Public healthToilet Challenge, 2: Loughborough’s hydrocarbonization design wins second Reinvent the Toilet Challenge prize
Researchers from Loughborough University, located in Leicestershire, United Kingdom , won second prize in the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge; their toilet uses a process called Continuous Thermal Hydrocarbonization which kills all pathogens to create safe to handle, valuable material and uses power from heat generated during processing
Loughborough University, located in Leicestershire, United Kingdom, has won a prestigious prize of $60,000 in an international competition organized by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a reinvented toilet which is clean, safe, durable, and affordable for the poor without the need for connection to electricity or a sewer. This reinvented toilet should be a viable solution in wealthy nations as well as in the developing world where 2.5 billion people lack access to safe and affordable sanitation.
A Loughborough University release reports that the prize was awarded to the Loughborough team for its prototype toilet which aims to convert human waste into carbonized material to provide heat, minerals for soil conditioning, and water for flushing and hand-washing. It uses a process called Continuous Thermal Hydrocarbonization which kills all pathogens to create safe to handle, valuable material and uses power from heat generated during processing. The toilet is designed to work in both single-family and multi-user contexts with daily running costs of just a few pence per person.
Three prototype technologies were recognized for most closely matching the criteria for the Reinvent the Toilet Challenge. Loughborough was awarded second prize, with the California Institute of Technology and the University of Toronto respectively receiving first and third prizes.
The Loughborough team presented its prototype at the Reinvent the Toilet Fair held at the Foundation’s headquarters in Seattle on 14-15 August. The event featured the work of nearly forty Foundation grant holders and other partners from its Water, Sanitation and Hygiene program, in order to inspire collaboration around the shared mission of reinventing the toilet.
“Innovative solutions change people’s lives for the better,” said Foundation co-chair Bill Gates. “If we apply creative thinking to everyday challenges, such as dealing with human waste, we can fix some of the world’s toughest problems.”
“It’s unconscionable that 2.5 billion people suffer today because they don’t have access to a toilet,” said Chris Elias, president of the Foundation’s Global Development Program. “At the Reinvent the Toilet Fair, leading thinkers and inventors are coming to Seattle to show the progress they’ve made in developing a reinvented toilet. We need these types of innovations to not only help manage the problem of dealing with human waste, but to help advance progress across a broader range of global challenges.”
Almost one year ago, the Foundation challenged universities to design toilets that can capture and process human waste without piped water, sewer or electrical connections, and transform human waste into useful resources. Eight universities from around the world were chosen for the challenge. Loughborough was the only U.K. university to be awarded a grant, receiving $400,000 for research.
Professor M. Sohail, Loughborough’s project lead, said, “It was the opportunity of a lifetime to present our research to Mr. Gates and we are extremely honored to receive this prestigious award.”
“Loughborough University has an outstanding reputation for applying its cross-cutting research to tackle global issues,” said Professor Myra Nimmo, Loughborough University’s pro vice chancellor for research. “This challenge has brought together our experts in sanitation, chemical, materials and water engineering and design. I am delighted that their expertise has been recognized with this prestigious award.”
