Sanilab, Inclusive Innovation
Worldwide, 4.5 billion people do not have safe sanitation, and 2.3 billion still do not have basic sanitation services (WHO and UNICEF). This generates three central problems: they promote air pollution by increasing the pollution of feces, generating infectious diseases, salinizing the soil and contaminating the water table.
SANILAB proposes to implement the ecological sanitation solution using ergonomic dry toilets and a transformation plant, where human waste is converted into biofertilizer. Through this solution, we seek to generate a social, environmental and economic impact.
With our system we improve the quality of life of people. It allows us to favor population health, by reducing diseases. It also improves access and quality of water. Furthermore, it generates a sustainable economic impact through the production of the biofertilizer that can be sold by the system's beneficiaries, allowing the creation of business opportunities for the community.
Inclusive Entrepreneurship. According to the United Nations, access to water, sanitation and hygiene is a human right; however, billions of people continue to face enormous difficulties on a daily basis in accessing the most basic services. Approximately 1.8 billion people worldwide use a water source contaminated by faeces; 2.4 billion lack access to basic sanitation services, such as latrines and toilets, with the proportion of 3 to 10 people lacking access to safe drinking water services and 6 to 10 people lacking access to managed sanitation facilities correctly. Currently, rational use of water is critical to dealing with the pandemic, therefore, it is extremely important to use water primarily for personal hygiene, and to provide employment for vulnerable populations.
SANILAB offers a system an ecological sanitation system that consists of the installation of ergonomic portable toilets that do not use chemicals or water and do not produce bad odors, then, through a collection system, the waste in containers is taken to a biotechnology plant where it transforms human excreta in harmless material that serves as a liquid fertilizer with high nutrient concentration, this can be marketed by the users of this system, which leads to the creation of jobs and an opportunity for entrepreneurship for society.
Our value proposition is reflected in two important variables.
a) The ergonomic toilets: Neutralize solids and separate the urine in the toilets, we reuse the urine, saving 600 lt of water per month, the production of toilets does not require electrical networks, its design makes it easy to transport and installation.
b) Liquid fertilizer: the technology used is clean, it contemplates a biotechnological process through fermentation and the use of (patented) microorganisms and does not use water or chemicals. This technology transforms faeces and urine into liquid fertilizer in only 15 days, obtaining 4 kg of feces with 3 kg of urine 780 lt of liquid fertilizer.
The beneficiaries of Sanilab are communities, specifically families that do not have adequate sanitation, who are exposed to IRAS, EDAS, anemia, socioeconomic sector C and D. The community with which we are working is the populated center of Quebrada Verde, located to the south from Lima, Peru made up of 360 families. To better understand their needs, we carry out co-creation workshops (design, monitoring and accompaniment) together with the community. As a result, infectious contagious diseases (IRAS and EDAS) were reduced by 100%. Access and water quality were improved, part of the little water they have is directed to the use of silos and latrines. With our system, beneficiaries save 600 lt of water per month being used for other activities of personal use. At environmental level, 5.4 T of waste was converted into compost per year, the desalination of 120m2 of soil was avoided, 5.4 T of the water table was decontaminated and 400 trees were reforested in the tourist circuit of Las Lomas de Lúcumo, Pachacamac. In addition, technology transfer was provided to the community so that the system is operated and administered by the entrepreneurs of the community, who commercialized the biofertilizer generating a source of income.
- Enable small and new businesses, especially in untapped communities, to prosper and create good jobs through access to capital, networks, and technology
The Quebrada Verde community is located far from the city and its geographical situation makes it difficult to manage sanitation projects and access to well-paid jobs. So we propose our circular economy solution. We provide an unique solutions in ecological sanitation through a comprehensive and sustainable system that uses dry toilets that do not require water and are easy to install. Subsequently, human waste is transformed into fertilizers for cut flowers, which will be sold as flower arrangements by the community
- Pilot: An organization deploying a tested product, service, or business model in at least one community
- A new technology
Sanilab, unlike the competition, allows us to close the sustainability cycle with our Integrated and Ecological Sanitation System, we show an innovative and eco-efficient vision (without water). It includes the installation of family sanitation modules in the community, a waste collection system and a plant for transforming faecal waste into plant fertilizer. The production and commercialization of said fertilizer, in charge of the community, may generate economic benefits for it, since 360 families produce 35 tons. liters per month at a unit cost of $ 0.90 and sells for $ 6 a liter.
The innovation is reflected in 3 important variables: the ergonomic toilet saves water, is portable (5kg), allows you to adopt healthy postures for waste disposal, manufactured without electricity and at low cost. The second variable is the elimination of pathogens from human waste in a record time of 15 days thanks to the development of the biotechnology created, which turns waste into harmless material. The third variable consists of the use of residues, it is possible to transform it into a 100% natural liquid fertilizer with a high concentration of nutrients with value for high stem agriculture, forage or afforestation, cocoa and coffee activities.
SaniSystem is an Integrated and Ecological Sanitation System, in which we show an innovative and eco-efficient vision (without water). It contemplates the installation of family sanitation modules in the community, a waste collection system and a waste transformation plant for the production of biofertilizer for plants. The production and commercialization of said fertilizer, in charge of the community, may generate economic benefits for it, since 360 families produce 35 tons. liters per month at a unit cost of S / .2.98 and it is sold at S / .20 nuevos soles per liter.
The value proposition is reflected in 3 important variables: the ergonomic toilet saves water, is portable (5kg), allows you to adopt healthy postures for waste disposal, manufactured without electricity and at low cost. The second variable is the elimination of pathogens from human waste in a record time of 15 days thanks to the development of the biotechnology created, which turns waste into harmless material. The third variable consists in the use of residues, it is possible to transform it into 100% natural liquid fertilizer with a high concentration of nutrients
It is based on the experience developed with the implementation of a SANILAB pilot plant in Pachacamac, in the populated center of Quebrada Verde, located south of Lima, Peru, which has the main function of transforming organic waste collected from toilets into organic fertilizer ready to apply.
This project benefited 360 families, each of which received 350 ecological toilets, benefiting an average of 1,500 people from the district, and according to calculations, the following results were obtained:
excreta generation per person (kg): 0.3
generation of urine per person (ml): 1000
average urine density (g / ml): 1,025
generation of urine per person (kg): 1,025
amount of organic waste per person (kg): 1,325
So with these estimates, the corresponding calculations were carried out:
Average number of people per family: 5
amount of waste generated per family (kg): 6,625
Number of families benefited by project: 360
total amount of waste (kg per month): 71 550
Generation of liquid fertilizer in liters per month: 50 085
When collecting the excreta and going to transform it, 50 085 liters were obtained as liquid fertilizer, which shows how effective the project is.
- Biotechnology / Bioengineering
Our main evidence is what we obtained from our pilot in Pachacamac, reducing diseases such as IRAS and EDAS by more than 90%, due to the reduction in the use of silos, thanks to our dry bathroom in the community. It has managed to improve the quality of water use since they do not have to use it to maintain the silos, it has managed to reuse 630 liters of water per year by the community. Maternal and child health has improved, thanks to the fact that pregnant women and children can carry out their needs in a safer way, since silos are dangerous and there is a risk of falling, thus reducing the risk of falling by 100% since has eliminated the use of these. Gender-based and mother-to-child violence has been reduced, the silos expose women and girls to sexual harassment because the silos are 10 m outside their home. It has had an impact on the environment.
- Women & Girls
- Pregnant Women
- Children & Adolescents
- Rural
- 3. Good Health and Well-Being
- 6. Clean Water and Sanitation
- Peru
- Peru
Currently our comprehensive and ecological sanitation system improves the quality of life for 1500 people.
Plan of 1 year: 2021 to include the strip of Pachacamac, Lima - Peru that adds about 25,000 users and then scale the Manchay, Lurín and other districts of Lima.
5-year plan: In Peru 11 million Peruvians do not have water or sanitation. It is worth mentioning that the state does not have sufficient capacity to face this challenge. Faced with this problem, Sanilab is a timely solution for these Peruvians, who deserve a decent sanitation system. Our system is scalable and highly adaptable as it has been tested in different regions of Peru such as the coast, mountains and jungle, with totally different climates and surfaces, and despite everything, the system has proven effectiveness and efficiency. For this reason, we hope to decentralize our comprehensive and ecological sanitation system to various regions of Peru, benefiting 2 million Peruvians.
Currently, there are 11 million Peruvians who do not have water and sanitation in Peru. It is worth mentioning that the Peruvian state does not have sufficient capacity to face this challenge. Our 5-year vision is to continue attracting financing to project Sanisystem in different Peruvian communities that still lack access to the sanitation system, benefiting 2 million Peruvians. In 10 years we hope to reach 4 million more Peruvians, installing a greater number of plants of more than 1000 m2 in different regions of our country. Thus, increase the social inclusion of 9000 users, save 25 tons of water, decrease in diseases such as IRAS and EDAS, reforestation of 4,000 trees in different areas of the country of the coast, mountains and jungle, decrease in m2 of degraded soils in the country, reduce the contamination caused by faeces in sanitary landfills, rivers, soils and reduce the carbon footprint of our country and in Latin America.
Technological Barriers: carry out scientific tests with edible plant species and demonstrate that there is no harm to people's health.
Political Barriers: the Peruvian state has as its main agenda investment in sanitation; However, in recent years the necessary amount has not been invested to fill this lack that we have, so it has not been necessary to require our services.
Financial Barriers: Currently, our company does not have the necessary funds to carry out all activities, which is why we work with ad honorem personnel to carry out their activities.
Legal Barrier: A barrier is the future regulations of the National Agrarian Health Service (SENASA) prohibiting the use of human excreta for fertilizer.
Barrier Culture: Our compost made from human waste creates a mental barrier for the consumer.
Social barrier: communities are not aware of the environmental damage generated by the use of silos
Technological Barriers: it will be overcome with the financing of a state project where we will carry out an entire research effort to demonstrate that the edible plants in which our fertilizer is applied do not cause any harm to people's health.
Political Barriers: Therefore, in order to combat this barrier, a commercial effort is planned to be able to contact the heads of the state who make the decisions to invest in sanitation.
Financial Barrier :. To combat this financial barrier, it is planned to apply for projects to raise a fund to continue working continuously.
Legal Barrier: for this, it is important from public relations to establish a work plan such as participating in technical tables or committees for the new regulations.
Barrier Culture: it is planned to overcome this mental barrier with intense marketing work, highlighting its high content of nitrogen, potassium and other nutrients that are easily absorbed by plants.
Social barrier: it is planned to combat this barrier through 3-month experiential workshops on what the installation of SaniSystem implies, thus, publicizing inclusive innovation and low-cost technologies.
- For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
All work ad honorem, Full-time: 2, Part-time : 18
The leader of the solution is Raúl Muñoz Cifuentes with a degree in Industrial Design and member of "The International Development Innovation Network" of the consortium led by MIT.
Javier Ravello: Business Manager with more than 20 years of experience in Transformation Programs, Product Development.
Margie Pajares: She works in the commercial area, she has more than 15 years of experience in brand management, corporate marketing plans and Social Responsibility strategies.
Jorge Benavides: 20 years of experience in the area of Genetic Resources, in Genetic Improvement of plants and Processes
Because we are an innovative and eco-efficient alternative. Our project was co-created with communities that do not have access to a sanitation or water system, therefore, taking into account the reality of Peru and Latin America, we created our “SANISYSTEM” system, which has the recognition of the Peruvian State, winners of the national contest "Audacious Ideas" - CONCYTEC and the global contest "HELLO TOMORROW-2017" of France. SANILAB has a committed team that has been part of this project for four years despite not having funds, because we have a commitment to Peruvian families, not only providing ecological sanitation solutions, but also through production and marketing. of biofertilizer to generate economic benefits for them. In addition, our project also manages to create environmental awareness in children and adults because by training them the importance of sanitation is highlighted. Winning the award would mean supporting more families in Pachacamac, Lima where there is a potential 6,250 families.
