Smart toilet being created for disaster zones

When sanitary systems are destroyed by natural disasters or war, it can lead to further problems down the line, such as water pollution. Not only is this bad for the environment; it also increases the risk of disease and death among the survivors following the initial destructive event. 

When sanitary systems get destroyed, many survivors end up having to resort to creating makeshift toilets by simply digging holes in the ground. This means that human waste is able to contaminate water sources and soil, which can result in disease outbreaks - such as cholera. In order to combat this, a team from the United Nations (UN) is developing a smart toilet for use in disaster areas.

The project - called eSOS - has been designed to prevent water contamination by protecting the chain of sanitation. The smart toilet is made of a lightweight plastic and is solar powered, meaning it is suitable for areas that are deprived of electricity. According to Damir Brdjanovic, from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO) Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands, the project is aiming to bring disaster relief into the 21st century.  

"The eSOS, which stands for Emergency Sanitation Operation System, is a holistic approach to the emergency sanitation. It involves several components - eSOS smart toilet, smart transport, and dislodging of each toilet unit, and centralised treatment of feces and urine and the safe disposal of materials, like dry sludge, which is pathogen-free, and the clean water which can be reused further in the system," he said.

The system can be transported to disaster zones with ease due to its lightweight build. However, the thing that makes it perfect for such locations is the fact that it creates an entire sanitation chain, helping to reduce the risk of disease dramatically.