A company in Kenya, Nakuru Water and Sanitation Service Company utilizes human waste for the manufacture of briquettes. Processed briquettes from human feces is later used to cook and heat food or drink.
The company cultivates and dries human waste in a furnace or kiln, and carbonates it with sawdust 300 degrees celsius or 572 degrees Fahrenheit. Until in the end, they form into small balls that are then sold kilogram.
The production process also removes dangerous pathogens and, of course, the unpleasant odors of human waste. Only 1 in 4 Nakuru residents are connected to the city's sewer system. The waste is often disposed of in rainwater and river channels, or buried in low-income areas.
Local officials say, initially, it is difficult to convince local people to use briquettes because they are taboo and made of human waste, but residents are now slowly beginning to abandon the mindset and are already using the product.
"There is no odor, it (briquettes) can be to cook well, the fire will burn well, you can cook quickly and the briquettes are durable," said trader Grace Waka, quoted by Reuters on Monday, August 7, 2017.
Not only does it provide fuel, the project supported by the SNV Netherlands Development Organization and the EU among these other partners also aims to protect the environment and improve sanitation, especially in poorer parts of the city.