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E. Eugenia enjoys tropical condition. 3 main factors: aeration, temperature between 25-30Deg, the moisture 60-
80%.
How effective are the worms?
1 Kg of E.Eugenia can breakdown up to 700-800g of the volume of faeces / day
Do we need to separate the solid waste from the Urine before entering the Biodigester?
There is no need to separate the urine…. the urine is not harm to the worm and consid
ering how the biodigester is
designed, HRT is enough good to allow effluent percolate out of the biodigester. The urine component is even
important if the effluent is to be used as fertilizer.
Do the worms produce their own waste? If yes, is it considerable?
E.Eugenia is used in vermicomposting. Vermicomposting, a mesophilic process carried out by earthworms, involves
ingestion, digestion and absorption of organic waste followed by excretion of castings through the worm’s
metabolic system, enhancing the levels of plant-nutrients of organic waste during their biological activities.
Is the effluent flow rate the same as how much water is being used to flush the toilet?
Definitely not, the flow rate will most probably depend on the filtration materials and layers tightness. It may also
depend on the balance volume of waste cumulated in the biodigester.
Does the owner have to aerate the biodigester to prevent anaerobic conditions?
No aeration is needed. Flushing the toilet is one of the aeration sources. The biodigester is also designed not to
allow the system to go anaerobic.
What is the lifespan of worms in specific tanks?
Scientists predict that the average lifespan under field conditions is four to eight years; still most garden varieties
live only one to two years.
How do you see the management of tiger toilets at a larger scale? How will they be managed?
At larger scale, the bio-toilet needs to be associated to the greening or agricultural business. This could be a real
entry point for household food /revenue generating activities. Community small enterprises could be set up to
manage such project therefore reinforce the local entrepreneurship.
What are the challenges so far in terms of management of tiger toilet from the users' perspective?
Minor challenges registered are incorporated to make sure that the design fits with the number of user, prevent
the use of detergent in the toilet, prevent inorganic material to get into the biodigester, protect the worms against
predator (insects), the effluent disposal or its effective use as soil conditioner.
What are the main challenges to scale up?
There is no major challenge for scaling up so far. However, the toilet needs to be constructed by skilled and trained
masons.
Around the community acceptance, what are the lessons learnt so far? What did we do, change and adapt so
far?
Communities are reluctant at the beginning (simply because they can’t understand the concept). But after some
training, they like the system due to the benefits of no desludging needs and the composting advantages.
