David Robbins of RTI International in the U.S. will test a septic tank biofilter made from cocopeat, which is a readily available byproduct of coconut processing, for its ability to decompose human waste and produce effluent that can be used for crop fertilization and irrigation. If successful, the cocopeat biofilter could be produced locally and aid in solid waste treatment and water conservation efforts.

Elmer Sayre of the WAND Foundation in the Philippines will explore how to close the loop between sanitation, health and food consumption by testing low-cost dry toilets appropriate for most conditions and using the human waste in small-scale agriculture efforts. Results and best practices will then be shared for future scale-up of the project.

Marcos Fioravanti and Chris Canaday of Fundación In Terris in Ecuador will develop an easy-to-use urine-diverting dry toilet that uses a pedal to "flush" feces into a pipe and mix the waste with dry material for faster composting. Following toilet use, pushing the pedal turns an auger in the pipe, withdrawing the waste to eliminate odors and to enable safe sanitation, after which it can be used as fertilizer. In Phase I, they designed, built and laboratory-tested three prototypes with varying designs. The two best designs, one for home use and one for public use, were field tested in Ecuador to evaluate performance and usability. In Phase II, Fioravanti, now working with co-investigator Chuck Henry, will further refine the design through feedback from the field, and test modified prototypes with a view to conduct large-scale local demonstrations across different continents to promote user acceptance. They will also look to scale-up manufacturing to low-cost mass production.

Virginia Gardiner of Loowatt Ltd. in the United Kingdom will develop a waterless toilet that uses biodegradable film to safely separate and seal waste into a portable cartridge for local anaerobic digestion. The digester will produce fuel (biogas) and fertilizer, creating local waste treatment economies. In Phase I Gardiner performed market research in Madagascar to adapt the basic toilet system to local contexts and to develop a business model. She further developed the toilet, digester, and post-treatment system, and built a pilot system that was tested using human waste in the laboratory. In Phase II, Loowatt looks to scale-up their technology and tools for the global market by further developing the anaerobic digester, readying toilet components for mass production and local manufacture and supply, and exploring local manufacturing possibilities for the biodegradable film.