WaterAid has been constructing composting latrines in Third World countries. Not only do the latrines greatly reduce sewage problems, they provide fertilizer for crops.
They quietly do many such good works, their mission being “to overcome poverty by enabling the world’s poorest people to gain access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.” Good stuff indeed.
Very cool. I’ve seen (and used) pit latrines of various quality from Sri Lanka to Mexico. They can be VERY unsanitary. The great innovation has been “sealed” pit latrines, where the pit is made of brick and there’s a porcelain fixture (with a gooseneck) on top. That makes it leak-proof and sanitary (barring major flooding, like a tsunami). But it has a limited lifespan– typically 10-15 years– and it doesn’t produce compost.
My parents had a cottage on the coast of Maine with a composting toilet. (My dad swears the compost grew the best tomatoes!) But I’ve never seen the concept adapted in this way. I sent the link on to my associates in Sri Lanka.