Description of Challenge
Water reduction, non polluting, sanitary composting of human excreta, recycling of processed waste in agriculture“The world is divided into two categories of people: those who shit in drinking water and those who don't.” ― Joseph Jenkins, The Humanure Handbook: A Guide to Composting Human Manure
Solution
The four Center for Creative Ecology at Kibbutz Lotan composting toilets has provided a no-water sanitary solution for human excreta for upwards of tens of thousands of visitors since 2008. Excreta, poo, urine and toilet paper, drop into off-the-shelf and augmented municipal 120 liter waste bins. Users add a cup of dry organic material (chopped straw, leaves). The toilet seat is a 40 cm diameter plastic culvert pipe which extends below the floor. The bottom of the pipe connects to a flexible plastic shaft which connects to a galvanized steel cover sealing the top of the waste bin. From the cover a flexible ventilation pipe connects to an solar powered inline exhaust fan. The bottom of the bin has a raised, perforated floor. A plastic tap allows leachate extraction. Composting deactivates pathogens and continues for months in a closed bin until volume decreases 60%. Compost is used on trees. Leachate is processed in adjacent constructed wetland and irrigates fruit trees.
