Could you design a better toilet?

Aug 17, 2012

Billionaire Bill Gates has held a design fair to try to create a better toilet.

Diseases caused by poor sanitation cause millions of deaths every year, many of which could be avoided if people had proper toilets. But standard flushing toilets aren't always practical in developing countries: they use a lot of water and need to be connected to a complex water and sewage system.

The Reinvent the Toilet fair offered prizes to designers who managed to create toilets that could work without running water or electricity, and cost no more than 3p a day to run.

Many of the designs went even further, turning poo into power. The winning design produced electricity and hydrogen gas, while others created charcoal and even food for animals.