The invention of the flush toilet was probably one of the most unsustainable innovations in human history The invention of flush toilets increased the volume of waste from toilet by almost 20-fold (Credit: iStock) Today, 35.8% of the world’s population still lacks access to any proper sanitation facilities. That’s why in 2015, the world’s leaders agreed to strive for access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all by 2030 as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. That means more than three billion extra people will need access to a toilet.
But if we solve this problem with the flush toilets we’re used to in the West, we will have a whole new water access and sanitation problem on our hands. From toilets to treatment The invention of the flush toilet , or water closet, in 1596 ended open defecation and transferred excreta outside of homes for the first time. This was certainly a good thing in the short term, but today the flush toilet probably stands as one of the most unsustainable innovations in human history. Think about it. Why would we want to increase the liquid volume of a potentially harmful substance […]
Full article: The world needs more toilets – but not ones that flush
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