This simple method for recycling human wastes, named and promoted by Peter Morgan in Zimbabwe, consists of a simple shallow pit latrine composting toilet with an easily moveable slab and outhouse.  As the pit is used soil, wood, ash, leaves and food scraps are thrown in to stimulate decomposition, sanitizing the pit contents by creating a fertile soil.  When the pit is almost full a new pit is dug and the outhouse is moved over the empty pit.  Then the old pit is covered with a layer of topsoil.  After several months of decomposition the contents of the old latrine become fertile soil which can be planted with a young tree.

In this way the nutrients from human excreta are harvested and reused to support human nutrition and reforestation instead of flowing into groundwater, wells and other aquatic ecosystems where they pose a significant environmental threat.

Kiddieloos are a distant cousin of the Arborloo that are widely used in Malawi.  These children’s toilets use the same concept as the Arborloo but do not require a covering structure as children generally are less concerned with privacy.   

Kiddieloos not only provide sanitation but also serve as a wonderful educational tool for children.  These pictures show Junior Duncan in Malawi with his second Arborloo pit and his first Arborloo tree, an orange. 

Encouraging children to compost their wastes and raise their own fruit trees:

• improves health through hygiene and nutrition
• teaches basic concepts of hygiene, ecology and agriculture
• instills a sense of pride that comes with helping to provide a valuable resource
• provides a  concrete example of the human connection to soil, trees and other living things

What is special about

Simplicity:

Arborloos only require a quarter of a bag of cement, some quick training, a shallow pit, and materials to construct a structure.  They are very inexpensive and rely only on natural decomposition processes.  Arborloos are a simple ways for rural families to meet their own sanitation needs, without having to wait for increased income or outside support.

Practicality:

In rural areas where families have plenty of space and soils are generally poor, Arborloos provide a sanitation option which transforms old toilet sites into backyard orchards. These orchards can increase household nutrition and income, while simultaneously providing access to sanitation and reducing the spread of disease.

Beauty:

Arborloos are not only practical, they can be quite beautiful as seen in this picture from Malawi where some families hang their handwashing device over the old toilet pit where the tree is planted, so that each time they wash their hands they also water the tree.  With plenty of water and nutrients from the fertile soil in the pits, these trees grow rapidly and produce beautiful fruit.

Adaptability:

Arborloos are also special in their adaptability.  Because, they are simple and can be constructed by non-professionals there is space for numerous community innovations.

Safety:

Arborloo pits are never excavated so there is no chance of the human feces coming in contact with people using the toilet, greatly reducing the risk of disease transmission.

Cost:

Arborloos require few materials to construct and are the lowest cost option for ecological sanitation. The toilet seat or platform cost less than US$3 to make and the hole can be dug by a family member. The greatest expense is the portable structure covering the toilet.  In Malawi and Zimbabwe people use materials that can be gathered locally, reducing costs.

Where are Arborloos used?

Arborloos are formally being promoted and tested in Kenya, Mozambique, Malawi, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, however, the concept is based on practices that have been used by indigenous cultures and the poor for centuries.

Constructing an Arborloo (or Fossa alterna)

(For a detailed description of how to build and maintain arborloos go to: http://aquamor.tripod.com/ArborLoo2.HTM)

The arborloo requires few materials and is simple to construct.  The toilet seat can either be a platform or a pedestal depending on preferences.  The seat itself costs less than $3 and anyone can learn to construct their own.

There are two types of platform slabs. Domed slabs do not require reinforcing wire and are therefore cheaper to make.  For a dome slab the concrete is laid on a mound of sand. The dome shape strengthens the concrete, keeping the slab from breaking.

The flat slab is equally simple to construct, requires slightly less cement and is reinforced with 4 short pieces of iron rod.

If people prefer to have a toilet seat it is possible to make one inexpensively, with relatively few materials. First a plastic toilet seat is used to make a mold in a cement square.  Then a bucket is placed above the seat and used to form the shape for the base of the toilet seat.

Afterwards the toilet seat is flipped, placed on a cement slab with a hole in it for support and painted.

The structure covering the Arborloo must be light weight yet durable, to prevent rain from entering the pit.  These are some examples of Arborloo structures from Malawi.

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