During the OSCEdays2015 we had challenges on recycling shower water (showerloop.me), on Terra Preta from Diapers (Dycle.org) and on nutrient recycling toilets.
These were at different stages of prototyping circular nutrient recycling sanitation solutions (that is open source prototypes for various user groups and situations with different needs and design necessities, plus a system for closing the nutrient cycle logistically):
While Showerloop is already a fully Open Source working cricular solution within itself, it is not yet circularized and interlinked with other cycles in the production of its parts and the use of the waste water.
Dycle is still in the phase of prototyping in Berlin, but first test runs are already done and a crowdfunding is underway to raise the money for the next stage
For nutrient recycling toilets we found that there are lots of solutions on the net, some of them even Open Source, but there are also a lot of open questions on how to truely close the cycles. With the project cycleoo we did practical protoyping in Berlin to build a transportable version for educational purposes.
For 2016 we want to go global and create a community around these issues:
which are the needs and design challenges of different parts of your local society? what are people used to (diaper/ shower/ toilet models)? which social challenges are related to this topic (poverty, pathogens, lack of health education, prejudice/ superstitions, gender issues? …)?
which solutions have already been used/ tested in your area? (these can also be solutions of pre-modern times) which up-/ down-sides do they have? what are their possibilities and limitations?
which materials are available locally that can be used to build your sanitation prototypes? (which properties o they have? are they hygienic? can they be circularized? are they recyclable?)
how can the logistics of such circular sanitation work in your area to transport the nutrients back to where they are needed in agriculture?
To join the Cyceloo Iteration Workshop in Berlin on the 9. June 2016 (during the pre-event set-up), find more information here: [WORKSHOP] Cyceloo Iteration
Hi, welcome to our challenge and thanks for the link. It could be helpful to investigate how such Apps can help in creating an Open Source circular sanitation system. Do you know if any of these applications is an open source projekt?
Best
Maike
We just had a discussion on all the knowledge that is already there. So maybe we can start with making a list of experts in the field of sanitation/ terra preta/ nutricient cycle.I just make a brief start and add them in the pad.
@transitionmica Hello everyone, just stumbled in here randomly but this seems a pretty interesting topic to me. How’s the team organised exactly? Best I continue reading on the idea of osce days first but then this would be my topic - would be glad to support you.
Hi Chris,
welcome to circular sanitation. Our team is very small right now and mainly German speakers, so we’re happy to have you around. Are you based in Berlin or somewhere else? Which language is more comfortable for you? Which part of circular sanitation are you interested in (hardware, composting, water, nutrients…)?
Best
Maike
Hi & thanks! I am living in Berlin yes - German speaker but for me English is fine as well. I am interested in both the circular sanitation process as a whole as well as the single parts especially water and nutrients.
Chuck was in South Africa during OSCEDays installing 200 of his toilets at a test site. We tried to get him to come out but he was too busy. I spoke to one of Chuck’s partners in the Earth Auger toilet and he told me that it’s been tested for a number of years and the pathogen count of the compost material at the end of pipe is almost pathogen free and if lid is placed on it and exposed to sunlight for another 3 months, it is pathogen free and safe to use for compost, with no smell. The urine is diverted so you get both compost and fertilizer.
Interesting new system, only it looks so much more complicated than the ones we found so far. Also they don’t really seem to have a solution for the urine yet which makes up most of the volume. I’m currently multiplying Effective Micro-organsims (EM) to do a trial run with separate urine and feaces fermentation, hopefully starting in about a week.
@Signe, @Julian, @chrstoph: let’s get together to plan th Hack-a-Dixie @ the Emergent Berlin Fest. I’m currently trying to buy a Dixie-Toilet so we can turn it into a composting/ separation toilet. Will you join the project?
@chrstoph, @Julian, @Signe: In order to realize the Hack-a-Dixie at the Emergent Berlin Fest 12.9.2016 we should try to get organzied through the forum a bit and then meet as early as possible in September. I’m currently trying to buy a used Dixie toilet to use in the hackathon-happening. I also have one more person interested outside of the forum and hope that Josh will be able to join again. If you know of anyone else who may be in, this is the time to contact them and get them excited (not only builders but also artistic talents for re-decorating the cabin and good documenters are welcome )
@chrstoph, @Julian, könnt ihr mir eure mailadressen geben, dann könnten wir uns unabhängig vom einloggen hier verständigen, das geht vielleicht schneller. LG Maike ttpankow@web.de