Arborloo

Market Suggested Retail Price

$22.00

Distributors / Implementing Organizations

Implemented by various organisations including Catholic Relief Services in East Africa, Water, Agroforestry, Nutrition and Development Foundation (WAND) in the Philippines

Manufacturing/Building Method

The Arborloo is constructed in a series of stages involving a concrete slab, ring beam to protect the pit, and superstructure. The superstructure is most often made from local materials and will vary between the location and level of investment the household is willing to make for the superstructure (e.g. woven reeds, sticks, bricks, cement). The household generally provides the labor to dig the shallow pit and build the Arborloo, which approximately takes 2-5 hours. After the Arborloo is constructed, a layer of leaves, ash, or soil is placed in the pit prior to its use by the household. Once the pit is approximately two-thirds full, the pit is backfilled with a thick layer of soil and a tree is planted on the nutrient-rich pit. The household digs another Arborloo pit once the first one is filled, and the concrete slab and superstructure are moved to the new pit. The superstructure, ring beam and slab are moved from pit to pit in a continuous cycle.

Intellectural Property Type

Open Source

User Provision Model

The Arborloo is an open-source design. It is commonly built by the end-users with local construction support where available.

Distributions to Date Status

Unknown

Design Specifications

The Arborloo design is comprised of three main parts:

• Concrete slab: The slab is made with an aperture for the squat (pedestal hole). This is typically cast offsite prior to transporting to the pit location.
• Ring beam: The ring beam is cast in-situ at the pit location. It is designed to protect the shallow pit and lift the concrete slab off the ground surface. Its approximate dimensions is a 1 m internal diameter and 1.3 m  outer diameter.  Once the ring beam is cured, a hole of 1-1.5 m depth is dug. Alternatively, steel barrels are sometimes used instead of a ring beam to support the pit from collapsing.
• Superstructure: This structure is built around the slab using local materials. It is designed to provide privacy to the occupant. It is also designed to be portable as the Arborloo will need to be transported to a new pit once the existing pit is two thirds full.

Technical Support

Local technicians and NGOs who are experienced in ecological sanitation in the respective country.

Replacement Components

Replacements and repairs are carried out by the end-users with local construction support where available.

Lifecycle

6-12 months prior to planting and cycling Arborloo to a new pit.

Manufacturer Specified Performance Parameters

Specified performance targets generally referred to for the Arborloo are summarised below:

• Simple technique for all users
• Low cost
• Low risk of pathogen transmission
• Encourage income generation (tree planting and fruit production)

Vetted Performance Status

The Arborloo is mainly assessed for its applicability in rural environments in the context of promoting sanitation noting its varied designs as an open-source solution. This assessment has been undertaken by various organisations through field trials and case studies. Common conclusions include its recommendation as a preferred solution in rural environments because of its low costs, ease of construction and quick return on investments. 

Safety

Covering the pit and planting a tree reduces risk of infection due to reduced human contact with faeces contained below a layer of leaves and topsoil for separation. Users do not come into contact with faecal material reducing risk of pathogen transmission.

Complementary Technical Systems

Complementary technical systems include roofing structure to protect end-user from weather, vent pipe with fitted fly screen and pedestal for end-user comfort. Soil and ash should also be readily available to be dispatched into the pit after each use to reduce fly and odour nuisance.

Academic Research and References

Compliance with regulations

Unknown

Other Information

None