The most significant difference between waste disposal in Japan and the West is that human excreta – or, ‘night soil’ – was viewed as a product with economic value rather than something to be paid for to be removed. As Japan is not abundant in fertile land for farm animals, manure as fertilisers was replaced with night soil. Parallel to gold mining in other countries, excrement collection in Japan became a booming business; contracts soon started to form between farmers and the urban families that created this ‘precious’ resource. Read full article here
Societal Issues
To curb drug deaths, communities turn to Reddit, texts and wastewater
With drug overdose deaths on the rise, authorities are attempting to curb the epidemic by tracking and sharing information in real time. In one unique effort, a nonprofit in New York City is using drug-testing equipment and stamping or marking habits of dealers to identify drug batches that may endanger users. Other approaches are also being used, such as monitoring drug-related chatter on Reddit and analyzing local wastewater for opioid and other drug levels. With the combination of these efforts, researchers hope to put a dent in the opioid crisis and reduce overdose deaths. Read full article here
Merv
June 1, 2023
