On World Toilet Day 2018, Microsoft founder and humanitarian Bill Gates shared six unique toilets that could change the world.
Gates shared this video on Twitter, describing the six eco-toilets and their workings.
These six toilets could change the world: https://t.co/4ZXqwpQKxw #WorldToiletDay pic.twitter.com/DKeMC4hokn
— Bill Gates (@BillGates) November 19, 2018
These six toilets have developed by:
1. California Institute of Technology (CalTech's) solar-powered toilet
2. University of South Florida's NEWgenerator which generates nutrients, energy and water by safely recovering them from wastewater containing fecal organic matter and urine.
3. Cranfield University's Nano Membrane Toilet which treats human waste on-site without external energy or water
4. Duke University's neighborhood treatment system creates safe water.
5. Helbling's HTClean separates liquids and solids using high temperatures
6. Janicki's Firelight toilet dries and combusts solid waste produced by households for electricity generation.
At least 4.5 billion people live without safely managed sanitation while 892 million people still practise open defecation.
“The world is not on track to reach Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG 6): to ensure availability and sustainable management of sanitation and water for all by 2030,” informed the United Nation on World Toilet Day 2018.
4.5 billion people live without a safe toilet.
The #GlobalGoals aim to ensure access to sanitation for all by 2030.
Monday is #WorldToiletDay https://t.co/Spi4DsOJYL pic.twitter.com/wQrRAQicxn— United Nations (@UN) November 18, 2018
This year's theme is 'When Nature Calls'. “This year’s campaign is based on the following narrative: “When nature calls, we need a toilet. But, billions of people don’t have one. This means human faeces, on a massive scale, are not being captured or treated – contaminating the water and soil that sustain human life. We are turning our environment into an open sewer. We must build toilets and sanitation systems that work in harmony with ecosystems,” said the UN.
“Toilets save lives, because human waste spreads killer diseases. World Toilet Day is about inspiring action to tackle the global sanitation crisis,” it added.
Retweeting sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik's tweet, Prime Minister Modi wrote: “The movement for a cleaner India and ensuring better sanitation facilities is a people’s movement. It is the 130 crore Indians, particularly women and youngsters who have taken the lead in this movement. I congratulate all those working to fulfil the dream of a Swachh Bharat.”
The movement for a cleaner India and ensuring better sanitation facilities is a people’s movement.
It is the 130 crore Indians, particularly women and youngsters who have taken the lead in this movement.
I congratulate all those working to fulfil the dream of a Swachh Bharat. https://t.co/2a6wzwzV44
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) November 19, 2018
It's #WorldToiletDay & your actions are important
1/5 of schools worldwide have no toilet facilities at all
900 million schoolchildren have nowhere to wash their hands
80% of all our wastewater flows back into the environment without being treatedhttps://t.co/fRW2r2vxVf pic.twitter.com/REoH4gKNr7— UN-Water (@UN_Water) November 18, 2018
62.5% of people around the world don't have access to sanitation. This means human waste is contaminating and polluting our environment. We must build toilets that work together with our environment. #WorldToiletDay #WhenNatureCalls pic.twitter.com/PgljWdOvGs
— UN Environment (@UNEnvironment) November 19, 2018
The UN has proposed nature-based solutions (NBS) mentioned below to tackle the issues of:
- Composting latrines that capture and treat human waste on site, producing a free supply of fertiliser to help grow crops.
- Human-made wetlands and reed-beds filter waste water before it is released back into water courses.
