Thursday, September 18, 2025

Loowatt: very exciting new "container" ecological sanitation circular economy! New ISO NSSS standard also

 latest vid from Loowatt operation in South Africa! 

Humus, Humility, Humanity!   talk by Virginia Gardiner - inventor of the Loowatt

 https://loowatt.mg/

This is a new "flushless" biodegradable bag toilet being used in Madagascar and South Africa and goals of spreading it worldwide...

https://www.loowatt.com/impact 

Invented in the UK - this newly patented container "ecological sanitation" off-grid toilet is simply yet enables transformation of waste into biogas and fertilizer....while also saving water and infrastructure costs!! Wow. So cool.

 Newly published "container sector" 2025 report gives overview on all the ecological sanitation projects!!

Sanergy in Africa is another big one as is SOIL in Haiti....

Container Based Sanitation Alliance (CBSA)

Does it have any members in the U.S.? Dr. Kory Russel at University of Oregon! cool.

 Raluca Anisie (Mosan), Abigail Aruna
(Clean Team), Clarissa Brocklehurst (CBSA Board
and independent consultant), Emma Colenbrander
(CBSA Board and Spring Impact), Virginia Gardiner
(Loowatt), Dr Jeremy Gorelick (CBSA Board
and Mineral Springs), Naomi Korir (Sanivation),
Dr Sasha Kramer (SOIL), Alejandro Levy (Aguatuya),
Arturo Llaxacondor (Sanima), Volatiana Mariette
Ravaoarisoa (Dioloto), Dr Kory Russel (CBSA Board
and University of Oregon) and Lindsay Stradley
(Fresh Life).

 

 

 So SAnergy uses the above newly designed "Fresh Life" urine diverting dry toilet - very cool!!

 It's not the same as the Loowatt design toilet though. Loowatt is even simpler since there is no "separation at source." 

 

 

 The biodegradable bag is released sealed into a lower container while a new bag is released ready to be filled....I heard those "biodegradable bags" are not really what they claim to be but maybe when mixed with the urine nitrogen and waste the bags really do compost down... I think they are relying on anaerobic digestion though...ok they "separate" the plastic bags from the waste when it gets processed. Wow!!  

yeah looks like they are still researching how to make the bag separation and composting "cost effective" - probably better to just do urine diverting dry toilets with source separation...for easier composting.... 

https://cbsa.global/benefits 

 using container based ecological sanitation saves so much money that I think the local septic businesses are probably against it or work with the county governments to repress this? I don't know but seems like ecological sanitation is the way to go even for "developed" countries.

 A key barrier is being able to meet and comply
with the required ISO/SANS 30500 standards. Various technologies were tested over a period of time and each assessed against the required standards. From the technologies tested, only one technology was able to meet key ISO standards. 

 https://khanyisapr.co.za/upload/blog/Blog%206%20-%20Reluctance%20of%20Tech%20developers%20to%20enter%20sa.pdf

 https://www.iso.org/standard/87343.html

fascinating - a NEW standard in 2025..

.a life cycle assessment for non-sewered sanitation systems (NSSS).

 you have to buy it though....

This document was prepared by Project Committee ISO/PC 305, Sustainable non-sewered sanitation systems.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition (ISO 30500:2018), which has been technically revised.
The main changes are as follows:
  • Clause 2 normative references have been updated;
  • Clause 3 terms and definitions have been updated;
  • technical information throughout the document has been aligned with the state of art;
  • the bibliography has been updated.

 Meanwhile ecological sanitation moves on!! Shit is gonna happen.

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/67bc654695526e524b90b74d/t/6859239a4a53df593df43681/1750672287875/2024%2BImpact%2BReport%2B-%2BLoowatt%2BLtd-compressed.pdf 

I asked Loowatt if it can be purchased.... don't see any "buy" options....

Here is their Youtube channel  

 

 This is a cool DIY kit for UDDT! It's made in the UK though so with tariffs - probably $450...

 In Massachusetts, Title 5 (310 CMR 15.000) permits the use of composting toilets for both remedial and new residential construction, but their installation requires approval from the local Board of Health, as well as the town. The system must be designed to store solids for at least two years, and any liquid by-products are either recycled by the system or must be discharged through an approved greywater system

 Eco-Toilets advocated for Cape Cod - talk

 

 

 

 

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