Composting toilets work in same way that a standard food scrap compost tumbler does. Waste is deposited into a chamber where aerobic decomposition occurs, releasing the water content into the atmosphere. As the breakdown process destroys harmful bacteria or viruses, what is left behind is a rich fertilizer that is usable as for agricultural crops.
Biogas toilets take this concept one step further and are a kind of energy reclamation technology. We see this sort of thing in hybrid cars, for example. In that case, every time you depress your brakes, the kinetic energy that is not lost to entropy is transferred to the battery where it is stored for later use. With biogas toilets, when the waste product of human consumption is deprived of oxygen and begins to decompose, it releases methane which then can be stored and used as fuel. The remaining matter can then be utilized for fertilization in the same manner that the composting toilet material can. You can read more about the WASH program from the UNICEF site as well as an example of its implementation done by Green Empowerment. |
According the the Center for Disease Control, 2.5 billion people across the globe lack sufficient access to improved sanitation. Combined with improper hygiene practices and the lack of improved water sources, unimproved sanitation increases the likelihood of infection and preventable diseases such as Guinea Worm Disease and Trachoma. These neglected tropical disease can leave their victims with painful blisters and blind. Improved hygiene and sanitation also can reduce the cases of dehydration brought upon by diarrhea which can often lead to death. Proper waste disposal is vital to the health of any community. In areas where a piped sewage system is not a practical option, Green Empowerment is utilizing different technologies that help ameliorate the issues associated with unimproved sanitation and hygiene. |