Solution and references

Ecoloove believes that through its mobile toilet innovation it is able to address (I) the sanitary needs of women and (II) transform the captured waste into viable ecological and renewable business that will emancipate India’s rural women twice over.

As of today, a urine separating toilet is the cheapest, most hygienically and most environmentally friendly sanitation solution, because what usually is considered waste can be used as fertilizer in farming. Farming families who invest in a urine separating toilet can get that investment back through not having to buy fertilizer. In this way a local circulation is set. We have visited farming families both in Gujarat and in Maharashtra with urine separating toilets.

The city scenario looks a little bit different. The farms that could have use for fertilizer from ecological toilets are situated far away from the city. In cities the need for both private and common toilets is huge, especially in slum areas. Additionally, in many cities in India, e.g. Ahmedabad, there are many examples of mobile small business which are collecting paper, plastic and other things for transport and recycling outside the city. The idea of Ecoloove is the combination of these two concepts, a small mobile business with sanitation products representing the economic part. The concept of motivating farms to buy fertilizer from urine and feces will be evaluated & created during the tests in February. One clearly conceivable way is to compete on pricing and a culturally sensitive branding strategy.

The idea of Ecoloove is simple: the ones who are mostly affected by the problem of not having a toilet – women – are offered to start a business financed with microloans to start renting out toilet visits and collecting the sanitation waste. The financing of the Ecoloove toilet business run by women needs to be specified in detail during the business concept phase. The goal is that financing shall come from women or a group of women, with microcredit.

First functional prototype of Ecoloove: three wheeler bicycle in Bamboo and welded steel.

Read more about the toilets here.