Sustainable Sanitation Campaign in China

The China Node for Sustainable Sanitation (CNSS), a collaboration between the University of Science and Technology Beijing (USTB-CSES) and Clean Water Alliances (CWA), worked from 2008 to 2011 to mainstream ecological sanitation in China. The initiative established pilot projects, including 108 eco-toilets in Sichuan's earthquake area, and leveraged mass media—such as CCTV and Yunnan TV—to reach millions of viewers. CNSS also engaged high-level decision-makers, developed academic curricula, and fostered international partnerships with nodes in Nepal, South Africa, and the Philippines, as well as projects in Mongolia and DPR Korea.

• CNSS implemented several pilot projects to demonstrate ecological sanitation, including the construction of 108 eco-toilets in the earthquake-affected region of Sichuan province, which improved sanitation for over 1,000 people. Other demonstrations included urine-diversion vacuum toilets at the University of Science and Technology Beijing and a demonstration garden using treated urine for vegetables.
• The campaign achieved significant public outreach through mass media. A 2009 CCTV program on toilets reached approximately 3.9 million viewers, and a 2010 Yunnan TV program on drought and nature reached over one million people. The initiative also secured coverage in national newspapers like the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Committee Daily and Xinhua News Agency.
• CNSS successfully engaged high-level government officials and urban planners. This included a seminar at the National Administration School for 34 bureau-level officers from over 15 provinces and direct contacts with the Mayor of Chongqing, the Vice Governor of Qinghai Province, and the Vice Executive Chairman of the People's Political Consultative Conference of Jilin Province.
• The initiative integrated ecological sanitation into academic and professional training. A bilingual teaching material titled “Introduction to Eco-San Technology” was developed for bachelor students and distributed to third-year undergraduates between 2009 and 2011. Additionally, an international engineering workshop on Decentralized Wastewater Treatment Systems (DEWATS) was held in 2009 for engineers from China, Nepal, and DPR Korea.
• CNSS established a global knowledge network, exchanging information with nodes in Nepal, South Africa, and the Philippines. It also provided technical backstopping to the Nepal Biogas Support Programme and collaborated on an urban ecosan project in Ulaan Baator, Mongolia, with the Mongolian University of Science and Technology and the NGO Action contre la Faim.

APA

Zifu-Li, Lingling-Zhang, Mang, H.-P., & Huba, E. M. (2011). Sustainable Sanitation Campaign in China. Stockholm Environment Institute. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Booklet-CNSS-SustainableSanitationCampaignInChina-2011.pdf

Chicago

Zifu-Li, Lingling-Zhang, Heinz-Peter Mang, and Elizabeth Mario Huba. Sustainable Sanitation Campaign in China. Stockholm Environment Institute, 2011. https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Booklet-CNSS-SustainableSanitationCampaignInChina-2011.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Zifu-Li |last2=Lingling-Zhang |last3=Mang |first3=Heinz-Peter |last4=Huba |first4=Elizabeth Mario |title=Sustainable Sanitation Campaign in China |publisher=Stockholm Environment Institute |date=2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Booklet-CNSS-SustainableSanitationCampaignInChina-2011.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{zifuli2011sustainable, author = {Zifu-Li and Lingling-Zhang and Mang, Heinz-Peter and Huba, Elizabeth Mario}, title = {{Sustainable Sanitation Campaign in China}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, url = {https://www.sei.org/mediamanager/documents/Publications/SEI-Booklet-CNSS-SustainableSanitationCampaignInChina-2011.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }