact like potable reuse f...

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Autores principales: Drechsel, Pay, Otoo, Miriam, Hanjra, Munir A.
Formato: Capítulo de libro
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: IWA Publishing 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118226
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author Drechsel, Pay
Otoo, Miriam
Hanjra, Munir A.
author_browse Drechsel, Pay
Hanjra, Munir A.
Otoo, Miriam
author_facet Drechsel, Pay
Otoo, Miriam
Hanjra, Munir A.
author_sort Drechsel, Pay
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Water, nutrient, and energy recovery from wastewater offers a sustainable solution to resource scarcity, but public acceptance remains a key barrier. While the use of treated wastewater for landscaping and irrigation is often accepted, applications involving direct human contact like potable reuse face resistance due to health concerns and the “yuck factor.” Acceptance increases with education, exposure, and perceived water scarcity, as seen in Windhoek, Namibia.In agriculture, biosolids and struvite-based fertilizers show potential, but farmers remain hesitant due to fears about contamination, odor, and food safety. Many prefer using raw wastewater, valuing its nutrient content despite the health risks. Informal and unregulated reuse continues across many low-income regions, often driven by necessity. Adoption of safe reuse practices depends on behavior change, incentives, and trust. Women, often responsible for water use at home, are more risk-aware but frequently excluded from decision-making. Addressing these social and cultural dynamics is critical for scaling resource recovery. By combining technical innovation with inclusive engagement and awareness, wastewater reuse can contribute to food security, climate resilience, and circular economy goals, especially in water-stressed regions.
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spelling CGSpace1182262025-06-13T04:14:46Z Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects Drechsel, Pay Otoo, Miriam Hanjra, Munir A. resource recovery wastewater irrigation wastewater aquaculture wastewater treatment social aspects cultural factors economic aspects water reuse health hazards risk water use drinking water recycling nutrients organic matter phosphorus sanitation gender women awareness financial analysis marketing Water, nutrient, and energy recovery from wastewater offers a sustainable solution to resource scarcity, but public acceptance remains a key barrier. While the use of treated wastewater for landscaping and irrigation is often accepted, applications involving direct human contact like potable reuse face resistance due to health concerns and the “yuck factor.” Acceptance increases with education, exposure, and perceived water scarcity, as seen in Windhoek, Namibia.In agriculture, biosolids and struvite-based fertilizers show potential, but farmers remain hesitant due to fears about contamination, odor, and food safety. Many prefer using raw wastewater, valuing its nutrient content despite the health risks. Informal and unregulated reuse continues across many low-income regions, often driven by necessity. Adoption of safe reuse practices depends on behavior change, incentives, and trust. Women, often responsible for water use at home, are more risk-aware but frequently excluded from decision-making. Addressing these social and cultural dynamics is critical for scaling resource recovery. By combining technical innovation with inclusive engagement and awareness, wastewater reuse can contribute to food security, climate resilience, and circular economy goals, especially in water-stressed regions. 2022-02-15 2022-02-23T08:27:03Z 2022-02-23T08:27:03Z Book Chapter https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118226 en Open Access IWA Publishing Drechsel, Pay; Otoo, Miriam; Hanjra, Munir A. 2022. Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects. In Pikaar, I.; Guest, J.; Ganigue, R.; Jensen, P.; Rabaey, K.; Seviour, T.; Trimmer, J.; van der Kolk, O.; Vaneeckhaute, C.; Verstraete, W. (Eds.). Resource recovery from water: principles and application. London, UK: IWA Publishing. pp.383-414. [doi: https://doi.org/10.2166/9781780409566_0383]
spellingShingle resource recovery
wastewater irrigation
wastewater aquaculture
wastewater treatment
social aspects
cultural factors
economic aspects
water reuse
health hazards
risk
water use
drinking water
recycling
nutrients
organic matter
phosphorus
sanitation
gender
women
awareness
financial analysis
marketing
Drechsel, Pay
Otoo, Miriam
Hanjra, Munir A.
Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects
title Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects
title_full Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects
title_fullStr Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects
title_full_unstemmed Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects
title_short Resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view: social, cultural and economic aspects
title_sort resource recovery from wastewater and the consumer point of view social cultural and economic aspects
topic resource recovery
wastewater irrigation
wastewater aquaculture
wastewater treatment
social aspects
cultural factors
economic aspects
water reuse
health hazards
risk
water use
drinking water
recycling
nutrients
organic matter
phosphorus
sanitation
gender
women
awareness
financial analysis
marketing
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/118226
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