India may be considered as a developing nation with the power to become a global force to reckon with in the near future. However, if there is one cringe-worthy problem it still continues to fight without success, it is the horrible sanitation problem that plagues the entire country. Fortunately though, a few individuals and firms have come forward to combat this issue with a rather eco-friendly solution, sustainable toilets. Take a look at 4 such sustainable toilets that could put an end to India’s sanitation problem for good.
Do It Yourself Toilet
Pune based Sahyadri Industries Limited had developed an eco-friendly toilet that can be set up by anyone in under an hour. As a contribution to Prime Minister Modi’s Swachh Bharat campaign, the company plans to sell these sustainable and affordable toilets to the general public. The Do It Yourself kit would contain all the necessary parts to set up a door and three walls. In addition to the nuts and bolts for the walls and doors, the parts required to assemble the toilet itself will be provided by companies like Johnson and Johnson.
Instructions on how to dig a soaking pit will also be available with the pack. The company has already sold more than 1000 units of the DIY toilet in Maharashtra and Gujarat. It is also planning to promote the design fervently to be used in government schools and other economically backward places throughout India.
Eco-Friendly Toilet to convert dry human waste into humus and compost
A city based researcher called Ketkar has developed an eco-friendly toilet that can convert human waste into compost. Built in joint collaboration with the Jaysingput based Utkarsh Foundation, the eco-friendly toilet does not feature any impressive drainage system. Nor will it require extra water for its function.
Made of cement or brick, the toilet will look like any other standard Indian toilet. However, the difference lies in the way it collects and treats human waste. Using minimal water for personal cleaning only, the toilet features a drop hole on the platform to which a moveable trolley is attached. The trolley collects the solid waste. The trolley also contains a shovel that can be used to pour loose soil into the hole, as well as rake for leveling purposes. After a period of 40 days, the trolley is removed from beneath the drop hole and its contents are emptied into the ground which is already lined with organic matter. The solid waste will combine with the organic matter to form compost in about 90 days after which it can be used as fertilizer in farms.
A separate hole drains out the urine and wash water onto the vermin-compost bed, eventually creating NPK rich vermin-compost in about 90 days.
Twin Pit – Pour Flush Latrine
This low cost, eco-friendly toilet contains two separate pits to collect human waste. The leach pits are connected to the same single pour flush toilet. Once one pit gets full, the second pit is connected to the toilet so that individuals can continue using the toilet when the first pit is being emptied.
Ecosan Toilet
Image Source : sanitation.indiawaterportal.org/
A small village in South India has come up with a perfect plan to maintain ecological sanitation in the region by designing an eco-friendly toilet called ‘Ecosan’. The sustainable toilet does not use water for flushing off human waste. Rather, all the user needs to do is throw a handful of ash down the pit hole of the toilet pan. The user would then need to move to a separate washing area where urine and the wash water are collected in separate chambers. The ash absorbs all the moisture in the excreta and kills of harmful pathogens that cause foul odor. The dried waste can then be used as manure.
India’s sanitation problems seem to increase day by day. Fortunately, a few firms have come forward with their low cost, eco-friendly toilet designs which would help combat this problem effectively.