Farmers in Vietnam Using Wastewater and Human Excreta in Agriculture (original) (raw)

choice due to pressure on the water re-sources, but the reliable flows and the nutri-ent values of wastewater also make farmers appreciate this resource. However, on-going research in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, indicates that exposure to urban wastewater represents a serious risk for skin diseases, especially dermatitis, on the hands and legs of aquacul-tural producers (van der Hoek et al, 2005). Moreover, the use of wastewater exposes agri-and aqua-cultural producers, as well as con-sumers, to increased risks of helminth infec-tions, such as Ascaris (round worm), Trichuris (whipworm), and hookworm (Blumental and Peasey, 2002; WHO, 2006a). In the rural areas of northern Vietnam, human excreta have been used as fertilizer in