MycoToilet: Demonstration of a Mycelium-Based Composting Toilet
10 hours ago
- #waste-management
- #sustainability
- #innovation
- The MycoToilet is a mycelium-based composting toilet aimed at revolutionizing waste treatment in remote and water-scarce areas.
- Untreated human waste is a major health risk for 2.3 billion people lacking proper sanitation globally.
- Current waste treatment methods are energy-intensive or rely on toxic chemicals, posing operational challenges.
- The MycoToilet uses mushroom mycelium and thermophilic microbes to decompose waste faster and without chemicals.
- Mycelium biocomposites offer rapid biodegradation and pathogen resistance, making them sustainable for waste management.
- The project is a collaboration between UBC's School of Architecture and Microbiology & Immunology.
- The MycoToilet design won the 2018 BioDesign Challenge, an international competition with 300+ university entrants.
- A field test at UBC Botanical Garden will evaluate the prototype's effectiveness and safety in real-world conditions.
- The project aims to reduce dependency on toxic biocides at UBC and ensure safe reuse of treated waste.
- Potential applications include rural communities, refugee camps, and disaster areas lacking waste infrastructure.