The United Nations (UN) reported that 2.5 billion people are without proper toilet facilities. The Water Institute of the University of North Carolina (UNC), however, places this figure closer to 4.1 billion people. Why the discrepancy in the reported numbers? The significant difference between figures comes from different accounting methods used. The UN measured hardware – toilets, in this case – and how well it protects users from immediate contact with waste. UNC researchers, on the other hand, considered hardware as well as whether or not sewage was treated—revealing that more people are without proper toilet facilities. Monitoring sanitation should not only look at toilets, but also what happens next, i.e, waste treatment. More
