Effective microorganism
An effective microorganism (EM) refers to any of the predominantly anaerobic organisms blended in commercial agricultural amendments or for environmental applications such as for septic tanks. EM technology is purported to support sustainable practices in farming, improve composting operations, and to reduce environmental pollution, with "the problem of reproducibility and lack of consistent results."[1]
Many of the so-called "pit additives" used for improving the performance of sanitation systems, namely pit latrines, septic tanks and wastewater treatment plants, are also based on effective microorganisms. Despite the claims made by manufacturers, available studies which have used scientific methods to investigate these additives have come to the conclusion that long-term beneficial effects are not proven.[2]