This toolkit presents various pricing options with photos of an Ecosan (Ecological Sanitation) toilet, also known as a compost pit latrine, from the work of UNICEF and Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) in Tamil Nadu.
Mainstreaming ecosan into the ongoing Total Sanitation Campaign (TSC) is a major challenge in India and the unit cost of Ecosan toilet is often quoted as a major impediment. In this context, UNICEF and SEI supported a program in Tamil Nadu in 2008, towards experimenting with different Ecosan toilet super-structure options to work out the comparative cost as well as the details of operation and maintenance.
Interesting results have come up from this program that will help economize the cost of Ecosan toilet in the region. Ten different models of Ecosan toilet have been constructed in a village with full support from the community and the District TSC. The superstructure models include - hollow block, cement stone, mud block, single chamber, palm leaf, nanal bamboo, tin sheet, double chamber brick, waste wood and coconut thatch.
The attached files show the detailed cost breakup and photographs of different models.