SDG15: Life on Land
Loopoop is a reimagined approach for the management of human waste (pee and poop) in remote Arctic communities (up to 1000 inhabitants). It closes the loop and provides the potential for economic opportunities in local communities.
The current situation in many remote Arctic communities is unsustainable and not environmentally friendly, with human waste being left out in nature or dumped into the ocean in plastic bags.
Using human waste as soil and fertilizer
The Loopoop system begins in the bathroom where the urine and faeces are separated through a passive addition to the existing in-house facility. This step is essential for further use of both poo and pee which are resources with great potential.
The separated human waste is then moved to a local composting and processing site where the poo and pee are processed. The urine is converted into fertilizer and the faeces are turned into soil. The soil and fertilizer can then be used for local food production.
Loopoop was the winner of the most scalable solution which included in-kind support from Chemonics. Congratulations on the prize to the entire team!
Cold greenhouses in remote areas
There are different composting methods that can be used to break down the pathogens in human waste, so that it becomes safe to use for food production. For this stage we have chosen to explore the use of anaerobic fermentation, which is both environmentally friendly, low cost, suitable for cold climates and simple to use.
The final step in the Loopoop circle is the establishment of cold greenhouses that utilise the soil and fertilizers to provide fresh produce for the local community.
Loopoop’s mission is a clean environment and a sustainable and dignified waste management system that offers the opportunity for added value to a previously discarded resource.
