LAUFEN celebrates the World Toilet Day 2024 by transforming sanitation in Kenya

Join us as we reflect on the significance of World Toilet Day 2024 and the positive impact of such projects worldwide.

World Toilet Day, observed annually on 19th November, is a global event dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of sanitation and advocating for improved access to clean toilets for all. The day highlights the critical role that proper sanitation plays in health, dignity, and environmental sustainability. With billions of people worldwide still lacking access to safe and clean sanitation, World Toilet Day serves as a call to action for governments, organisations, and individuals to work together in addressing this pressing issue.

Every year, UN-Water sets the theme for toilet day. The theme for World Toilet Day 2024 is ‘Sanitation for peace’.

THE HISTORY OF WORLD TOILET DAY 

World Toilet Day was established in 2001 by the World Toilet Organization, and in 2013 the United Nations passed a resolution establishing the celebration as one of its official world days.   

Every year, UN-Water sets the theme for toilet day. The theme for World Toilet Day 2024 is ‘Sanitation for peace’.  

In 2019 LAUFEN launched the pioneering urine-separation toilet save!, which meets the latest industry standards. The innovative save! toilet, developed in collaboration with Austrian design studio EOOS, separates urine from other waste, enabling it to be reused as fertiliser. This technology not only conserves water but transforms waste into a sustainable resource.

This new style of WC pan uses the concept of Source Separation Technology, in which urine is diverted from the remaining wastewater through a channel inside the toilet bowl. The different waste streams can then be more efficiently processed, allowing valuable resources to be recovered. Human urine is rich in phosphor and nitrogen, which are valuable resources for the production of fertiliser. In many parts of the world, however, these substances currently end up discarded in natural bodies of water, where they lead to a dangerous overstimulation of growth of aquatic plants and algae.    

The separation of urine inside the WC pan is ensured by the sophisticated geometry inside the ceramic bowl, without the need for any mechanical or electronic aids. Surface tension, also called the teapot effect, ensures that the urine is directed towards the urine trap, a separate outlet integrated into the ceramic body. Solids, toilet paper and the flush water are all sent down the usual siphon. The urine trap is entirely imperceptible to the user, as save! has deliberately been designed to look like a standard WC pan!    

“When we heard about the project in Kenya it was crystal clear for us that we want to support this initiative. As one of the global leading brands in sanitation and bathroom technology it is our aim to act as ambassador and introduce new technologies in global markets in order to make the daily life of people easier. With our separation toilet save! we can ensure that the school kids have a safe and hygiene access to sanitation” Sebastian Schmidt, Head of Sales Switzerland, LAUFEN Schweiz AG

LAUFEN’s revolutionary save! toilet was included in a water saving and sanitary redevelopment project in Harrison's Primary School. Located in an area with scarce rainfall and limited infrastructure, the school relied on basic pit latrines, creating an urgent need for intervention. As part of the redevelopment project, LAUFEN donated six innovative save! toilets, enabling a sustainable approach to water and waste management. These toilets play a key role in minimising water use, locally treating wastewater, and collecting urine to be repurposed as fertiliser. Today, students benefit from dignified facilities, a school vegetable garden, and a circular system that conserves water while supporting food production.   

Harrison's Primary School has also provided a faeces treatment system: faeces are flushed with minimal water into a worm filter, where earthworms transform the waste into nutrient-rich compost daily. After a year of storage, this compost can fertilise the newly established vegetable garden. The remaining liquids are pre-filtered and flow into a wetland area. Here, sand and reeds filter the water for several days, after which it is pumped up, purified, and reused for toilet flushing. A perfectly circular system!  

The water used in the hand washing stations comes from rainwater collection tanks and to reduce waste, drinking nipples for pigs are used which allow the water to flow only when touched.  

Joshua Schmidli, founder of the Swiss non-profit association Harrison's Primary School: “Our worms like faeces but not urine! The LAUFEN save! toilets played a key role in enabling us to implement a completely self-sufficient sanitation system. Powered solely by rainwater and solar power, we can keep operating costs to a minimum. This reduces our dependence on future donations and teaches children and staff how to use scarce resources sustainably.”   

This project demonstrates how innovation can transform vulnerable communities, paving the way for a more sustainable and dignified future for all. Happy World Toilet Day 2024 to you all.  

SUSTAINABILITY  ON WORLD TOILET DAY 2024 AND BEYOND 

LAUFEN's mission statement includes a comprehensive responsibility for economically, socially and ecologically sustainable development for all generations. To ensure that the good feeling of purity and security in the bathroom can be enjoyed without any worries, LAUFEN designs its products to be as climate-friendly, environmentally friendly and socially responsible as possible - from the selection of materials and production to delivery, use and recycling. The company is aware that this is a continuous process that needs to be permanently developed and readjusted.    

In 2021, LAUFEN, as part of the Roca Group, has joined the United Nations Global Compact, a worldwide pact between companies and the UN that aims to build stronger corporate practices for a more sustainable and inclusive future.