Sewage management in Nigeria remains one of the intricate issues of special concern due to its implications to human health and environment. The Chief Executive Officer of CleanCourt Bio Technology, Mr Udegbunam Ohabiaraije Onyeka Emmanuel, a graduate of Pure Chemistry from the University of Nigeria Nsukka, gives detailed information on how new Bio Digesters can bring lasting solution to the challenges facing sewage system and its conventional approaches to a more modern research based services. Uchenna Ezeadigwe was there for News Echo.
Can you briefly inform the public of the new sewage management practice in vogue?
CleanCourt Bio Technology is the new way of managing sewage. We all know the septic tank popularly known as the soaker pit, now we have discovered new way of managing our faeces rather than the conventional way of inviting a tanker to evacuate the faces whenever your soaker pit is filled up.
But these are raw materials that should be converted into other useful products. What CleanCourt does is that we build a new Bio – Digesters within your building structure and what this service does is to digest any faeces that goes into the chamber and takes it out as water, up to 90percent clean but not fit for drinking. We equally deal on Bio Gas, extracting the fumes that come out from the soaker pit by way of anaerobic reaction without air. The fumes or methane gas are used as cooking gas, so they can be extracted from those chambers, and channelled into your kitchen. You simply use the gas generated from your soaker pit to cook and that’s another good way of conservation. So for, that is what we do or rather services we render in Clean Court Digesters Limited.
What informed your decision to embark in such an innovative setting?
Of course human life is saddled with problems especially disease related issues and we all try to find solution to our problems. I grew up with the old method of watching big tank drivers soaking out faeces from our soaker pits each time it’s filled up and starts smelling. Now, we also discovered that one of the killing diseases is the air borne disease. Consciously or unconsciously we do not know the implications of keeping our environment clean especially our soaker pits. You see people spread edibles on top of soaker pits in the name to sun it.
Also, a lot of us are digging boreholes which mostly are close to soaker pits. You see a 50 by 100 a Square meters compound, you have your borehole, sewage house, probably a little space for parking lot. Ordinarily the water from the septic tank is polluting the water in the borehole which is unfit for human consumption.
But here, CleanCourt Bio Digesters as a modern technology has come to provide solution and a new way of managing sewage. Cleanliness is next to godliness, if you live in a clean environment, you will be able to live well. When you say you’re living healthy then you’re living healthy, when you say you want good food then you have one as well. So the water is really fit for humans when processed with our Bio Digester’s service.
What are the advantages of making use of Clean Court?
There are many but will just mention a few. The new toilet system is made with a range of options allowing it to be installed anywhere, even in difficult environments where it is impossible or unsafe to dig a pit. The toilet system greatly reduces the risk of contamination, environmental pollution or disease. Also, the toilet system is quick and easy to construct. One is that it occupies a smaller space. It needs a small place to build unlike the soaker pit that needs a larger space.
Two, there is no evacuation cost becuase there is no tank and nothing to evacuate, everything that goes down there is being digested and takes out as clean water. Also, there is no odour, you can’t smell any offensive odour wether inside the house or outside your environment. No Cockroach no flies no insects, then of course no toilet diseases. This is the type of technology such as in airplanes, event centres where mobile toilet is present. It is new in Nigeria particularly in southeast, this company is one of the companies that has brought the awareness currently.
Biogas is Eco-Friendly. Biogas is a renewable, as well as a clean, source of energy. Gas generated through bio-digestion is renewable, as well as a clean, source of energy. Gas generated through bio-digestion is non-polluting; it actually reduces greenhouse emissions (i.e. reduces the greenhouse effect). No combustion takes place in the process, meaning there is zero emission of greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere; therefore, using gas from waste as a form of energy is a great way to combat global warming.
Unsurprisingly, concern for the environment is a major reason why the use of biogas has become more widespread. Biogas plants significantly curb the greenhouse effect: the plants lower methane emissions by capturing this harmful gas and using it as fuel. Biogas generation helps cut reliance on the use of fossil fuels, such as oil and coal.
Another biogas advantage is that unlike other types of renewable energies, the process to create the gas is natural, not requiring energy for the generation process. In addition, the raw materials used in the production of biogas are renewable, as trees and crops will continue to grow. Manure, food scraps, and crop residue are raw materials that will always be available, which makes it a highly sustainable option.
Biogas Generation Reduces Soil and Water Pollution. Overflowing landfills don’t only spread foul smells- they also allow toxic liquids to drain into underground water sources.
Subsequently, another advantage of biogas is that biogas generation may improve water quality. Moreover, anaerobic digestion deactivates pathogens and parasites; thus, it’s also quite effective in reducing the incidence of waterborne diseases. Similarly, waste collection and management significantly improve in areas with biogas plants. This in turn, leads to improvements in the environment, sanitation, and hygiene.
Biogas Generation Produces Organic Fertilizer. The by-product of the biogas generation process is enriched organic digestate, which is a perfect supplement to, or substitute for, chemical fertilizers. The fertilizer discharge from the digester can accelerate plant growth and resilience to diseases, whereas commercial fertilizers contain chemicals that have toxic effects and can cause food poisoning, among other things.
It’s a simple and low-cost technology that encourages circular economy. The technology used to produce biogas is quite cheap. It is easy to set up and needs little investment when used on a small scale. Small bio-digesters can be used right at home, utilizing kitchen waste and animal manure. A household system pays for itself after a while and the materials used for generation are absolutely free. The gas produced can be used directly for cooking and generation of electricity. This is what allows the cost of biogas production to be relatively low.
It also provides a healthy cooking alternative for developing areas. Biogas generators save women and children from the daunting task of firewood collection. As a result, more time is left for cooking and cleaning. More importantly, cooking on a gas stove, instead of over an open fire, prevents the family from being exposed to smoke in the kitchen. This helps prevent deadly respiratory diseases. Sadly, 4.3 million people a year die prematurely from illnesses attributed to the household air pollution caused by the inefficient use of solid fuels for cooking.
However, they are easy to install, require minimal effort to use and produce clean, renewable energy and fertilizer. If you’re eager to reduce your fossil fuel dependency while safely and efficiently producing renewable energy for everyday use, find the HomeBiogas product that best fits your lifestyle.
Who are your target groups and how can these people benefit from Bio technology?
Any individual, groups or government building houses, hotels, schools, estates, shopping malls, and structure that have to do with toilet facility, you don’t have to go back to the old way of using sewage. You ought to be making use of bio digesters. You don’t have to go back to the old ways of sewage management or disposal and we have to move with the new trend. Time will come when no will try and put in soaker pit in his house.
As a new product in the market, how do you intend to break through knowing full well that it’s a new technology?
I am here already and what I am doing is one of the ways of informing the public. I am not here to make money but to better the environment and of course we also make profit out of our services. But as a company we render the best of our services. Breaking into the Nigerian market is something we have to do, because the benefits are enormous and so we have to let our people know of it.
Apart from the Bio sewage disposal, what other thing can you do with the new system?
We have been conducting research to invent new modern ways of using these faeces for human use. There is also a lot of things we can do with Bio system, you can also generate electricity just like we have the Bio Gas. So with time and research we can get there. Generate fumes that can be used for cooking and those faeces can be equally used as fertilizers for agriculture.
Where can one get the CleanCourt Bio technology service in Nigeria?
What we provide is service. Wherever you call us we are there. Of course we have foreign products for already existing septic tanks or soaker pits. People who have this system they can always apply our product. It will reduce the level of faeces in the pit, reduce the odour and of course seize infections. So I advise people especially school proprietors and government schools to acquire this product for effective use of the water system.
What disadvantages does CleanCourt Bio Technology have as regards to human health and environment?
There are no disadvantages. The residue, what comes out from the pit can be equally used for agricultural purposes as manure. I advice those using it in homes, especially in hotels to be conscious because it will not digest plastics, so it is a way of creating awareness about your environment.
You talked about the sewage being blocked by insoluble materials, what are the effects like?
These are non degradable materials, when you go to dumping sites, the workers separate plastics from polythene. The plastics can be recycled .If you put in a plastic or sanitary pad or condom and it blocks the Chamber then it affects the passage. Even if you use our product, Organico it will only dissolve the faeces and not the materials. These materials are basically removed by handpicking by a plumber.
What message do you have for the general public who might want to patronize your business?
You grow with time or trend, unlike when the telephone came out people complained about what how expensive it is to afford one with a SIM card but today it is a common and virtually everybody is making use of the phone. Now this is a new thing and this is something that will help your own health and environment. There are so many diseases around, sickness, toilet infections and this services will reduce drastically the rate and also protect. However, we call on government to incorporate with us and provide a safer, cleaner and germ free environment.
