EkoLakay toilet

Target SDGs

Market Suggested Retail Price

$50.00

Target Users (Target Impact Group)

Household

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

SOIL Haiti

Manufacturing/Building Method

Both wooden and cement toilet models are manufactured locally.

Intellectural Property Type

Open-source

User Provision Model

Customers pay approximately $4-5 USD per month which covers toilet installation, carbon cover material, and weekly waste collection.

Distributions to Date Status

The Ekolakay serves an estimated ~4,000 people in Port-au-Prince and Cap Haïtian (as of March 2016).

Design Specifications

EkoLakay toilet specs: Height (with plastic seat): 21 in; Length: 20 in; Width: 15.75 in; Weight: 28 lbs Materials: local wood, imported plastic toilet seat, locally made plastic bucket and urine gallon (all materials are purchased locally). The toilet has a 5 gallon (19 liter) bucket that is changed out each time it is full. The waste treatment process involves transport to a composting waste treatment facility where the solid waste is covered with bagasse (a by product of sugar cane juice extraction). Over the next few days the temperature of the compost rises, effectively killing any viruses contained in the human waste. The waste is mixed with carbon matter and undergoes a rapid decomposition process for 6+ months until it is transformed into nutrient-rich agricultural compost.

Product Schematics

Technical Support

Technical support is provided by the collection service providers.^{Interview with representative}  

Replacement Components

Replacement components are provided as part of the service contract.^{Interview with representative}

Lifecycle

Service providers recover any toilets that are defective or at end-of-life and recycle and dispose of them appropriately.^{Interview with representative}

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Unknown

Vetted Performance Status

An independent study on SOIL's composting process found that the Haitian EcoSan composting process was effective in inactivating E. coli and Ascaris worms in latrine waste within sixteen weeks.

Safety

Waste handling requires protective clothing.

Complementary Technical Systems

Unknown

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

SOIL's waste transformation process exceeds the World Heath Organization’s standards for the thermophilic composting.      

Evaluation methods

Field trials and pilots.

Other Information

See also