Date of completion:
1 jun 2023
Ecosan Composting Toilets
Urine diversion, dry composting toilets in a barrel, enriching soils for more nutrient-rich crops and healthier people.
Seven dry Ecosan (UDDT) toilets, built by YICE Uganda in collaboration with Re-Alliance, were constructed in four villages within the Nakivale refugee camp in Uganda. An innovative design, utilising flood-proof containers that could be easily swapped, maximised the limited space available. A comprehensive illustrated booklet, translated into multiple languages, was produced to provide information on the proper use of the toilets, including reusing treated urine and faeces in household agriculture. An additional100 households received training on the safe reuse of urine in crop production. Single-parent households with children with disabilities were particularly selected for the project. One such household is Chantal's, a refugee widow from Congo, who has a firstborn son with epilepsy. Chantal expressed gratitude for the Ecosan toilet, stating,
“I am Chantal, a refugee widow from Congo, and my firstborn is epileptic. I was always concerned about what might happen to my son during an attack while using a pit latrine. However, all my worries were alleviated after receiving an Ecosan toilet.”
Three years on:
The toilets were built in 2023 and by 2026 YICE had seen remarkable growth and lasting community impact. The success of the initial project boosted the Ecosan’s visibility and individual families began reaching out directly, allowing YICE to construct approximately 30 more Ecosan units across households in the Mubende district. YICE were also contacted by the sub-county lead agronomist to talk about the benefits of having Ecosans for households that grow food.
Key lasting environmental and community impacts include:
Improved Soil Fertility: the treated human waste has enriched local soils and improved water retention leading to higher crop yields.
Safer Waste Disposal: The local environment has benefited from the improved, sanitary containment and disposal of fecal matter.
Sustainable Mindsets: There is a continuous shift in the community toward adopting low-cost, ecologically friendly agricultural practices.
Improvements to design
The timber used to construct the superstructure of the toilets is starting to show some signs of rot due to the wet climate. YICE are now looking at adapting the design with other more resilient natural building materials, such as Compressed Earth Blocks (CEBs). They are also looking at ways to make the design more accessible, by using natural slopes and different shaped barrels to lower the height at which the toilet is accessed.
See more about the UDDT Ecosans in this video:
Learn more about building and maintaing Ecosans in this booklet:
