He has just been named an environmental hero in the Time magazine. For Bindeshwar Pathak, the founder of Sulabh Sanitation and Social Reform Movement, it?s an achievement that he says gives him world recognition. Pathak is well known for his work in the sanitation field to improve public health in India as well as rehabilitating scavengers. In August he became the 2009 Stockholm Water Prize Laureate. While receiving the award, he highlighted the urgency and international importance of the sanitation challenge.

One of his accomplishments, the Sulabh Shauchalaya twin pit, pour-flush toilet system is now in use in more than 1.2 million residences and buildings in India. United Nations HABITAT and Centre for Human Settlements have declared the technology a Global Best Practice, and it is now recommended by the UNDP for use by more than 2.5 billion people around the world who don?t have access to basic sanitation facilities. Pathak has also developed several technologies to convert waste from Sulabh Shauchalaya toilets into biogas for use in heating, cooking, and generating electricity. He spoke to FE?s Prachi Raturi Misra on the need for sanitation and the economics of it. Excerpts:

How does it feel to be named as an environmental hero by the Time magazine?

It definitely is a nice feeling. Also, when you feature in such an international magazine, it says that I have been able to achieve at least some of the work I set out to do.

What is Sulabh International concentrating on right now?in India and abroad?

Our plan is to cover 50 countries by 2050. The idea is to take up 10 countries every year and set up five public toilets with biogas plants in each country. These toilets not only recycle human excreta, but also recycle water. The biogas can then be used to cook, generate electricity and heat water. Also, the water used will be completely recycled, which will take care of river pollution. Earlier biogas plants used 80% gas and 20% diesel. Now we don?t need diesel at all.

We?ll begin with countries like China, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Vietnam and Cambodia in 2010-2011. We made five such toilets in Kabul in 2007 and they have been running successfully even in ?30 degree temperature. We have set up 200 in India. So, this goes on to show that the technology can work at various temperatures. Countries, which don?t have sewer lines, can benefit from this.

How much can recycling help in controlling environmental pollution?

About 40% of global warming is because of septic tanks, public defecation and sewage system. Every person?s excreta releases 1 cubic ft gas every day. And the world population is more than 6 billion. About 65% of this gas is methane. With the two technologies we use, we don?t release this gas into the atmosphere at all.

How does it translate into financial benefits?

Biogas helps people get rid of coal and gas usage. Then they can save on electricity. The water used in our toilets is about 1 to 1.5 litre as compared to septic tanks that use more than 10 litres of water. Trillions of litres of portable water can be saved. Also, the gas when released in soil, releases bio-fertiliser, which can be used for cultivation. This is something not just developing but also developed countries can benefit from.

How do you see corporates fitting into the big picture?

We have a lot of MBAs working with our organisation. The business community has either started advertising around public toilets or getting them made. So, a beginning has been made.

We haven?t patented either of our two technologies, so they can be used by anyone. We want to pass on the technology around the world. So, we are completely fine with people taking our technology and using it in their name. The idea is to spread awareness. It?s important that corporates and big players enter this field. They will not just help the environment, but can also run these professionally. Today it?s important for corporates to look at the business case of public sanitation. It?s the need of the hour and the country.