Ecological sanitation is an alternative approach to managing human excreta that aims to be more sustainable than current chemical-intensive practices. It involves separating solid and liquid waste to later use as fertilizer. Urine can be diluted and used as fertilizer after a few weeks, while feces decomposes for 8-12 months before use. Experiments show crops like maize, banana, and radish grow larger when fertilized with human urine compared to chemical fertilizers or no fertilizer. Ecological sanitation toilets are designed to safely collect and store excreta for later use, reducing pollution, illness, and reliance on chemical fertilizers.

1. ECOLOGICAL
SANITATION what it is all about
current ecosan
ChEmICAL wasteful cycle
practices
fErTILIzErS
EAT
we apply chemical
GrOw
fertilizer to grow crops.
Then we defecate in the
open or a pit toilet leading
to pollution and results in Eat
illness and harming the
evironmment
DEfECATE
GrOw
EAT
Ecosan can be
a better option
to manage our
excreta in a fErTILIzE
DEfECATE productive way.
SO wITh ECOLOGICAL SANITATION yOu CAN
- reduce chemical fertilizers use with
urine and manure to grow crops
GrOuNDwATEr pOLLuTION SurfACE wATEr pOLLuTION - Save scarce freshwater
- prevent water contamination
- prevent diseases
- prevent water borne diseases like
diarrhea and dysentry
ILLNESS DyING wATErbODIES
Centre of Excellence in Ecosanitation • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore • Supported by Arghyam, SEI, UNICEF

2. ECOLOGICAL source separation of
SANITATION SOLID and LIQuID waste
Excreta generation
per person per year
urine: 500 litres
faeces: 100-150kg
urine water
becomes manure after 8 -12 months
The basic design feature
of ecological sanitation is
diversion of urine and faeces
so that they are never mixed.
- The urine can be diluted with
water and used after storing
for 2-4 weeks.
- The faeces becomes manure
after decomposing for 8-12
months
URINE
UREA
NUTRIENTS
NuTrIENT CONTENT
N 3.5 gm/l
SSP
p 1.7 gm/l MoP
K 1.6 gm/l
Centre of Excellence in Ecosanitation • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore • Supported by Arghyam, SEI, UNICEF

3. ECOLOGICAL structure and use
SANITATION of an ecosan toilet
faecal matter is deposited in
the storage compartment.
A handful of ash,
dried leaves, sawdust
or grain husk is
urine is collected in the middle sprayed over the
basin. A pipe leads it to a faecal matter and
container outside. closed with the lid.
faeces excretion holes
Ash wash area
urination area
washing is done in the wash In six months a family of four fills
area.The water collects outside up the first chamber. The second
through a pipe. chamber can be used giving
time for the material in the first
chamber to decompose safely
into manure.
urINE is diluted with water and used rEmEmbEr
as fertilizer after storing for 2 - 4 - The water used for cleansing must
weeks. not fall in the excreta chamber.
- put ash or dry materials after
ThE fAECAL mATTEr should be every defecation to prevent
allowed to decompose in the storage bad smell and hasten the
compartments for 8 -12 months after decomposition.
which it is used as manure. - Don’t use both the excreta
chambers at the same time.
Ecosan toilets are very effective for
- wATEr SCArCE ArEAS
- hIGh wATEr TAbLE ArEAS
- hArD rOCK ArEAS
Centre of Excellence in Ecosanitation • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore • Supported by Arghyam, SEI, UNICEF

4. ECOLOGICAL experiments using
SANITATION human urine
1. The urine was collected from 3. urine was collected in clean
2. Inside view; Ecosan toilet for
an ecosan ladies’ toilet and a plastic cans, stored in large can
ladies and gents’ urinal
boys’ urinal in Doddballapur and diluted with same quantity
of water.
town, Bangalore
4. urine was applied uniformly 5. Seeds were sown 6. maize plants grown in land
on prepared land in Nagasandra fertilized with human urine
village using a rose can
No fertilizer
Chemical human
fertilizer urine
7. The experiment compared the 8. The experiment was repeated for different crops, and
results of application of chemical excellent results were seen in the crops fertilized with urine.
fertilizer, human urine and no fertilizer.
The research was conducted by Dr. G. Sridevi
under supervision of prof C. A. Srinivasamurthy
Centre of Excellence in Ecosanitation • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore • Supported by Arghyam, SEI, UNICEF

5. ECOLOGICAL compare
SANITATION the crops!
bANANA
The banana bunch from plants
grown with human urine has
more number of bananas.
mAIzE
Early ripening of crops
fertilized with human urine.
CApSICum
The number of fruits in the capsicum plant treated
with human urine is three, whereas the same in case
of plant treated with chemical fertilizer is only one.
LEAfy VEGETAbLE
The difference in the growth of leafy
vegetables is quite visible; left pot:
chemical fertilizer, right pot: human urine.
frENCh bEAN
See the growth and health of the french bean
plants in the plot fertilized with human urine.
rADISh
The size of the vegetable is bigger in
rECOmmENDED plants grown with human urine.
DOSE Of urINE
pEr ACrE Of LAND
fOr DIffErENT CrOpS
maize
23,000 litres ASh GOurD
Visible differences between plants
banana grown with farmyard manure and
61,000 litres
human urine.
french bean
8,400 litres
Centre of Excellence in Ecosanitation • University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore • Supported by Arghyam, SEI, UNICEF