The World’s First Mushroom-Powered Waterless Toilet

Mushrooms really are magical.

UBC researchers have unveiled the MycoToilet, a waterless system that uses mushroom mycelia to transform human waste into compost.

Installed at the UBC Botanical Garden, the design blends sustainable architecture with fungi-powered decomposition to offer a clean, odour-free alternative to chemical toilets.

The modular unit requires only four maintenance visits per year and could supply up to 600 litres of soil and 2,000 litres of liquid fertilizer annually. Researchers say it could benefit parks, remote communities, and regions without plumbing.

“Fungi are very good at breaking down biomass, including human and animal waste. They produce enzymes that transform material into simpler compounds while supporting microbial communities that accelerate decomposition.”

— Dr. Steven Hallam, Professor of Microbiology and Immunology

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