It is considered one of the busiest places in our house, however it may happen that we will soon have to say goodbye to the toilet, which is mostly made of white porcelain. Of course, its use is essential for everyday life, so it's not a question of banning it or moving mugs to another room in favor of a crazy decor trend, but rethinking and transforming them can be a very urgent task for humanity.
Of course, the biggest problem is not the appearance or design of the toilets, but rather their excessive water use, a growing problem in areas of the world that suffer mainly from water shortages. Although it is not one of these countries, this phenomenon is well illustrated by the fact that according to the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), continuous flushing of toilets has now reached a level that accounts for a third of inland waters. Usage in the states, he writes CNN.
Therefore, change is undoubtedly necessary.
An innovative toilet, the likes of which we've never seen before
Although little is heard of at present, revolutionary creativity does provide an alternative, and there are even places where it has already begun, while in others it remains beyond the threshold. The dry toilet of Finnish origin, an increasingly popular topic among social media users, is not much different from a traditional cup at first glance, but even more so in its use. One of the biggest advantages of the toilet is that it separates the small from the old and keeps bad odors away. After use, the contents of the toilet box should be covered with peat or sawdust, which is then kept in a larger, airtight container for several months to kill microorganisms.
The remaining material, which is rich in nitrogen and phosphorus, can be used as natural fertilizer.
This is also a very important step to protect the environment, because in addition to saving water, common synthetic fertilizers that emit greenhouse gases can also be replaced with this step.
After hearing the principle of operation of the toilet, it may justifiably occur to us that their existence is by no means new, but the dry method has so far been used mainly by those who were unable to introduce water into their garden or holiday home, or who for some reason prevented it. .
Difficult storage is the biggest downside, and recycling is urgent
However, despite the huge advantage, the popularity of dry toilets will not necessarily increase significantly in the near future. Because the demand for sustainable solutions is usually only important to people in affected areas – so especially It can spread in areas affected by drought or floods.
The widespread use of dry toilets poses enormous challenges to manufacturers, as regulations and personal preferences do not help them as much. It would be wrong to say that a dry toilet cannot cause serious headaches to its owner, because its installation in an urban environment is difficult, and its maintenance is not easy. There is, for example, the issue of time:
You have to wait up to a year to safely recycle the waste, which turns most people away right away.
But what if someone has already found a solution to this problem?
This question has been asked before Change: Water laboratories The startup has also patented a fumigation that aims to reduce the amount of waste accumulated by 97 percent in a single day.
However, innovation is also necessary for settlement-level changes, so simply replacing latrines is not enough. In cities with a well-developed sewerage system, drastic changes can occur. For example, California is dealing with a worsening drought, and San Francisco will need 10,000 square feet of new construction for its wastewater recycling system.
No need to be afraid of smells
One of the most common objections to dry toilets and various composting toilets is that they are unhygienic and smell bad, but this is all wrong.
Separating the solid and liquid elements that settle in the toilet effectively prevents the main cause of odor formation.
Because unpleasant odors often arise when urine and feces mix. As a result, the moisture content of the mixture will be high, which stimulates the formation of odors. In addition, ammonia, which is responsible for unpleasant odors, is formed during the processes of putrefaction and decomposition of mixed feces. For ongoing prevention, it is recommended to install an electric extraction system. It is no coincidence, because such an effective system can completely prevent odors from escaping from the already covered box, and in this respect it is more convenient than a traditional toilet.
(Cover photo: Westend61 / Getty Images)