Container-based sanitation GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES

This guide, developed by GreenCape and funded by the City of Cape Town, establishes minimum and aspirational standards for container-based sanitation (CBS) services. It provides a framework for the design, deployment, servicing, and waste treatment of portable and container toilets, specifically targeting informal settlements where sewer infrastructure is not feasible.

• Container-based sanitation (CBS) is defined as a sustained service using toilets with sealable, removable containers that are collected and transported to treatment facilities. It was formally recognized as "improved sanitation" in 2019 by the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) for Water Supply and Sanitation.
• The CBS service chain is divided into three operational areas: customer relations (marketing and installation), design and operations (containment, collection, and transfer), and the commercialization of reuse products.
• Safe minimum standards for toilet containment require that units are adapted to user needs, do not leak, are easy to clean, and can withstand frequent servicing (up to three times weekly). In-home toilets should typically have a capacity of 10 to 20 litres.
• Servicing standards mandate that containers be emptied at regular intervals—typically two to three times per week—using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure the safety of workers and the community.
• Waste treatment options for CBS range from safe disposal in covered trenches to advanced beneficiation. Potential by-products include animal protein via Black Soldier Fly larvae, compost, biochar, fuel briquettes, biogas, and liquid fertiliser from urine.
• Workforce safety must be managed through medical protection plans, including vaccinations and deworming, as well as specific safety protocols for container servicing, waste processing, and emergency spillages.

APA

GreenCape (n.d.). Container-based sanitation GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Container-based-sanitation-guidelines-and-best-practices.pdf

Chicago

GreenCape. Container-based sanitation GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES. n.d. https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Container-based-sanitation-guidelines-and-best-practices.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=GreenCape |title=Container-based sanitation GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES |url=https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Container-based-sanitation-guidelines-and-best-practices.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{greencapendcontainerbased, author = {{GreenCape}}, title = {{Container-based sanitation GUIDELINES AND BEST PRACTICES}}, institution = {GreenCape}, url = {https://greencape.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Container-based-sanitation-guidelines-and-best-practices.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }