Updated: Dec 13, 2016
Poor sanitation is a leading cause of child mortality. Today, an estimated 800 children under five years of age die every day from diarrheal disease caused by lack of hygienic water and sanitary living situations. Approximately 950 million people also still defecate in the open. This exposes areas to the risk of disease and results in a range of social and economic problems.
The gravity of the situation has elevated the topic to the top of the global agenda. In September 2015, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development was adopted by world leaders. Goal 6 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for access to water and sanitation for all.
LIXIL is at the forefront of a movement addressing this pressing global problem. One solution that has already been commercialized is the affordable plastic SATO (Safe Toilet) series. First developed by LIXIL's American Standard Brands with the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, SATO products are designed to cover open pit latrines and feature a counterweighted trapdoor that allows waste to flow through, while sealing shut to keep out flies, other insects and odors. This helps prevent the spread of disease, as well as improve both the safety and user experience of open pit latrines.
As of mid-2016, over 1 million SATO units have been installed in over 14 countries. Of these, some 500,000 SATO toilets were donated to nongovernmental organizations for installation in homes and schools in Bangladesh, and another 300,000 have been sold in Bangladesh for as little as $2 each.
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