Pit Latrines Are Antimicrobial Pollution Hot Spots: Practical Circular Economy and Chemical Engineering Solutions

This Viewpoint addresses the serious public health threat posed by antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Nairobi’s Kibera slums, highlighting how pit latrines contribute to environmental AMR by leaking antimicrobial-contaminated waste into water sources. It proposes a sustainable, circular economy solution: replacing pit latrines with eco-friendly, portable plastic toilets (PPTs) made from recycled PET, HDPE, and LDPE plastics. These sealed units can contain human waste and be transported for safe thermochemical conversion into energy and valuable byproducts, such as fertilizers and construction materials, thereby mitigating AMR risks while enhancing sanitation, resource recovery, and public health.