Prosynergy is an NGO with which an alliance was developed in the development of sustainable technologies for vulnerable populations such as livestock or agriculture, showing renewable technologies.
With LGS Montacargas we have the factory for the development of new products and mainly the manufacture of products in polyester resins such as ADRA toilets. Peru collaborated with the community study in the Nueva Shita Alta human settlement.
To finance the ecological family sanitation modules in the communities, an alliance is being created with the financial company Port it to offer them payment facilities in installments.
Innova Esan, a business incubator, is providing work facilities and consulting for the organization.
Our business model is based on the development of low-cost technologies in conjunction with the communities. We implement ergonomic dry toilets to combat problems of sanitation and soil contamination, contributing to development and improving quality of life.
Our work methodology begins with the collaborative creation of dry baths in conjunction with the population. During the process, the communities actively participate in the use and maintenance of the toilets and our team transforms the collected waste in 15 days into a liquid biofertilizer for ornamental plants and flowers with commercial potential both nationally and internationally.
We have a SANILAB pilot project in Pachacamac, in the populated center of Quebrada Verde, located south of Lima, Peru, which is based on the following pillars: (i) the unsatisfied demand for quality sanitation by the population, (ii) co-creation (design, monitoring and accompaniment) with families of a sanitation system appropriate to their needs, (iii) the commitment to sanitation management with an ecological solution. Thanks to this pilot, it was possible to standardize the processes and propose an ecological sanitation system with progressive phases for various clients.
- Organizations (B2B)
It is estimated that in Peru there is a total market of S / 17,303,040 of liquid fertilizer, our goal is to reach 1% of this market in the first year, which would have revenues of S /. 173,030 costs for S /. 43,257. What for us in bottles would mean a total of 14,419 bottles. Regarding our production costs, it is really low, since our main raw material is obtained from the bathrooms installed in the Pachacamac community. So we would have no difficulty in increasing production at this point. The idea of growth and scaling is to expand our markets and have a constant growth rate. Regarding production, we require an initial investment in terms of plant conditioning in machinery and space for the production of bottles necessary for the whole year. The necessary financing is for the first month, since it is estimated that with projected sales during the year we can generate sustained profitability at the end of this year. On the other hand, the commercial scaling potential of our product in other markets has been visualized; Therefore, once we reach a mature stage, our reach would be extended to other market players such as large nurseries, cotton, plantations and the final consumer, since we have visualized their need for our product, but in different proportions. Depending on the needs, small modifications would be made in the presentation of the product.
We are applying Mit Solve to benefit more families in the Pachacamac district who currently do not have water and sanitation. The investment would consist of installing the first ecological plant for the rapid transformation of waste of 1600 m2 for the entire district of Pachacamac. Concrete structures will be used for the foundation and bamboo structure for the walls and ceilings. In addition, there will be new ecological technologies such as solar panels, which will help us to have an environmentally friendly complex. With what we hope in 10 years to reach a social inclusion of 9000 users, save 25 mm of water and reduce diseases such as IRAS, EDAS and anemia. Our indicators are:% of families with access to portable toilets, Kg of stool stored, Conversion rate of stool into fertilizer,% Utilization of the local sanitation system.
- Funding and revenue model
- Marketing, media, and exposure
We have a pilot plant in Quebrada Verde in Pachacamac and a fertilizer with high commercial value, however, we do not have enough capital to invest in property, plant and equipment. Furthermore, to sell the fertilizer we need a great effort to sell few units , we need a team and advice in the commercial area to be able to locate our product in more points of sale. On the other hand, we have our sanitation system, which, due to little initiative of the state, we cannot locate it in more communities, this would be good for us since this way we would have more fertilizer to commercialize and we could reach more points of sale.
Weould like to partner with NGOs that help communities, biotechnology companies, private companies that invest in social responsibility projects, vulnerable communities and municipalities.
We will use the award to install the first ecological plant for rapid transformation of waste of 1600 m2 for the entire District of Pachacamac. Concrete structures will be used for the foundation and bamboo structure for the walls and ceilings. In addition, there will be new ecological technologies such as solar panels, which will help us to have an environmentally friendly complex.

Industrial Designer