UBC researchers have unveiled a toilet like the world has never seen
Ever heard of a toilet powered by mushrooms? UBC researchers have, and they’ve built one.
The world’s first mushroom-powered, waterless toilet is set to make its debut at the UBC Botanical Garden this week.
The project, called the MycoToilet, is the first waterless toilet powered by mushrooms.
Instead of flushing with water or relying on chemicals, it uses mycelia, the root networks of fungi, to safely break down human waste.
“We wanted to turn a daily routine everyone knows into a pleasant experience that reminds us of our connection to ecological cycles,” said Joseph Dahmen, an associate professor at UBC’s School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (SALA) and the project lead, in a release.
Inside UBC’s MycoToilet, the world’s first mushroom-powered waterless toilet, is opening at the Botanical Garden. (Supplied)
Unlike chemical toilets, which use formaldehyde and treat waste as toxic, the MycoToilet is designed to be “safe, comfortable, and environmentally friendly.”
It only requires four maintenance visits a year and is fully wheelchair accessible, according to UBC.
The toilet separates liquids from solids.
Solids are sent into a fungi-lined compartment, where microbes and enzymes help transform waste into nutrient-rich compost while cutting down on odours.
What that means is that the fungi and natural microbes slowly break it down into compost, without the gross smell.
“Fungi are very good at breaking down biomass, including human and animal waste,” explained Steven Hallam, a professor in UBC’s department of microbiology and immunology, in the release.
“They produce enzymes that transform material into simpler compounds while supporting microbial communities that speed decomposition.”
Flushing out the future
A six-week pilot starting Sept. 26 will test the system with real users.
If it works as expected, researchers said it could generate roughly 600 litres of compost and 2,000 litres of liquid fertilizer each year.
Dahmen said in the release that the goal is to provide a drop-in, eco-friendly alternative for parks, municipalities, and communities that don’t have reliable plumbing.
The MycoToilet is a collaboration between UBC’s SALA and Department of Microbiology and Immunology, with support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Campus as a Living Lab program, SEEDS Sustainability, and the BioProducts Institute.
UBC’s Sustainability Hub noted in the release that chemical toilets at the Garden used to require weekly truck servicing.
By contrast, the MycoToilet can be cleaned just a few times a year and is designed to last as part of the garden’s infrastructure.
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