Loowatt Toilet
Loowatt Ltd.
The Loowatt toilet is a dry-toilet that seals waste into a biodegradable film for transport and further processing, creating either energy or fertilizer.
Loowatt toilets are versatile waterless-flush sanitation systems that seal waste into a portable cartridge using biodegradable film. The cartridges prevent odors and enable periodic emptying by a team of waste-collectors. Once waste is collected it is processed anaerobically to produce biogas, electricity and fertilizer. Overall this system is obtained with an initial monetary deposit and maintained with a monthly fee for emptying and replacement of the biodegradable film.
There are both permanent and temporary installation options. The Home toilet is equipped with a manual flush. The Pro toilet is portable and equipped with an electric flush and a remote monitoring system that signals capacity alerts for the collection services.
In Madagascar each toilet requires a 16 USD deposit for use rather than purchase; the technology remains owned by Loowatt. In addition, a service fee of approximately 4 USD is charged each month for maintenance and materials.
Other water-less toilets available include the Dry-Flush toilet which similarly bags and contains waste, but these devices are at a higher cost and for purchase rather than the leasing model used by Loowatt. In Madagascar there are no other sanitation companies that let users rent toilets, and in the UK none of the rentable toilets available are dry.
Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
Loowatt targets a range of users including urban households, off-grid communities, and event sites. In Madagascar, programs for both public toilets and waste treatment and household toilets and waste-to-value treatment systems were implemented. In the United Kingdom, toilets are often used for events and festivals.
