A new toilet that evaporates waste without using water has been created
A new toilet called the iThrone has been developed that absorbs and evaporates water from human waste, making it waterless. It doesn't require a water supply or sewerage system, so it's expected to help people who have limited access to water sources.
MIT Solve | iThrone: the waste-evaporating toilet - Overview
Diana Yousef: from NASA consultant to inventor of a toilet that evaporates waste | Science | EL PAÍS English
https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2024-08-18/diana-yousef-from-nasa-consultant-to-inventor-of-a-toilet-that-evaporates-waste.html
The iThrone, developed by biochemist Diana Yousef, has the following shape: It is highly breathable and has a 'membrane' that absorbs moisture from one side and passes it through to the other side, allowing 90% to 95% of waste to evaporate.
By using iThrone, it is possible to maintain a hygienic environment even in places where water is scarce, and it is possible to reuse the membranes used for treatment and most of the excrement as compost.
Test deployment has already been carried out in a refugee camp in Uganda, where approximately 400 people are using it. Reports indicate that the system completely contains excrement in a hygienic manner, no odor is detectable, maintenance is required only once every two to three weeks, and the system treats excrement six to ten times more efficiently than existing facilities.
'I am concerned about the disproportionate suffering that women and girls face because of the lack of proper sanitation,' said Yousef, a mother of three. 'There is a huge, under-discussed issue: women are raped and even murdered simply for needing to go to the toilet. 50 per cent of the world's schools do not have adequate sanitation. When they go to school, they fight the urge to go to the toilet, they don't eat, they don't drink, they are tired, they are not able to pay attention. And when they start their periods, they miss a week of school every month and fall behind.'
The iThrone won the Foundation's Innovation Award in the Health Improvement and Digital Technology category. The unit is expected to cost around $200 (approximately 29,000 yen) per unit, and the price is expected to drop further when large-scale production begins. Since installing similar equipment can cost tens of thousands of dollars (several million yen), the iThrone is expected to be a cheap, simple, and on-site way to process waste.
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