Adequate public awareness and successful demonstration of the benefits from projects facilitate the replication of these projects or components thereof. Soil pollution and pit latrine issues were not well addressed and discussed before project inception. The project created a large impact through awareness raising and by demonstrating the highly beneficial project outcome in Mongolia. Buttressed by a participatory approach, the project has helped bring about notable shifts in government focus and household outlook towards human waste management and soil pollution issues. As a result, the piloting of an integrated, life cycle project concept with suitable onsite sanitation facilities and feasible cost and technology options has commenced in remote locations. Replacing pit latrines with improved eco-friendly onsite sanitation facilities has also captured the attention of the wider public. Since some of the proposed holding tanks used familiar practices, these did not require a change in behavior. Furthermore, the selected prototypes were suitable to extreme weather (between 40 degrees and –40 degrees Celsius) and ger area conditions.
Managing Soil Pollution in Ger Areas through Improved On-site Sanitation Project