Forget about software. Bill Gates is now putting his sizeable foundation and zest for philanthropy toward a greater, albeit somewhat unpleasant cause: Reinventing the toilet as part of a global push to improve sanitation conditions in underdeveloped countries.
Last June, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation doled out grants of approximately $400,000 to eight universities, giving them a year to put their engineering mettle to the test to create a waterless, hygienic toilet that is safe and affordable for people in the developing world. The foundation later announced a second round of grants, in total, handing out nearly $3.4 million.
Bill Gates with a researcher from California Institute of Technology at the Reinvent the Toilet Fair in Seattle on Aug. 14, 2012. (Source: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)
According to the foundation, nearly 2.5 billion people worldwide live without proper sanitation -- a reality culminating in 1.5 million child deaths annually, a result of ingesting food and water with fecal matter. Beyond saving lives, cost-effective, proper sanitation can also bring substantial economic benefits to the tune of $9 in social and economic benefits for every $1 invested, according to the World Health Organization.
When the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge and grants were issued, the mission was to design toilets that can capture and process human waste without the requirement of piped water, sewer, or electrical connections, and with the goal of transforming human waste into some kind of useful entity such as water or energy. And oh yeah, do it all at an affordable price.
The Gates Foundation hosted an event, the "Reinvent the Toilet Challenge," this month to showcase the work of the university teams and announce the winner. First prize in the challenge was awarded to the California Institute of Technology, which received $100,000 for its design of a solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen and electricity. Second prize (or $60,000) went to Loughborough University in the UK for its toilet design, which produces biological charcoal, minerals, and clean water. The University of Toronto took the third place prize of $40,000 for a toilet that sanitizes feces and urine and recovers resources and clean water, and special recognition and $40,000 went to Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) and EOOS for their design of a toilet interface.
In a press release announcing the winners, Bill Gates framed up his position on the challenge: "Innovative solutions change people's lives for the better," Gates said. "If we apply creative thinking to everyday challenges such as dealing with human waste, we can fix some of the world's toughest problems."
The Toilet Challenge was issued as part of the Gates Foundation's Water, Sanitation & Hygiene initiative, which has committed $370 million to helping develop sustainable sanitation services, among other projects.
Besides the state-of-the art sustainable toilets, projects featured at the event included better ways to empty latrines, insect-based latrines for faster feces decomposition, and user-centered designs for public toilets.
Just a quick comment, Ann. Though the use of human waste for energy doesn't appear to be common, my friends who have travelled extensively inform me that the use of dried animal dung as a cooking fuel is alive and well in the third world. Nothing like a high-fiber diet to create a high energy output.
A surprising amount of what the first world considers garbage or waste actually contains energy or other properties that could be harvested: not just plastic and other landfill debris, but manure, too. Using manure as fertilizer (after lots of processing of course) isn't a new idea in history, although I believe turning it into energy is.
Dave Palmer has the right idea. Some of the Universities worldwide and in third world countries are working on a cheaper solution to drinking water and sanitation based on their individual situations and cultures. The ideas that we develop in a first world country can at the most be applied in the first world country. Anywhere else it may not be relevant. The Gates Foundation has the right attitude and we need to change our toilets in the US. They just waste a ton of water. Our lawns waste a ton of water. Our cities waste a ton of water. Let me stop.. You get the point. Water will be a big problem in the US in 10 to 15 years. Efficient use of our resources is mandatory, not a choice.
Ann, I like your take on this challenge. I didn't happen to see any entrants with half-moon cutouts on the doors. All kidding aside I think this is on the right track to focus on "appropriate" levels of technology to solve problems. The results definitely have a first world feel to them, but hopefully future challenges will incorporate use of local materials and infrastucture into the solutions. Hats off to the Gates foundation for getting the ball rolling.
In a separate story, I noticed that one of the entrants was electrically powered and turned excrement into charcoal. Although electric power is not readily available in some developing countries (which may be why it didn't win), it's an interesting idea because it apparently doesn't need a complex sanitation infrastructure.
Great points Dave. In fact, I really didn't consider how cultural differences/implications might impact use of a toilet. These types of considerations are just as integral to the maintenance and repair issues I raised earlier in terms of ensuring long-term adoption.
Considering how much pure, drinkable water is wasted on flushing toilets in the first world, this looks like a great research project that could help everyone. OTOH, dry and composting toilets have been around a long time, and are used by campers, rural hippies, and Amish communities, among others.
Nice story. It seems there are a bunch of questions about deployment and sustainability. This looks like a good place for a follow-up with details on the winning design.
Good points. I think the idea of maintenance and repair needs to be part of the overall consideration of deploying these units. This is a great idea. Basic sanitation goes a long way to improving lives in developing countries. Plus, Gates got a big bang for few bucks. It's interesting to see the inventiveness that comes from relatively small prizes.
It looks like the grants (with one exception) are going to universities and research institutions in developed countries, rather than developing countries. Most people in developed countries have no idea of the realities of life for poor people in developing countries. These researchers may develop latrines that are technologically clever and highly sanitary, but unless they work closely with the people who will be using these latrines and understand their conditions of life, there is no chance of their technologies being adopted.
Interestingly enough, I was reading Gandhi's autobiography over the weekend, and in one chapter, he talks about improving the cleanliness of latrines in Rajkot. He mentioned that poor people, including untouchables, were more receptive to recommendations to improve sanitation than their better-off neighbors. But I fear that no one, whether rich or poor, will be ready to adopt a technology that has been developed by outsiders who don't understand their culture or day-to-day life. I hope that the researchers will seek the input and participation of the communities they hope to serve.
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